I think I got lucky.

I tried experimenting with a side parallel trigger set last night on a lodge I’ve trapping for almost a week now. It appears that this beaver made it through the 330 and fired the trigger with it’s back foot. This is a 46 pound beaver and I highly suspect is the mate to the 51 pounder earlier this week. 7th beaver out of the lodge.

Nice job. Sometimes its better to be lucky than good!

that hatchet looks like one I have with a knife inside the handle?

nice catch.

That’s just a cheap Fiskar’s hatchet, that I’ve actually very impressed with. Super light for trudging around with and durable, but cheap enough to be utility. My 10 year old has been coming with me to learn how to find the beaver and see the results. We’ve had a wolf running our line for the last few nights, so he had the axe and I had my pistol. Gotta get my wolf tag and get some set made. Yep, we can trap wolves in Montana and they love beaver meat.

Interesting story.

Nice to see you had "the boss" with ya'!!

How could a beaver that size get that far through a 330 before setting it off?

I caught one a while back by the hind foot. It sure made me scratch my head.

My theory has always been that they swam OVER the trap and tripped it with the hind foot and never actually went through it at all. The one below was caught (and held) by the base of the tail in one set of jaws.

Belisles will do that. Gotta love them safeties!

I can’t really say, but every other beaver (5 prior on this very set) has been trying to enter, they’re facing into the hole that the trap is in. This beaver got it by the foot and I am not sure how else it would happen. I’ve been trying debating getting a trail camera and mounting it out there so I can see how things go down. This mystery may settle it.

Might have turned before hitting the trap

My bet is he turned before committing too.
The last thing a beaver does on a turn is thrust a back foot behind it.

I’ve wondered about that. I suspect you guys are right. Thanks for chiming it.

Made 4 new sets at a friends property that’s getting hammered by beavers. Looks like they’ve been there a while. In the pic with the mountains, you can see me making a set just left of center along the water line. Kinda cool he snuck out there to take the picture. Love trapping these waters.

In some cases poorly stabilized bodygrip traps can lead to animals getting caught by extremities.

Good to know as well. Thank you Boco.

Chewed up tail;

Or it turned and kicked like a swimmer on the wall
Like mentioned above