Bank dens and Beaver

[iowafurbuyer]

I need some help, or ideas on finding bank dens. Where should I be looking? I have never claimed to be a beaver trapper, and this is one reason why.... Where are they ? Ray

[BK]

More often than not they chose a location under a tree's root system.

[coonwhacker]

Also look on higher more vertical banks. look around for alot of chewed sticks on top of bank and look from there. the sticks are not always there though.
mike

[trappnman]

9 times out of 10 on small streams- the main den is right behind the feed pile.

[woodtick]

9 times out of 10 on small streams- the main den is right behind the feed pile.

I agree, around here the feed piles are shoved right up to the entrances.
But then the beaver here build the main bank dens up with sticks and mud the same as lodges.

[yota]

why would you worry where the den is That info is not needed to trap them

[woodtick]

Buzz
One reason would be to locate the den entrances for under ice trapping.
Me personally,I trap mostly all streams and I just like to keep track of the beavers movements, to see if a den is still "live" or if the beaver have moved on.
We don't have near the number of beaver that some of you do. So by finding the den I can be closer to their location and speed the catch up.

[yota]

Under ice trapping when there is a total lock in would be the only time I would look for a den and I wouldnt really be lookin for the den but the feed pile itself. The entrance would be directly accross fom the pile anyways. I still wouldnt trap the entrance anyways in that situation as whether or not the beaver are locked in or not, one miss and you might as well forget it there, plus you run the chance of makin em "buggy" by messin around at the den.

Open water situations, I could care less as its feeding stations , slides , and active channels that Im lookin for.

[iowafurbuyer]

im having troubles finding the channels, I want to start at the beggining, so I figure the den. Ray

[rk660]

Nothing wrong with trapping dens under ice in our part of the country Iowa. Its sometimes about the only thing you can do, and fur wise its about the only time they are worth trapping. hit every den you can find, dam crossovers if still being used and runs if you got any, in our country you will find few runs to work with. Go 50 yards each way of the feed pile and hit every feed hole you find too. If set up and got most dens covered, you get most of them in one big surprise attack before they get wised up. i'll sometimes have up to 8-10 conis set at a active colony. Sex your older adult beaver as you catch them. Pretty much figure if ya get the old female right off the bat, everything else dies in 2-3 more nights. Get the male or a couple kits first run and female might make it a waiting game. The more sets ya got in, the better chance of busting the female the first check. Keep all sets in for a week and usually she will slip up and get caught. Seldom have problims with them bugging out on small creeks cause they are iced in and got nowhere else to go. Ocassionally you will get some wise ones that wont get caught in 330, they will hole up on ya. If you need to kill them its usually an easy matter to get them on a dam crossing later when ice starts to go out, smart beaver usually turn dumb again with a little time. Only time I had real problims not killing beaver den trapping was in WY in gin clear water. I like to check next day, then start checking every 2 or 3rd day if law allows. Ideally I would check next day, then 2 days, then go 3 days and pull. Overall I usually ave 3.5 to 4 beaver a colony den trapping. Thats with a few 6-9 spots and many spots of paired up 2 year olds with no kids.

[vttrapper]

I can't trap bank holes unless it is ADC trapping. Like Buzz I usually don't set the hole even when i can.

frank

[yota]

Will add a little more .........we are talking apples and oranges here, thats my take. You guys are fur trappers, I am not. You can afford to spook one and have to move on , I cant. Major differences in how the game is played and the differences are like nite and day...

[trappnman]

Bogmaster has made a believer out of me-castor mounds- bing, bang, bam!

If spooky- blind sets wqith footholds.

[jsevering]

I'll bite, how do, would, you set up for beaver that are locked in, around here you gotta stay 15 feet from the den\house or dam, so no den entrance or chew out, cross over trapping and if the trash pile isnt on the side of the feed bed 17 feet out or better your pretty much (s.o.l.) hit and miss with your swinging sus'ies ...jim

[trappnman]

See above ;D

[trappincoyotes39]

Dens are the last chance for me as well, I save that on a complaint as the last thing I set up! Look for air holes here in the midwest, bank dens will almost always have an air hole on the top side up on the bank, go directly down from the hole and in the water will be a den enterance right close.
Trapping dens will make beaver spooky in a hurry, thats why I like to use as a last resort deal. Channels under the ice will have air bubble trails in the ice, also set the feed piles under the ice as well.
Look around even in ice conditons the beaver still can tell you where they are or have been. Creeks will be opening soon, and better beaver trapping will be had

[Dusty]

AK beaver must just like to dig - I often find dozens of holes or old bank dens in each colony.

For summer beaver work (I do very little, so maybe I'm all wet here) I do like to set the den holes. I use a dog to find them, and I'm pretty confident I find them all that way. I stuff conibears in them, kill off the beaver, and move on.

What am I missing? Why is den setting considered a bad idea? It's worked beautifully for me, but I've probably not caught more than a couple dozen beaver using that method.

In response to the original question, it took me about 30 minutes to train my dog to find the active dens, and he finds things I never would have.

[vttrapper]

Dusty,

Speaking for myself, When ADC trapping I like to take the beavs away from the den holes fist so not to spook any beaver inside. I might set the holes after the bulk of the beavs are caught. Nohting worse thatn telling aclient all the beaver are gone then have them call a few days later saying there is a beaver still swimming. If it works for you then do it.

frank

[trappnman]

If I can find a bank den- I'll set it up in a minute. Caught a lot of beaver in dens over the years. But I don't waste time looking for them- in my small streams, theres usually only 1 dam, 1 deep area, 1 feedpile- and the whole thing is usually way over my waders if not my head ;D

Boys- if you are new to beaver trapping- and never used a castor mound set- do it. I never used them for years- " didn't believe in them". Plus- since I could find dens, feedbeds, crossovers, etc- didn't need them.

Then maybe 15 years ago, I started making a few at locations where I couldn't make one of my regular sets. And caught beaver. Still never used many. Then a while back- I guess maybe 4 years ago- I met Tom Olson- the OTHER Minnesota hippy- (Im the good lookin' one) and he convinced me of the success of the castor mound set- ALL YEAR.

Started usng more and more- now probably 75% of my sets are castor mounds. So if you have never used them before, try them. They are easy to make- just put a pile of mud ( I use about a football sized one- but believe there is no wrong size) on the bank about a foot back. I like to dig a little indentation in the bank as a "aiming point" for the beaver and where my trap sits- but Tom would say busy work ;D

Run it out to a slide wire and you're done. Tom uses 330s for this set- put "logs" out on both sides in a V shaped for the "aiming point"

Under ice- Rallys snare pole or baited 330s by the feed pile does as good a job or better that setting dens. Unerice den setting can lead to spookyness. that for sure. Traps away from the dens seem to produce more consistently.

Beside- only a crazyman traps beaver under ice!

[iowafurbuyer]

again, I want to find the dens to find the channels. I cant find channels, but am definately finding beaver in my sets. I just want to try to use 330s in channels. Ray