I could imagine a foot wedged between jaw and pan edge then either leverage or snatch out possibly bending a pan. But it would need to be a snug fit and how that gets accomplished without firing the thing I do not know.

I know I've adjusted pan height by prying off the loose jaw but I don't know of a beaver being able to take a stout stick and do the same.

Turtles ?

Lord knows there's none in the south this time of year

Bend it down lower so whatever cant get under it.
If it cost money set up a submerged multi snared pole or get out the 12 ga.

Just can't see how an animal can do it. It would have to be a human. For an animal to do it would be a series of coincidental events.

A beaver (s) have been all over those traps past several days.....and twice the pans are bent upward. No people have been there.

Simple physics. Hoof under the pan

And how would it not fire the trap?

I pre set most traps for beaver and carry them in with a backpack
Just high set the pan.

Crawdads

Could the current do it.?

All bs aside never saw that but it is summer time a lot of critters out is it possible a coon could do it they reach but seems they would get caught first, people are to afraid of traps to mess with the trigger system

I’m going to tell you like it is…No animal bent that pan without setting off the trap the way you have it in the picture. It really is as simple as that.

Agree if it was a person has to be someone with some insight on traps and trapping

Well....this is why I posted this. Over 40 years of trapping. About 30 of those aggravating southern beavers and I have never seen this before.

The 1st trap with bent up pan wasn't bent up as much as the one today (in the pic), but it was bent up enough I replaced it with another trap instead of trying to straighten it.

There have been no people at this location. That's the 1st thing I thought. There are some deer and coons there nightly, but I have not noticed their sign near the trap, as the traps were underwater 4" to 10" deep.

The other unusual aspect of this is WHY I haven’t grabbed that beaver(s) yet.

Current not strong there....just a gentle flow.

Current couldn't bend the pan on a B5 even if very strong.

Why are you so certain no people could have been there?

Take one of your traps and try to bend the pan on a set trap with a pair of channel locs. My bet is that you will be surprised at how much force it takes to bend the pan.

I agree with BvrRetriever. A 4 legged critter did not do that and leave the trap set in the trap bed under water. It took some serious leverage to bend the pan and the trap probably had to be reset after the bend.

Only my tire tracks and boot prints there daily for past 9 days. Its a half-mile inside locked gate. As a former GW and lifelong trapper, I'm always paying close attention to, and looking for, sign, especially any human activity...lol

How are you bedding the traps? Had you mentioned before that you used something to bed them on or I am I thinking of someone else?