# Beaver Troubles



## Nelson22 (Oct 31, 2008)

Alright, Im a rookie trapper, and i've been after these beavers since Michigans opening day.. i've seen 4 or 5 of them, and watched them multiple times, I use a couple of 330 conibears. I recently placed them on a dam that i damaged a small bit. They came, but just built on top of my trap. It been like that for days.. Beavers - 4 Me- 0

Help, please?


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## kota bear (Jan 4, 2008)

try to find a run where they are leaving the water to feed. place a dead log (not a fresh one) over the run and place your conibear under it so when they dive to get under the log, they hit the trap. or place a foot hold trap on a bank and build up a mud mound and drop a little bit of lure onto it. i've always had the best luck with the diving stick with a 330 though. the log doesn't have to be very big, maybe 3 inches in diameter or so. be sure to get check your traps daily though because its been my experience after one has been caught like this, the others may stop using the run completley. good luck, keep us posted.


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## kota bear (Jan 4, 2008)

oh ya, usually when i set up on a dam, i use footholds with a drowning cable. also i havent read on your trapping laws, but be careful where you place a 330 on land and make sure its legal. those bad boys have some snap to them and do not discriminate what they snap.


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## Nelson22 (Oct 31, 2008)

Alright! Thank you very much, i've changed some things, and ill check my traps tomarrow! Im going to run to gander mountain and buy some 110'
s then ill run out there! Thanks, and ill keep you posted.


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## kota bear (Jan 4, 2008)

good luck!


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## huntinND (May 1, 2008)

Dam break sets don't work well with conibears. You can also set the trap half in half out of the water where they are comming out to cut trees. Just blend it in a little bit by putting some grass in the springs. You can also try looking for cross overs on the dams and setting a foothold at the top with a drowner, or a conibear on the bottome side. Castor mound sets work at all times of the year. Take a hand full of mud and plop it up on the bank. Make it look like a spot where they have been crawling out and set your conibear half submerged in front or use a foothold. Put your castor lure on a stick close to the waters edge. You can also use a peice of poplar as bait, shave some of the bark and stick it in the mud. Find runs by bank holes or huts and make underwater sets like mentioned before. They swim along the bottom so you will feel a deep run with a hard bottom that they have been using. Make sure your traps are stabilized well so they won't get knocked over. They should be solid if you push against it with a stick. Good luck, let us know when you connect.


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## Nelson22 (Oct 31, 2008)

haha, got one today, hoping for one more out of that pond. Thanks for the help! ill post pic later.


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## Trapping God (Apr 14, 2009)

Ya no kidding, brake a little hole in the dam, about 2 or 3 feet to the right or left of the break. make a mound of fresh mud and put a small spoonful of castor on top. Next take a long drowning rod about 6 or 7 feet and push it down in deep water, (make sure it is in the mud at the bottom). then attach the trap to the rod with some wire or a swivel. When you are done, stake in the drowning rod.Right before you go lightly splash the castor mound with some water. (It make is look new and washes off your scent.) Hope it helps!!!! :beer: :sniper:


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## KSCATMAN (Apr 17, 2009)

When making a dam break set.Punch a small break to allow just a little water to run out.Never put any trap right in the break.They will just cover you're trap with debris.Take you're boot and stomp a spot right in front of the break in about 8 to 10" of water to bed you're traqp.Use a large foothold with at least a 6" jaw spread.Actually the 7 1/2 spreads are even better(CDR's,MB750's,#4 victor jumps)
You want the larger jaw spread because by placing the trap in a little deeper water you will be targeting the hind foot.They will stand on their back legs and push sticks and mud with their front feet.Make sure to use a drowning rod or a slide wire/cable to deep water.I usually make 2 of these sets per dam.Depending on the size of the dam.You can completely rid a pond of all beavers with just a couple sets.Every beaver in the colony will try to repair the breaks.I've made these sets before and come back and find both leaks repaired.Checked sets and have a beaver in both sets.Open the breaks back up and remake.Come back the next day and see the repairs made again.Check sets and have 2 more.When you finally make a run and both leaks are still flowing you have more than likely caught them all.I usually leave sets for a couple more days to see the job is complete.

Another piece of advise is to trap slides,dams,pushups first.Stay away from the bank dens and lodges.By doing this you will catch them before they get smart on you.Beavers can be extreemly trap shy.If they start seeing their dead compadres in den entrances they get smart fast.

Good Luck!


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