FootHolds for Beaver

[primetime]

Well I made a post a few days ago, called "The Little Things." Sunday Morning for what seems like the hundredth time, (not really) I missed a Beaver in a foothold. I've actually never taken a Beaver in a foothold, they have all came from 330's. I just continually miss in footholds. I said hundredth, but it's been about 5 times that I've failed to connect on Beaver using footholds.

What is the little thing I'm missing. I get snapped traps either at the set location, or even pulled down the drowner, but I don't ever have the Beaver.

Saturday night was one of those sure fire locations, that I had 100% confidence in. I set up my drowner at the mouth of a BIG culvert. I made a Caster Mound set at the mouth of this culvert and placed my #3 Montana in the water in front of this. Problem was it was a rocky location, do to some rip rap (large rocks) dumped around the culvert. I got my trap as stable as I could and figured it would connect.

My dad and I argued about which way to orientate the trap (what is recommended??).

Sunday Morning, I see the trap is gone, but after further examination I see it snapped and laying a few inches deeper in the water. Missed Opportunity and ANOTHER wised up Beaver.

Should have went with the 330, but I really want to learn how to use footholds.

What is the secret? I had no Mud to work with, otherwise I would have tried that ridge of mud that I've read about.

[NattyBumpo]

Many times when beavers come to a castor mound set they may be carrying mud leaves and debris in their front feet. You will not catch them by the front foot. Use 330s or get some 7 1/2" jawspread traps, I like CDRs and set for a backfoot catch about 18" back from where their breast will hit the shore when coming in.

[primetime]

I am beginning to think I should not be using Caster Mounds and frontfoot trap placement, for the very reason you said. Beaver are easy, until you educate them, and then they are one of the hardest animals I have every tried to trap. Man they get paranoid.

What can I do now to take this Beaver? I can't get to his house, water is to deep. Only chance I've got is either a baited set, or another Caster Mound. Will a different smell take this beaver? Will a baited set at the same location as my original Caster Mound be avoided?

This is a location that I want to get in and out of. I figure it's just one Beaver. I'm hoping a big male.

PT

[SgtWal]

This is often a trap set too shallow. It grabs some belly fur and gets pulled away from the bed but then slips off. Roll a couple rocks away and get the trap down a foot or so and 8 to 12 inches or so out from the waters edge.
I set the jaws at right angles to the bank and let them close from the side on the foot.

wayne

[primetime]

Wayne - that's funny that you should say that's how you set the trap. My dad said to do it that way, and I said your nuts. He said when he was younger and used to do a lot of Beaver trapping he would get all sorts of misses having them come over the jaws. Once he turned it to were they came in-between the jaws he started catching them. I figured you would want them coming over the loose jaw.

So should trap orientation be (for right foot) offset slightly right, loose jaw on left? That way on approach he will come in between the jaws, not over them?

I put the trap in at like a 45 degree angle. It was sort of a compromise between the two different ideas me and my dad had. The trap was under maybe 4-5 inches of water and about 6-8 inches back from were the water ended on the shore. (Only location the trap would fit given the rocky shore)

[terminator1]

What I found to work for me was to put rocks ,dirt, or punch sticks in front of your trap to make the beaver walk to your trap. I put the trap under 1/2 "to 1" of water and build up in front of the trap maybe 3"to4" to get the beaver walking to the castor mound. I like to put the castor mound about 1' behind the trap and blocked on both sides.

[primetime]

So I'm not alone. Just placing a trap in front of the caster mound and walking away is going to get you more snapped traps then Beaver. You need to do other little things to make this set more productive.

[ChrisB]

Primetime, Caught two beaver in the last two days using castor mounds.The beaver will breast out in 3" to 4" of water. Place your elbow in this spot with your hand pointing away from the bank.Where your hand touches the bottom is where the trap should go with about 4" offset either way.I was having the same problem until I realized the trap was to shallow and all I was catching was belly.I use SleepyCreek #4 longspings and a bigger trap wouldn't hurt at all.A #3 might be a little small considering your mostly targeting the back feet.Good luck!


Chris

[fishadict]

ChrisB stated above the way I measure also. Also, invest in some traps with a larger jaw spread if legal. I have #5 Bridger coils and CDR's - both are nice. I might even offset a bit more than 4" - look at how far apart the rear legs of a beaver are.

My beaver footholds have been hanging for two years. Went to all 330's.

fa

[nevergivinup]

Hi guys!! Can any of you give me some advice for trapping thru the ice? I have been helped by a person, (sorry, don't remember your name), under another beaver post, and wanted to get to this post as well.
This area is about 100 yards in a circle, with a BIG branch going off of that. There is no evidence of any open areas where the beaver are going to and fro, as it seems to all be froze over. Does this mean they are simply under the water/in the den?
I am hoping to use my #3 MB 650's, as I don't have any 330's. I have seen on a video called "Beaverin" with Alan Probst, he uses legholds, fastened to a decent size stick which is supported by two smaller sticks perpindicular to the main. Tied off on the top of the ice.
Does anyone see any problems with this? Would you "only" use the 330's? If so, where to put them?
Thanks,
Chris
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[SgtWal]

There is an old set called the Pole or Leaning Pole set. You take a large dry pole, the larger the better, that's long enough to touch bottom. Slide it through a hole in the ice and mark where the bottom of the ice is on the pole. If it's long enough go at an angle.
About 3 feet below the ice mount the trap. On large logs the oldtimers cut a notch, but on smaller ones build a shelf to set it on. Set the trap so it sets level with the log in place. Use a piece of wire to hold it on but loose enough to pull free and not give the animal leverage.
Above the trap wire a bundle of green sticks for bait. I like willow ends with twigs and all. Wire them tight at or above the ice line. As the beaver tries to cut them free he will step in the trap as he tries for leverage.
Another is a Pen set along the bank. Shove a long green pole or even several of them through a hole in the ice in shallow water, say 2 to 3 feet under the ice. Leave the butt ends above the ice or wire them to a heavy stake. Set traps on the bottom on the side of the poles and just out from the butt ends. When the critter tries to cut them free he again steps in the trap. I often drive a couple more stakes to hold the bundle in place and keep it from swinging side to side.
Thank God for mild winters.

wayne

[nevergivinup]

Wayne,
I take it these are foot hold traps? Or, are you using 330's?
Thanks,
Chris

[Ross]

Primetime when you're trappin in rocky areas don't be afraid to get a good shovel (or two) full of dirt and and put it in the trap bed right before you place your trap.

I have had better luck trapping here on creeks and rivers to trap the beavers more like big muskrats. My areas have a lot of steep banks, so I cut out a chunk of bank about a foot wide and a foot deep and put lure on a peeled maple or other juicy stick about the size of a cigar and a foot above water right above trap.

Good luck and don't give up.

[primetime]

Ok, the beaver doesn't seem to be to spooked, because I checked my set last night and the trap was snapped again, but by a rock or branch that fell into it as the beaver was crawling up from the side to deposit a bunch of seaweed (crickweed - whatever) on the bank.

I'm going to put in a 330 Caster Mound and see if that will finish the deal. Now the only open water I've got is near the culvert. The 330 needs to be away from the culvert, but the bank is rocky and no good way to stabilize the 330. Has anyone ever made a caster mound set out on the ice? Use the ice like the shore line? The water is open out in front of the culvert, but there is ice on both sides. I could chip out a run into shore away from the culvert, but I'm afraid it would freeze in.

[thefoxtrapper]

a couple things that i have done to become more efficient, use large strong traps, #5 size, i use some #4, i have added teeth to most of mine, i did get a bunch new #5 duke this year, have not added teeth yet, I always set the trap so the beaver steps between the jaws, I always drown them, make sure your system is positive because if he tangles, teeth or not, most will twist out due to the loss of swiveling action...there are far more sets out there than just using castor mounds, the beaver feeds, he moves around, he climbs up on the bank, im assuming you have open water, feed sets and trail sets can be set for front foot if you like, as can crossover sets, I try and go for a backfoot most of the time, unless the situation requires a front foot catch....dont get stuck in a rut trying to do the same thing all the time, look around and let the beaver show you where to catch him, w

[simmonsd17]

bigger jaw spread would be better. also offset the traps to the side4-6 inches. Stay away from big offset jaw traps for front foot catches, and put in walking sticks , I call them. 2 or 3 pencil size sticks in an arc under the jaws of the trap pointing out away from the bank. maybe at a 45 degree angle and just under the surface in 4-8 inches of water will work. Any time a beaver hits an obstruction while entering the bank or in shallow water will make him drop those front feet and start reaching. Until he breasts out on something those feet are tucked back under his chest. Works pretty good for me , and you can even do this to make a back foot catch on a shelf that isn't quite where you want it to be , but the trap beds real well there. Hope it helps. Try it

[BK]

I've gone mostly to 330's,..........but if your using foot traps and have missed one that now won't come to castor he more than likely will answer your set close by with mud and leaves, and his own castor. You can about figure where his hind feet will go down as he crawls out, keep your stakes short as your dealing with one that could be shy. Sometimes you have to scrape his mud and leaves into the water to get him to answer, don't use lure here.

[primetime]

I hate footholds! My dad checked the set for me yesterday, and found the trap gone. Figured it was a done deal. Pulled up the drowner, and there at the end of a drowner was an empty #3 Montana all tangled up at the end near the weight. NO BEAVER

I'm really getting discouraged with this, so I'm going to go after him with a 330. And it will be 330's from now on. I see why so many people switch. If they set off a 330, there is a very very good chance they will be there in the morning!

Why don't footholds hold well on beaver? Is it that I'm catching the belly? Is it the wet feet? Shape of feet? This is the second or third time I've had a trap at the end of a drowner and no beaver.

[trappnman]

Footholds work very well on beaver. Very well. I started with footholds, went to 330s and no prefer setting footholds where water is deep enough to drown. Do you miss some? Of course. But no one has ever had a snapped 330?

Are there techniques involved to reduce misses? Of course there are. As in any endeavor, skill needs to be learned.

[thefoxtrapper]

you should re-read my post primetime, your first problem you just stated, a #3 montana, you ARE going to have many more losses using these traps than a #5 trap, I dont care how good or bad a trapper is, trap placement is very important, you cant just throw a trap down and expect to get a 100% catch, you have to adjust for the slope of the bank and how the beaver will approach, also i stomp out a bed in the mud or sand with my foot to get the trap stable, giving up is not the way to master using footholds, footholds hold exceptionally well as long as their are no errors on the trapper's part, dont let him tangle, get back on the bank, etc., do your part and I guarantee the trap will do its part, if legal, weld nail spikes under the jaws, that alone will raise your holding percentage greatly, I know because I have went through all you describe but I kept at it and now a beaver is in deep chit when i break out the leg irons, w