Add the JC Conner rubber jaw kit to your MB650 traps and fill that offset in. $35.00/dozen.

http://www.jcconner.com/jaws.html

One thing I will suggest is set them 650s shallow & get some more pan tension on them so the beaver has to work to fire them off. That should help prevent the toe catches. A #11 will hold a beaver to drown it, if ya get a good hold above the paw.
Dennis

Payotetrapper, what is the nature of this beaver trapping excursion?

A) Did you locate some beaver and decide that you would like to try and trap them?

B) Or is it a situation where someone wants beaver removed from an area?

Mike

That's great Idea.

Or, contact Minnesota Trapline Supply and buy rubber jaw inserts that are cut to fit.

Or, buy one mb750. The mb750 with laminated jaws is like the BMW of beaver traps.

Whichever foothold trap you use, remember to make a firm bed for the trap and turn the trap sideways so the beaver travels over the hinge point of the jaws to get a better grip.

Best wishes.

Some more good advice. Hardly anyone beds a beaver trap, But they should.

When I got married I moved from PA, where you can only have a few beaver traps, to Ohio. Growing up I trapped coon and fox. Now my focus is coyote, purely because I enjoy trying to outsmart them. I’ve been trading my traps for coyote traps for this reason. So to answer your question, in reality I just trap for fun.

This is my first year out here, so I decided to try and get a special permit for beaver at a state park out here, and got drawn for it. I’ve trapped for beaver a couple times before in PA, but now I’m able to use as many traps as I can. As for why am I doing it? Because I can. These aren’t nuisance beavers, the state park just doesn’t want them to become a nuisance. I purposely picked a state park without a nuisance issue for this reason when I got drawn.

That’s a great idea! Thanks for the tip!

Old thread but I beaver trap with offset laminated Bridger #5's.
I have mb750 and don't like using it because it's hard to set the night latch.
Do the guys who say don't use the mb 650 realize that the jaws are are only 3/8" narrower on each side than the mb 750?
That's not worth concerning yourself with.
#4 double long springs were the standard beaver trap a short time ago-guess what-they are the exact same jaw spread as mb650!
Keyboard warriors astound me.

Heck...I miss one occassionally with MB750s, B5s, CDRs, NoBSs, and Duke LS5s.

If you don't have a lot of money buy a couple dozen beaver snares. Beaver are pretty easy to snare, and you don't have to use drowning wires.
I personally only use foot traps very occasionally on beaver, just lazy that way i guess.
330s and snares will catch enough to keep you skinning.

Millions of beaver trapped in No 4 dls victors.
just make sure the springs are strong.

A bait stick in front of a foot trap is deadly. Especially on beaver that for whatever reason have stopped working your sets and you know they're there.
Yellow poplar and black cherry work well.

Make a false slide...put a fresh bait stick..Jerry always peels alittle.of the bark back for.contrast on the stick and for.more scent..set your foothold at the bottom of the slide..and wait.

Do NOT use lure on this set.

Jerry has caught 1000s of beaver in 4 coiled #3s. That's the trap that Charlie Dobbins showed Jerry how to use.. Charlie's way of thinking on beaver trapping according to what he taught jerry was..buy the cheapest trap you can buy for the job and buy more of them.n theory you'll catch more beaver than the next guy if you have the same work ethic because you have more traps set.

Jerry.doesnt own any belisles or 750s or anything like that and he's caught literally 1000s of beaver in #3.footholds.

Some.People.would say BS but the proofs in the fur shed.

What you have will work.

The true reason most people want the biggest trap with the biggest jaw spread is because they don't have precise trap placement figured out.

Your traps will work just fine.

Set for the front foot..you can drown em in less water and if you miss the front foot you still have a chance at a back foot catch.

IMHO Offset traps are a product of the Animals rights organizations.
Not worth the time or effort to buy.
I always loved the old double long spring # 4 or #5 , even the #3 would work.
LOL I caught a small beaver in a # 1 long spring muskrat trap once.
Make the set right , it will do it's job.
Can set a double long spring over your knee anywhere.
Coil springs are harder to set , unless you carry setters.
Keep it simple , set more traps and work a longer line.

#3 Victor Square jaw

I use #3 Bridger's and mb750's with closed jaws.The biggest tip I can give you is bed the trap real good.

If you're planning to trap beaver in numbers, you'll want to get proper equipment.
You can pick up #4 CS dukes at FNT for about $17 per trap (cheaper if you buy a doz or 1/2 doz). They work just fine.
You can get a couple of 330s for $25 each.

The heartache you'll suffer later by educating beaver will cost more in your future time and effort than 6 or 7 proper traps will.

$150 (in the USA) will get you fully rigged up (assuming you already own a shovel, hammer, some wire or cable, etc) to run a line that will catch beaver every day you care to maintain it.

I haven't paid out of pocket for a beaver trap since I started doing a bit of nuisance work and I trap less than 20 beaver a year... this year, probably less than 10... so take my advice and opinions for what they're worth LOL.

Aim for the front foot. I have 2 dozen Bridger #3 4 coil offsets I use for beaver work just fine.

Have you used these non laminated on beaver with success? I have a couple dozen I’ve been tinkering with.

kytrapper, use them as is and they work fine....check spring strength on them as some of these traps are 50 years old. I change out chain and add swivels...increase pan tension a bit and go trap.