Under ice beavers...frequency check

[Dom]

Hey guys,

Been snaring beavers under the ice and been having quite a bit of success. My question is this; what is the best frequency to check my snares out. I pretty much have beavers in all of my snare sets but I only go check 'em out once a week, would it increase my chances to get more if I went more regularly and remade my sets? What would be an acceptable frequency?

Thanks.

Dom.

[John Porter]

I check my snares every 3 days--when I initially set them, I only cut a 3x12 slot in the ice. To check I just break that slot open and if I have made a catch, then I enlarge the hole. To reset, I just move over enough so the beaver can't leave below ice through my hole.

[musher]

Hi John, With a 3 x 12 slot you musn't be putting a triangular pattern of snares around your dry pole. Are you simply putting one on each side of the pole? How many rows do you usually attach?

Hey Dom, it depends if you want to empty the hut or not. When they are hungry and you're in a visible spot things usually happen pretty quick. Three days is often enough. Because of the weather and chopping factor lots of guys wait seven.

[John Porter]

Musher--I run 2 snares opposite of each other on my poles. My bogs here are not deep lakes so I can get away with 2. On most beaver flowages, I feel 6 snares will take the cream and I move on.

[Snareman]

When I go in to set up bait poles, it's not about "to get more". It's to get the beaver and move on. I've had some rookies tell me I'm missing beaver with using only 2 snares to a pole. It is not my goal to eradicate all the beaver in the colony, but to take the cream and move on. I deviate my plan depending if it's about ADC or fur trapping... or the number of beaver I think are in that area and/or colony and I'll set up accordingly. For one house I typically set up with 3 poles.... 1 of them having 4 snares, the others only 2. I check them every 3-5 days and almost never have more than 4 checks, often pulling on the 3rd check. Get the beaver and move on. There's nothing wrong with your once a week check, but why take "more"? You can only take so many beaver from a colony, then you are removing seed. If you want to take the cream and move on doing it quicker, set more poles with fewer day checks... unless it's real cold, then they'll den up longer requiring more time and extended day checks.

Snareman

[Dom]

Ok, thanks guys.

snareman, in this case it's ADC work, the guy wants them all gone. In this particular hut, there is apparently between 15 and 21 according to a biologist. These beaver are chopping down all his trees. So ya! I want to catch them all. In a normal situation, I would leave some for future captures.

Dom.