On my first check today, I found a fired trap about 18 inches from the set position. No hair, nails, etc in the trap jaws. I reset and rebaited with the thought that he was probably scared but may return in a day or two.

Any thoughts from the knowledge base?

Thanks, Wally

Could've been a coon. Time will tell if beaver returns. Most will after being scared or pinched. Have to wait them out. In the meantime. Try other sets. Summer time adc beaver trapping sucks.

Sarge

Slide, castor mound, dam break?

Castor mound in riprap. I moved down the bank 50 yards and changed lure

If the trap did not go far, no hair or nails, good chance it will return. Things like big fish, turtles, other water animals, etc. make sudden movements often and beaver take that in stride. Even if the beaver got its foot across both jaws, if it did not get pinched and did not fight the trap, good chance it will return soon. The fact that the trap moved 18 inches is a potential concern, but without a camera you don’t really know what happened or what animal did it. I have had footholds catch the tail and the beaver barely noticed and the trap slipped right off without spooking the beaver.
I don’t use lure or bait in summer, but not saying others don’t or that you shouldn’t. I deal with educated beaver so much that I just assume they have been messed with. I find where they are putting feet and put a trap there. However I do use a lot of dam breaks in summer, which is similar to bait/lure in that it brings them to the location. But when the last one or two get wise and stop tending the dam, back to finding sign and setting blind. Well concealed blind footholds are what pays my bills.

Thanks. 95% of my work is lake ride residents on riprap shoreline. I’d love some creek beaver

Caught one today near the original spot. Not sure it is "the one". I asked but he would not say. "dead beaver tell no tails". Thanks for the advice.

I hope I'm as lucky in the next few days, I pinched one good and got a small toe. At a dam break with the tray and mb750. Water level dropped and traps were only 4" under water, instead of 8.

This guy was a good, solid backfoot. Traps were 18" below water level.