Pharaoh told Moses that the Hebrew slaves had to make those bricks without straw, yet fill the quota. I kind of feel like a I'm being told the same: Trap those beaver.... but no water!

Can't run an outboard in about 90% of my regular trapping grounds. January is usually our wettest, or second wettest month of the year, yet it hasn't rained since the first week of January except for a trace. Been trapping tidewater and costal lakes but at low tide the ramps are so mudded in that I can't use them. So I have to try to work a schedule with tide chart in hand so I don't get stuck.

Yesterday it hit 61F. Flies are hitting my carcasses pretty good. Gotta make a disposal run here soon.

Still getting a few though. Took this pic because I was impressed with the castor bulge. This one just about needed to be wearing an athletic supporter. Unusual for coastal beaver, usually they don't have much for castor compared to my (now) untrapable main river.

Sucks about the low water. Coastal beavers sounds super interesting and different though.

You can come this way and chop through 2 feet of ice. After getting there through 3 feet of snow.

Beaver bulge

Thanks for that Turtle. Just like the friendly reminders I used to get from my mom...somebody always has it worse.

No trapping here either. Most open water been froze up for a couple weeks. Could be towards end of the month before slack water opens back up.

That does suck Carl, I remember some years you were battling high water.

Just finished putting up the last of my beaver today Carl. Maybe we'll get an early thaw and ill be able to get some more before my season closes.

That beam looks like it's seen some use. Ya need me to send some of my excess rats to clean up your scrapings though.

That sucks about low water for you.I'm sorry

Lol those rats would be fat! I got 4 more 5gallon buckets to toss also. That beam has seen many years of use. I can't imagine how much oil is soaked into it.
I was wondering Carl, do you also clean skin your otters?

I dug my my beaver traps out of about 8 inches of ice this morning

It's dry here, second year. Most of my beaver are in the irragation ditches this year, waiting for the spring run? I should be snowed out of a lot of places---bare ground and mud roads!
Those buckets of scrapings are a favorite of the coyotes/cats here!

Iver snared a few hundred on dry land,, feet to 50 yards from water. 3/32 cable washer style locks

and a few in 330s long ago in secluded lands

I do cleanskin the tail, then I use ADC's handy hide-puller on them. I use my paint scraper for fleshing. Don't own any of those two handled fleshing knives.