Under Ice Beaver Trapping...

[passinthrough]

I have trapped beavers under the ice for a while. I have used snares and conibears, both with varying degrees of success. I do catch my share of beavers, but I am looking to cut down on the number of "misses"- fired conibears, and the chewed-off stub of a popple pole with empty snares hanging down.

I have experimented with different loop sizes, locks, and pole configurations with snares, and also different ways of baiting 330s. I would like to hear what works for other trappers when trapping beavers this way, and hopefully figure out some ways to cut down on my misses.

PT

[marbleyez2001]

I do almost all my under ice trapping with 330's sets in runs. Very few misses, and even less misses using Belisles/Savegeaus. At most 5% of the set off 330s have nothing in them (muskrats, sticks, beavers by extremities happen). For me it is the quickest, easiest way I have seen and most areas I can pull the beaver I want to catch in 4 days.

Some areas this is hard to do. Where you have huts in deeper water (middle of a pond/lake, or in a bog) where you cant find their runs on the hut, and cant find bank runs. In these situations I usualy try to trap them in open water, or just let them be to populate the other ponds I trap around them.

[passinthrough]

Marble,

Do you put your 330s on stands in the runs, or do you suspend them via cable or wire? Any fencing?

PT

[thebeav2]

The 330 needs to be In a stable position to be effective. You can fence but If your right on location It may not be necessary.

[wildman]

how about useing the old fashion vertical baited pole set with legholds, or try keeping a baited coni just under the ice a couple inches so they cant swim over it and trip it

[northof50]

Do you have any pics of you snare set up.
Have you read McQuade's article in the back issue of NAFA mag. ? on beaver trapping.
Do your house have that walk=up swirl with them, that is the primary entrance of the houses, are you trapping these? there should be a couple of other exits.
Air bubbles in ice formation how are you reading these?

[marbleyez2001]

Just about all my 330's are on the tall H stands. Fencing is not needed, just put them in the middle of the run.

[thorsmightyhammer]

Passin', just saw your email today.

I dont check them very often. lol.

I use almost primarily 330's through the ice. I have used baited poles and have snared a few that way. One year I snared about 50 and 3 otter but I personally cant get my averages high enough for my likeing. I know some guys that are very good at snaring under ice but not me.

Basically i'll stick a 330 where ever I think a beaver is going to swim. I'll take a bank den over the house any day. But I'll take what I can find fast.

I use h stands but not many they work well but it gets to be too much stuff to carry. I will generally drive in two poles and stabilize that way.

I know some guys that hang their traps with wire through the spring eyes. I dunno they catch beaver.

Misses? Your going to have em. For me I think the biggest culprit is rats. If I get on a pond with few or almost no rats no big deal. Put me in a cattail swamp and I may have to catch 3 or 10 rats with some snapped traps before it gets better.

Say if I want to try and get a 10 beaver a day average or more I can almost gurantee you I am going to catch 5 6 rats and some snapped traps.

Only thing I know for sure trapping beaver under ice is if you want to be successful you will be working harder than its worth.