Beaver Help

For you beaver guys. I have a lady that whats me to trap the beavers off a creek behind her house. They have a dam built a it's flooding her land. But she wants them caught alive and relocated. My question is what is the best live trap for the job. Thanks DIGGER

Comstock beaver trap...or a hancock if u can find em...dont think they are being made anymore

I've seen a presentation at the National convention last year, there was one guy, he traps all his beaver with footholds on a long chain, 10 ft plus, tied off to a tree. Not a drowning set. He said with the long chain they do not fight much, so no wring outs, etc.
Not saying this better, just another option.

Clint Locklear was on the F & T show last night and was snaring them and didn't have them on a drowning cable. He would shoot them. Could snare them but I don't know how you would transport them alive and is it legal to do in your state?

While it is probably not financially feasible for you to purchase a Comstock or Hancock (KORO) beaver trap to remove only one beaver, it may be worthwhile if you anticipate quite a few more calls for relocation. You need to make sure that relocation is legal, and you have a release site for any beavers caught. Not many folks around here would permit relocation of beavers to their property.

Comstock beaver trap- https://www.wildlifecontrolsupplies.com/animal/CB39DD.html.
Beaver caught in Comstock beaver trap-



The Hancock beaver trap seems to have been replaced by the KORO beaver trap- https://www.wildlifecontrolsupplies.com/animal/NWSKT04.html.

Beaver caught in an original Hancock beaver trap-

Thanks folks. I have caught hundreds in traps just never been ask to kept them alive. I have to have nuisance predator control permit and land owner permission to release and I know that will be a cold day in ---- before any of my farmers would agree to that. So I guess I'll just have to tell her to get use to flooded land. Thanks Digger.

Z-trap has a new beaver live trap that I believe triggers from the top instead of a pan. My trapping partner has one. The trap weighs 20-25 pounds, but from what I’ve seen, it’s less than $100 and holds up well.

It might not be the most honest thing, but why not catch them in snares and foot holds not set up for drowning, get them in a dog carrier, drive off land and shoot him? Beaver gets relocated off her land, but just doesn't survive very long. I'd either do that or tell her to get used to flooded land.

Plus, regardless of where you relocate him, isn't there a good chance your just dumping the problem on another person?

relocating often has a very low success rate, I don't know if beaver is any different.

Are you sure it's a z-trap?

Here is what I could find about Z-TRAP cage traps- http://www.ztraps.com/ztraps.asp?title=ztraps.
Some of them are large enough for beavers. They have "Wire Body Trigger" rather than a pan/treadle. They advertise free shipping on the cage traps

I need to give this feedback to ztraps as ibhave 2 of the beaver size...the door doesnt close fast enough if any water impedes it...out of water is fine but door needs to be heavier

Have done a very limited amount of live beaver work but consider the total weight here....trap 15-25 lb.s ....beaver 30-50 pounds...then finding a land owner that will allow the animal to be released legally on their land. I just hope your price reflects the amount of effort you are putting into the work.

One of the tribes around here relocates some beaver. The larger local ADC company has caught some of these released, "ear tagged" problems on nuisance jobs.

I would invest in a beaver cage trap. I personally prefer the advanced trap but comstocks and others will work.

It will pay for itself.

I would walk away from the job. No one wants a relocated beaver on their property. The truly humane thing is to exterminate it.

^^^Bingo

Don't forget the back strap

I think it is ludicrous to relocate beavers. But it is also dishonest to give somebody the impression that you will relocate, and then kill them. Whatever you do, stay honest about it.

I would think it would work best, or not at all, unless you had an old pool or low pond with no inflow except when it rains. Also no out flowing water at the time of release. Release two at the same time. Do your relocating just after mating. Here that is late November or the first week in December. The no ingress or egress holds them and gives them time to adjust.

It usually starts getting a wet winter in December.

Then go back and catch them before they have their young and open the flow as it was before the release.

Hunt ducks in the pond from the sorghum you planted in July in the dry bed at the head of the pond and its dry low banks.

As long as you caught the beaver out after hunting, your not hurting other landowners.

Who the H*** wants a live beaver ?

I really enjoyed snaring and releasing beaver back 20 plus years ago. Great P.R. with the public while the beaver are there either to catch another day in a new location or breed more, job security. In a few years I transplanted more than 200. But, the state policy now is no relocation. I lose a job now and then because some don't want them dispatched. I released a bunch of nuisance otter last year, fun to do with prices so low anyway.