Scent control while beaver trapping seems to have been fairly important to the trappers of the West.
There are repeated references to how the trappers tried to conceal their scent from the beavers.

From Pattie's journal, 1824-1830:
A canoe is a great advantage, where the beavers are wild; as the trapper can thus set his traps
along the shore without leaving his scent upon the ground about it.

From Washington Irving's Astoria, documenting Bonneville's travels:
The Indian hunters of his party were in the habit
of exploring all the streams along which they passed, in search of “beaver lodges,” and occasionally
set their traps with some success. One of them, however, though an experienced and skilful
trapper, was invariably unsuccessful. Astonished and mortified at such unusual bad luck, he at
length conceived the idea that there was some odor about his person of which the beaver got
scent and retreated at his approach. He immediately set about a thorough purification. Making a
rude sweating-house on the banks of the river, he would shut himself up until in a reeking perspiration,
and then suddenly emerging, would plunge into the river. A number of these sweatings
and plungings having, as he supposed, rendered his person perfectly “inodorous,” he resumed his
trapping with renovated hope.

From River of the West:
The trapper then throws water plentifully over the adjacent bank to conceal
any foot prints or scent by which the beaver would be alarmed, and going to some distance
wades out of the stream.

Detail from "Setting Traps" by Alfred Jacob Miller

As always...thanks for the history lesson.

Great read

I have also read numerous references to that detail. As an experienced beaver man in my own right I have always assumed that this was overkill and not necessary. But being as one single beaver pelt was equivalent to a months wages for a laborer in those days, I understand going to great lengths to try to assure success. Kind of like baseball players that take their hitting gloves off and put back on after every pitch. Kind of a superstitious ritual.

Thanks again, it's always very interesting.

You're welcome guys.