Getting My Hat Handed To Me

I’ve got a beaver job on a “residential” pond of about 5 acres. I have access to about 1/3 of the shoreline via the major landowner and one neighbor.

There’s a bank den with an obvious trail leading in/out and one tree that a beaver has worked on some before I got there. I’ve had two footholds/drowning rods set with Woodchipper/white pine shavings and one castor mound set since Friday and there’s been absolutely no activity since sometime before that.

I set a float with a 330 and a castor lure last night but it wasn’t touched either.




Here’s a couple of pics of the area. I’m afraid that either these beaver are educated or they’ve taken off for parts unknown.

The bottom is soft mud and I’m concerned about the bedding on my footholds.

I thought about setting some snare poles and switching up the lure, (polar bud oil, honey?)

I’d appreciate any recommendations or suggestions on how to proceed. I’m not sure I’m going to make any money on this one but at least I should cover expenses.

Looks like a very low water table from here. It is difficult to make a good call due to not seeing all the sign and potential den site.They may have moved, been handled already by someone else, spooked or the food availability can factor in.. Is there a feed bed or chewed/peeled sticks around and are they fresh. Any castor mounds present?

Set a trail cam over looking the likely den site or access area. Leave things alone for a few days, check from a distance if possible, and don't talk around the area while there.

Thanks for the help Bob and you’re right the pond is really low. I’m really wondering if they haven’t moved on or been trapped already. The homeowners say they saw a beaver on the opposite bank a week or so ago but who knows.

I’ll get some more and better pics in the morning. There is basically no sign other than the tree that was worked on several days ago and the bank den. There’s no wet or muddy trail up to that tree and the trail into the den may be drying out some. I scratched a couple of lines in the dirt on the trail leading into the den. Maybe I’ll be able to tell if anything has entered or exited the den.

I was thinking the same thing with the trail cameras. I’m pulling traps on Monday and I’ll set the trail cams up then. I can let them set until Sunday.

Three check days and no new sign at that tree. It does look like something has entered/exited the den. I pulled everything today and put our some trail cameras, two along the shoreline and one watching the den entrance. I got some pics of the den but I need to resize them.

If it appears something is using the den, place a 330 in the entrance or channel leading into the den.

Thanks wormbobsky, not sure if this is the best approach but I’ve held off setting the den I don’t want to spook any left after that initial catch. I’ll check the cameras this Friday and if anything is there I’ll set the entrance.

Here’s a pic of the den entrance. I’m a little leery of using a bodygrip since this is a residential area with pets. I may set a snare and just deal with a live beaver when I get there.

Can you use a snare on a drownding wire?

After seeing the den, I agree with you. I would place the trail camera and back out. Lodge/den looks to me to be abandoned. Any peeled sticks or mud added to the lodge entrance? This time of year, there should be a decent amount of mud and debris covering the lodge/den entrance. It could be turtles are crawling through the channel leading to the entrance making it appear used. I catch darn near as many snappers in 330's as I do beaver this time of year. Is there a feed pile near by?

I can and that’s a great idea. Get that critter away from the opening, right?

I’m trying to wait until Friday to check the trail cams but the suspense is killing me, lol.

I think under your circumstances a snare would work best. The drowning wire would take care of your other concerns. Dealing with an educated one myself and plan on using this setup myself. Good luck!

Thanks 20scout. I’ll have to make up a 12-13 ft drowning cable but luckily the water in that area is plenty deep enough.

If one does show up on camera Friday then:
“I don't know, Chief, if he's very smart or very dumb.”
Capt. Quint

Checked the trail cams today and by golly if a beaver didn't show up after I pulled traps and set cameras. These are the first and last pics of the beaver and there's been nothing since. If the trail cam didn't miss anything, this beaver only visited this den once in four nights.

Before I left today I put a snare within a few inches of the opening hooked to a drowning cable. I almost wish I had put it or a second one at the waters edge. The bottom is so muddy I'd have to put a piece of metal plate or something to bed a foothold.

Ive been resisting my urge to say it, but I cant take it any more. Lol

Bedding footholds in super soft mud and other difficult situations is exactly why I came up with the Magnebed. If you are gettin paid to remove those beaver, you need to get this one or the problem is not solved.

The Magnebed is an expensive but very versatile and and concealable solution.

Don’t bother with a steel plate. Your best bet without the Magnebed is a custom bent and tweaked “tray” made of hardware cloth. That will give you support that can be bent and tweaked until it supports the trap properly without rocking. Been there done that, and it can be made to work. Doesn't work as well or as slick as a Magnebed, but it is definitely cheaper.

The other big disadvantage of the tray is that it requires a bigger “footprint” area to stabilize the trap. That can be a real hassle near the shore, in tight trails, and with sticks and brush near the den.

You have one thing right though, WELL concealed footholds are the end game solution to shy problem beaver.

Those trail cams can give you the info that you need to move ahead or if you are wasting time.. Glad you got the photos.

I went through the photos a little more slowly and I came up with this, Not definitive but I think that beaver visited the den again yesterday (10/14) at 2:18 am. The picture on the left is from Monday (10/10) at 7:34 pm.

Yep, I missed him with a snare sometime overnight. Not sure why it failed, I had it on a slide and it was drug into the water about 18-24 inches from the bank, wasn't kinked up or twisted either.. Hopefully it wasn't to traumatic and he comes back. I reset a different snare in that same spot but cross staked it on a 4 ft extension and moved the slide to the waters edge put a snare there. We'll see

Finally caught it! Took me 6 check days, plus the 4 days I had trail cams out. I was worried I’d have to pull out for a couple of weeks then come back to take another stab at it.

Lots of good advice and info in this thread that helped me catch this sneaky son-of-a-gun. Thanks for all the help.

Good job We-Sa. You got it figured out. Now you are good until the next one. Trapping can be a challenge at times but that is what makes us want to do it more. Those snared beaver can present some challenges, particularly on long cable.

Thanks Bob, I like to think so but I can't help but think there was some luck involved too, . You're right as crazy as the challenges can make us it does have that draw. I can't wait until the next one (I hope it's not another pond beaver though...)

what is magabed? Trump?

https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/7506353/1
Here is the introduction thread for Magnebed. Basically it is a trap placement device that allows rock solid bedding in even the softest bottom mud, full control of jaw orientation and full control of height on or above or below the surface of the bottom. I have been using them in rip-rap the past few weeks and LOVED them for that otherwise impossible situation. The entire shoreline of the customer was riprap, and I did not have the option to move to a better place, and well concealed footholds on Magnebeds saved me on this one since the three that were left when I hit the scene would not go near any body grip or snare, and local ordinance prevented shooting.

They are designed primarily for beaver control professionals, but I admit I have been surprised at the number of fur trappers who have bought them.

There is a website that is live but unfinished, mgnbd.com

Right now there is one model on the market for beaver size traps, and I have another model mocked up and about ready to send to some ADC professionals who have helped with the design for testing. The new size fits all the other sizes and brands from #1 thru #4 coils.