Drowning sets on slide wires always good in helping not spook them. But gang setting each colony is the key. You want to get them as fast as possible. When you start trapping them they notice right away that the others are disappearing & they go into that 'spooked' mode. Especially the larger ones.
A long ago friend said he always started by trapping the farthest active sign or trails to help get the biggest ones first. Then the kits were easy

Good tips!

I also try to gang set, but it never seems to work out that way. Nearly all catches are usually made at one main location (usually a dam or other water control area.)

I struggle catching the small beaver sometimes in footholds due to running a heavier pan tension to eliminate otters, coons, and wading birds.

I like this right here. I try and hit ‘em with everything right off the bat. One trip in and I leave my cameras up with a few sets out for a week or so after.

Very nice double

Another one this AM.....NoBS Beaver Extreme on a drowner rod & in a tray at a breach in a clogged road pipe.

Slowly but surely picking 'em.off.......one in a snare today.

Snare was in a narrow, knee deep channel thru a patch of rushes. Channel led up to road where beaver had pushed a half-hearted attempt of a dam along road ditch. I started not to set it last Friday as sign was old. Glad I did now.

Doing like i been doing, one at a time! I had a shooting gallery a few nights ago, REALLY got one spooked now, lol. Time to hang up the rifle shooting at night, eye's done got too weak to see cross hairs in fog. Be shotgunning from now one.

Clocks ticking as well, got to get wrapped up and gone tomorrow!

Decent haul today at this same nuisance area....

1 in a snare, 2 in footholds at dam breaks.

I liked to start with bodygrips with about 10' of cable attached so they make it to deeper water and are out of sight. I like to use bodygrip sets that will make them dive under an obstruction. I like to use castor based sets until any left become castor shy. Then I will switch to a food based lure like my favorite Woodchipper or poplar bait sets with a good foothold on a drowning rod. I wire the fresh poplar to a stake, so the beaver has to work on getting the poplar off the bank. Gives the beaver more time to get its foot in the trap and it can't just grab the bait and swim away with it.

Your methods seem to be the go-to across the northern US. A lot of beaver meet their fate like that.

Down here in these southern beaver wetlands, there is no single tree or other food items that will draw their attention up to the bank. I have had a little success using a skint' stob (red maple, cypress, sweet bay, etc, but I think the attraction was more by sight not something to eat.

I have had some success with food /curiosity lures on snare sets out in the water, but its minimal.

I retire all bodygrips at the end of February due to otters and turtle. They are plugged every day with one or the other down here. Our otter season is Dec thru Feb.

Beaver is open year-round.

Nice catch. At least you're consistent.

You are lucky to be the first in , guessing.
I have worked spot that if you breach the dam,,,, you won’t see that beaver for a month or more….

Yeah Vinke....I'm the first trapper at this large tract of timber company land.

I could not catch them if they were spooky at the dams and culvert pipes.

I was wrong on being the first trapper on this property.....maybe a gator done that.....not.

Almost looks like a birth defect as nicely as it is grown over.

Could be.

That's a trapper made defect.

Nodding my head in an affirmative manner....

…. Interesting post Uncle Swamp…. Glad I don’t have to fool with them much