# beaver hole?



## Steelpuck18 (Sep 16, 2008)

There is two beaver dams in a swamp near my house, it's frozen over and i cant find thier entrance/exit. Where should i look?


----------



## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Try and warm the hole up so it opens. They will start using it again!


----------



## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Steelpuck18 said:


> There is two beaver dams in a swamp near my house, it's frozen over and i cant find thier entrance/exit. Where should i look?


If you mean their entrance/exit to the water, their isnt one. They live under the ice during winter. They stockpile a "feed pile" of branches on the bottom and live in a lodge or bank den all winter. That is if the swamp doesnt freeze completely to the bottom.

Try to find their lodge, if there isnt a lodge, they could be living in the banks if their steep enough.

If its a shallow swamp, they may be already froze out and gone.


----------



## Steelpuck18 (Sep 16, 2008)

what do you mean by froze out and gone? The swamp is pretty shallow, about three to 6 feet. They have been around for a few years so I dont think they're gone, and would I have any way to trap them?


----------



## blowefosho (Jan 29, 2008)

if they are actual dams then im pretty sure they dont live in them. they build the dams to move water to their liking. if you mean lodge or dens then ya they should stick in them all winter and use their feed pile. the lodges ive ran into only have one enter and exit hole and thats underwater


----------



## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Steelpuck18 said:


> what do you mean by froze out and gone? The swamp is pretty shallow, about three to 6 feet. They have been around for a few years so I dont think they're gone, and would I have any way to trap them?


You can trap em through the ice. Its alot of work. Much easier to get after them AS SOON as the ice starts to recede from shore in the spring. You only have a week or two as theyll start fighting for breeding season.

For under ice work.

Find the feed pile (this is usually done before freeze up to save you work), its usually close to the lodge if there is one (which there should be).

Cut a hole in the ice big enough to put a 330 conibear in (make sure its big enough to get a beaver out of too).

Get a pole big enough to put through both springs of the 330. Set and bait it (carrots work good, stick em right on the triggers). Lower into hole over feed pile. Make sure its a good stout pole (no rotten wood) and get it stuck into the bottom REAL good.










You can also set conibears at the entrances to lodges and bank dens.

For spring, when the water starts to open the easiest sets are 330's in runs. These are obvious areas the beaver are accessing land at. You cant hardly miss them.
You can also set legholds in these locations, but be sure you have ample chain or cable to the animal to deep water to drown.


----------



## Steelpuck18 (Sep 16, 2008)

blowefosho said:


> if they are actual dams then im pretty sure they dont live in them. they build the dams to move water to their liking. if you mean lodge or dens then ya they should stick in them all winter and use their feed pile. the lodges ive ran into only have one enter and exit hole and thats underwater


Yeah sorry I meant lodges. I can see what looks like the feed pile sticking partly out of the ice. Thanks for the advice, anymore?


----------



## patrick grumley (Mar 9, 2007)

Be careful around the house, the ice tends to be very unpredictable with all the beaver activity.


----------



## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

patrick grumley said:


> Be careful around the house, the ice tends to be very unpredictable with all the beaver activity.


Good point. Its wise to be careful on any part of a beaver pond. Runs and around lodges can have some thin ice and be suprisingly deep.


----------



## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

one thing to mention about the poles that you use, make damn sure they aren't live wood, ie poplar branches that you just cut off the tree, make sure they have been dead for a while. If you use life wood they'll just go to town on your stick and you'll never see the stick or the trap again. It's also a good practice to cable the stick to something on top of the ice.

heed the warnings that these guys are giving with the ice.

xdeano


----------



## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Trust me the water is cold this time of the year.


----------

