Round here there's very little road system but only two real land owners, native corporations and Federal public. Can't trap on the native land, but as for the public land basically every beaver lodge within 200 yards of the road is either marked with flagging, has traps currently on it, or was trapped out in previous years. Wondering what you guys think the best way interact with fellow trappers in this kind of situation is. Steer clear of any colony that's being trapped? Run side by side and whoever gets the beaver gets the beaver? What if there's multiple lodges in one area, should I focus on one and don't mind if someone hits the other, or should I try to trap both as much as I can before someone corks me?

There's plenty of room for every other type of animal you can trap, it's just the beavers that have a limited number in the trappable area that I'm wondering what to do.

I’d steer clear of any areas currently being trapped by another trapper, setting up side by side wouldn’t end well. Try and find a quieter area.

How would you feel if you were in their shoes? If you set up a pond and someone came and set right on top of you, how would you feel about it? Let that guide you.

If someone sets after you do take the dog off the trigger and put it on the jaw only. AK is a big state. Seems odd you cant trap without poaching on whoever was there first.

I highly recommend not setting in the same area or “side by side”. You’ll find out real quick why. Just go deeper into the bush. You’ll find out if you really like beaver trapping when you’re hauling out 60lb beavers…lol.
I can’t recall exactly which little province out east (New Brunswick maybe), but when the season opened it was a gong show back in the day. Guys would be out setting at midnight as soon as the clock hit 00:01, and then there were some that were trapping the same beaver, but they had to work together and didn’t hear any negative stories, but I’m sure there were a few.
Once the waters moving, just set wherever you see water, you’ll probably catch beaver where there is no beaver!

Public land is just that Public Land.
Under no means do you have the right to tamper with another persons trap.
a lot of young people that we so desperately need in associations quit because of actions such as written above

No idea what to recommend to you and definitely not qualified but my gut says the following

1) Public land is PUBLIC. Be ready to deal with crowding, rude, disrespectful and hostile individuals
2) I would not set "on top of" anyone else. Whatever the customary distance is (50 yds?) away would be fair game. So if someone was trapping a lodge I might move off that distance or a little more and make a channel or castor mound set. Something different
3) I would not set in any obvious location that could be seen from the road/trail. On public I would make sure my set(s) would not draw the attention of anyone who might want to steal or mess with my stuff
4) If at all possible I would be going "deep" and making my sets. Figure out how far the average "trapper" ventures from the road/trail and then go twice that far to minimize the number of competitors you have. Most people who are willing to put in the effort to get away from the majority are more respectful of their competition

FTR I have never trapped a beaver but I have hunted public land for deer/elk and the same principles should apply

Public land is open to all of the public so you have every "right" to set beside another trapper. That doesn't make it the morally right thing to do. People being people, there are probably trappers that go out and flag every lodge they find to stake a claim, and go back later to set them. Regardless of a sleazy practice like that, steering clear makes the most sense. As others have advised, "Do unto others as you would...ect.

beaver traps are expensive, and personally I don't like missing traps and catches. Beyond that or because of it if someone came in and set in my area I would pull out and let the have it. Not worth chance of conflicts to me. First com first serve so be first.

It's kind of bs to go around flagging lodges to "claim them" in my opinion.

Very common practice around here in the fur boom daze.

Throw on a set of snow shoes and get off the road. I trapped beaver on public ground off a tar road and never saw anyone in AK. After a few trips in it will be like a sidewalk you walk down. Pull a sled to haul the beaver out. There is no way I would want the conflict of trying to trap on top someone else. The worse part was digging out a hole to park in.

Dig a little deeper

They banned that practice here a few years ago. If you dont have traps there, you cant flag it.

Yep, This

Read the back of the trapping regulations "Code of Ethics" for Alaska

Mole, as an old guy its your job to teach them some manners.

Yes Alaska is a very big state. But also very few roads and limited access. Around the Kenai Peninsula, there are people that go out and mark their territory every year, but never set traps. Sometimes makes me wonder if it's anti's that have caught on to how to keep a real trapper from trapping. Or, just greedy people. And "Mole " is correct with his thought that for trapping to survive, we need to recruit young people rather than excluding them, as most Alaskan trappers seem inclined to attempt, not so much out of greed, but not even considering the outcome. Now, go ahead and lay it on!

found this on google. read #1
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=trapping.code

Would you like it if someone came and sat under your deerstand when you were hunting? Do unto others. If i see traps i look elsewhere, if i see someone hunting, great job they beat me there.