I have a lake I have trapped beaver in for a couple of years now. There's hard banks not much for weeds so no runs. The beaver have castor mounds all along a piece of private shore line and many of them. I pick the ones with deeper water close by so I don't worry about them drowning. The deal is the banks are sharp to the water but not tall. At the base of the mounds on the water edge is around 8 - 10 inches or water. So what I have been doing is stepping down part of the shore line to make a ledge big enough for the trap. I use bump sticks at the leading side of the traps. When I set there was no problem catching beaver, then all of the sudden all I was getting is toe nails. Of course smarting up every beaver that is left in that area. I use Bridger #5 coil springs which have really worked for me. Anyone have any idea what might have changed, I am doing nothing different than I was a week ago. Thanks for any insight or ideas.

Pan tension loosen up?

Geez, I don't think I have ever had a toe nail in a Bridger #5. Normally, they are buried in them. It sounds like you are setting just about exactly as I would. Worst case, set them deeper and go for a hind foot catch if you have enough water to get them under.

Was that a polite way of asking if he has a screw loose?

I've checked the pan tension and it doesn't seem to have changed. That was my first thought. Usually those catches are deep like 160 said. That's a big trap to just catch toe nails.

Only can be two things…..
Not deep enough,,,,,
Or the trap is not the correct distance from the shore.
I would not use a stick by the trap in shallow water.
Maybe a stick out, of the bank below water, to makes sure it stops where you need .

I agree with this ^

Three things actually. Trap may be positioned wrong. Stepping over (on) the jaws vs stepping between the jaws. Jaw posts need to be pointing at the bank and not parallel to the bank.

That was three sorry

Depression,,,, dobbins tell me I can’t count either….
Sale on decoder ring,,,, and abacuses…….

I agree with Paul, other thing has the water level gone up or down a lot?

Traps are set so the beaver have to step between the jaws.(lesson learned a few years back). The water level really doesn't fluctuate very much. Bumps sticks are placed even with the leading lever under water just a bit taller than the jaws. Nothing has changed on the way the traps are set from beginning to now. Thanks for the responses. I am just puzzled why the change in catch ratio.

The only #5 I’ve got I won. It was used for wolf certification and whoever used it cut the pan size down. How big are the pans on those number 5s?
I know the #9s are the size of a friggin skillet. Each to their own, but I like a smaller pan.

I’ll give another shout out to C Dobbins open water beaver/otter book. It’s cheap, reads simple and hands down the best beaver book I’ve read. He explains not just how, but why he does things.

The pans are the way they come from the factory. This the only time I have seen this, 90% of the catches are front leg above the elbow. Last night got my first back toe nail. I can see that if they stepped on the lever and the pan. The lever causing the back foot to be pushed high in the trap or even out. The traps are off set like you would a dirt hole and naturally squeezed down a bit so the are going to step on the trap.

Beaver....along with any other critter, doesn't approach the set or the trap like we plan eveytime. Even the best trappers have a mis-lick occasionally. Those that say they don't are not being honest.

Check that pan tension, reset the traps, and keep rollin'!

Thanks Swamp Wolf. I carry a screw driver an pliers all the time will check them again today. Season is about over so can make sure it is good now plus ready for fall. Just frustrating, it must be with this whole setup. I had the same issue last year in this same spot. I have to use foot holds because any spot where I can use a body gripper they don't come close. Except he small inexperienced beaver. Thanks everyone, maybe just chalk it down to its just trapping. But I will figure it out. Thanks!

I think the third thing is probably the issue. If the jaws are parallel to the bank the jaws are throwing the foot out of the trap when it fires resulting in a toenail catch.

You have beavers addressing caster mounds in what sounds like tough conditions to set. They are going to address any foreign castor even if you smear it high up on a tree trunk.
I catch beavers in open shallow water swamps by setting a 330 between two big trees with just enough of a gap between them to make a set, then smear caster as high up the tree trunk as I can reach. That beaver will swim in circles looking for where that interloper stunk up his domain until it swims through that 330.

I am fortunate….
My forearm is about the length of a adult beaver,,,,the others part is were a beaver will step…
Great to be a monkey sometimes….