So it 8 degrees out side. It's the perfect Time for some projects in the heated shop! I have some deep water huts that the runs are too deep to set w/ 330s. Especially w/ changing water levels. Due to the current it's Very dangerous as well. I just leave them alone or set set some caster mound footholds upstream or downstream in a safer spot. Anyway, I decided I'm gonna build some beaver floats to specifically target those huts. Lot's of design plans using 330's on here so it should not be too hard. My 1st question is do they get trap shy of the floats? 2nd question is has anyone ever made a beaver float using a foothold? I've seen beaver poles using footholds. The reason I ask because Last year my footholds out produced my 330's by about 2 to 1. I'm not sure if it was the trap or the lure but there was definitely a difference. I was thinking of build 3 of each and testing them out at ice out. Looking for a beaver float foothold. I've seen Muskrat foothold designs.

If you do, I think I would make a submerged shelf for the trap. Maybe then you could figure out a way to drown. I have no experience with floats, just brainstorming.

Question one….
Yes.
Question 2…
Probably……Just when you think you though of something new, you find out that Bill did it like that back in the 70s…lol
Guys probably built them but found normal floats easier, except for lugging them around everywhere.
Make a foothold float, it can be done for sure. Post your progress too! Guy on here will give advice when they see what your planning.

Floats from Coyote Days

Exactly what I was thinking. Some sort of angled shelf submerged in front of the castor. Trap would sit on some nails /screws. The chain would wrap around the front of the float and back under to the rod that the Float would pivot on. I probably would have to extend the chain. I would probably tie the float off to bank somehow as well.

I had ideas of doing something like the OP ask about on mine. Easy enough to build a trap shelf and the drowning part isn’t too big of a deal if you use a pivot rod through your float. I thought by using a drowner lock such as a piece of of sq tubing or a piece of tubing with about a 12” arm welded to it. The arm would reach out toward the trap and attach by a short chains. Once the trap is fired and drops so would the drowner lock. With only a short piece of chain connecting the trap to the drowner arm there would be no chance of the beaver not drowning.

This should work in water that only has minor level changes that remains wadable so the beaver can be retrieved and trap reset using the rod. Whereas I have water that fluctuates 2’- 4’ and it’s no fun to see you have a catch off the float and can’t get to it so the rod is out. I need to retrieve the entire unit without wading.

What would the 12" arm be for? Just use a regular slide lock.. Drop the chain off the front and then back under the float to the rod. At most the chain would be 3', probably less. You would need deep enough water of course. The places I'm talking about are a minimum of 5' of more. I'm just spitballing here. When the spring runoff hits the river rises 1-2' then its a mad dash to get the traps back. Floats would solve that problem and still be working for you. The only reason I'm considering this idea is because we definitely had some snapped 330's due to various reasons. Wave action, muskrats, beavers swimming w/ sticks in their mouth etc. They have their place though. With footholds, We had very few misses. If it was snapped there usually was a beaver at the end of the rod.

The guy who done that demo at coyote days is from Glasglow, MT. That's the style he uses on MT rivers. I believe all he has is cable or chain up front attached to old window weights. He said, when a beaver is caught it's like a tip up, the nose is up in the air. Easy to tell when you have a catch.