Flooded River Beavers

Hey guys,

Wisconsin beaver season is wrapping up in my zone at the end of the month, and I am hoping to get on some beavers before season is done. Unfortunately with all the snow and rain, everything is starting to flood horribly. What do you guys do during these periods of high water for beaver sets? I will be trapping on small rivers/creeks in Southern WI. Tonight I made up a few beaver floats, never tried them before but thought this would be a good opportunity to try them out. Any other ideas on how to keep my sets productive and working with this crazy flooding? Normally I would just wait until the water levels stabilized, but I am worried that the season will close before that happens. Thanks everyone!

I'm looking for fresh cuts on trees through then making castor sets wtih whatever you can get to work and be legal in that spot. if you can find smaller tributaries you can block off as well

My area has been flooded seems like forever lol. The water level has been up/down amd up/down. I think this throws the beaver movement off some. Like sniper said look for the tributary areas. I have found fresh cuttings and dams a mile up these tributaries from the main bayou(river). It sure is frustrating trapping in flood time though

In floods I would stick to foot traps. In southern WI foot traps in general just because of the excessive otter population. Check the bank at the pull outs for otter scat, if you find it move to another spot. Beaver also get excited around popple in springtime.

Has anyone had any luck with beaver floats? Any tips or tricks you can suggest about using them?

In floods, the beaver will try and get back into the slack water, of course. Beaver do drown in raging waters.

Beaver floats, though cumbersome, are the ticket for me when high water fluctuates levels and undefined banks for castor mounds. Trash filled water can clog traps quickly so I cage the underside of my floats to deflect the larger trash 90% of the time keeps traps clear till they take a beaver. Super high water makes it difficult to get beaver to go near float when it goes from high level waterway to acres of floated plains so try to find areas that beaver will travel most like current edges, bridges etc. Focus on good beaver castor lures, as food is easy to get when large areas are accessible by water.