I’m battling nuisance beavers on my hunting grounds. I caught one on a front foot drowning set. I’ve caught them in 330s before but I have a big one who won’t go through a Conibear and ignores castor mounds. I have a video of him swimming right up to a Conibear and turning around and swimming away. The dam has been here for years and has several openings where water runs out. They (if more than one) plugged the holes once but now they seem to avoid doing that.

I’m not really a beaver trapper and would like some advice from those who are. I only have hip waders so I really can’t set at the lodge. It’s a small lodge but pretty deep around it. Once I caught the one, nothing has hit that castor mound set even though I have a picture of the big guy right near it. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Footholds set with minimal disturbance on any spot it looks like it crawled out on at some point is my go-to for mon cooperative beaver

Thanks. What, besides castor mound, is a good set?

Camouflage the 330's well or use a RBG trap. They will imprint on the straight lines of a 330 if educated.

What’s an RPG? I can try to hide the 330s better but I have tried. I can probably do better though.

Round body grip. It's round in shape so sometimes better emulates natural conditions

Deep channels to hide the 330s, use a dive stick.

Snares hung on trails blended well, gang set.

Footholds on drowners on pullout real and simulated, sac oil single drop.

Ok. Good idea.

I have caught them in Conibears using a dive stick but this one beaver seems to have them sniffed out now. Also I have otters back there and really try not to catch them. Caught one by mistake once.

I will look for places that look like he climbs out and try some well concealed leg hold sets. I currently only have #3 Bridgers but have some bigger traps on the way.

330 on bottom of channel, dive stick on surface. Beaver go deep rub bottom, otters dip under the stick is how the two differ. Not 100% but enough to make a difference. So set those channels deep enough to leave otter room between 330 and dive stick.

Ok. Thanks.

Trapperman12, season is closed in NY if that is where your trapping, also it is illegal to set within 15 feet of a beaver house.

I have a DEC nuisance permit.

This^^^^

...is my strategy too.....during winter months.

But, during warm months (closed otter season) ...I leave the 330s at home and use snares very discretely on fresh beaver sign at crawlouts (not crossovers) that DON'T have any otter scat. A belly, hip, or tail snared otter is hard to release....safely.

So, it's footholds only set for back foot only. Use no lures with castor. Use sac oil from single beaver. Set blind at crawlouts and dam breaks.

Try a food lure with a foothold or snare for a change up scent. If you have the castor from the first beave put that on the bank with a foothold

Gotta be honest. I don’t know what sac oil is.

Sac oil is what beaver uses to waterproof their fur. The reason why one of the toenails on each hind foot of the beaver is split is for that purpose.

The sacs are located below the castors of the beaver.

Thanks for that information.

You got alot more otter down there than I do up here. Otter are a minor concern for me. I catch a few but not in any numbers, maybe one every other year.