Looking for advice for a young trapper. He is using a snare pole with green poplar-wire wrapped around the pole like a candy cane from top to bottom to try and prevent a pole being chewed in half and losing a snared beaver. He seems to be losing quite few. I don't snare at all-advice from some of you experienced guys? The guy catches a few but seems to lose more than he actually catches.

Is he snaring them and then losing the snare or are they just knocking the snares down without being caught? I always used a green pole with snares on it and a safety wire run up above the ice. I use a hatchet to "score" the pole where I want them to start chewing. I tend to catch the bulk of them right under the ice but do get a few in the middle and bottom.

Set a non bait pole with two 9 inch bait sticks and two snares just under the ice. More effective and much faster.

John please tell me he isn't using the pole for the anchor.

I run a wire from my snares to above the ice incase my pole gets chewed off. Above the ice I wire another stick/pole like a cross across my hole so nothing can be pulled down thru and the wire from the snares is fastened there. They can have the pole if they want it but they aren't getting the snares with this method.

I was always taught to use a dry pole or an evergreen to attach the bait to. This way they don’t eat your anchor.

needs to tie to a pole laying across the top of the ice.

yes he is Steve but the wire runs above the ice with a cross pole

Place a cross of DEAD wood (toggles) across the hole.Tight wire the bait pole in the center at where the toggles cross. DO NOT push the bait into the bottom of the pond let it be loose so the beaver has to hold on as it chews the 2 to 3 inch diameter bait off. Beavers will usually chew the bait just under the ice and if the bait moves it makes it easier to get into the snares and when they drop down after chewing the snares do their job. I use 4 snares also and tightly wired to the toggles.

Green aspen is called beaver candy here also!

I use 2X2X3 ft long fir bolted in center for toggles. They won't chew them.