Spring Beaver Trapping

John Fraser

John Fraser

Well-known member
The weather was nice yesterday so I took Conall out to check the beaver set I had in. My favorite set is a castor mound set. Castor mound sets take advantage of beavers’ territorial nature and the way they mark their territory with a mound of mud and vegetation on the bank, they then deposit castor on the mound from glands in their rear end. So for my set I’ll make a single softball-sized mound on the bank and mark it with castor from another source. I guard the mound with one or two foothold traps set in the water in front of the mound.

At this spot I placed a mound at the notch in the bank to the right of Conall’s hand. The bank was all clean snow when I had set two days ago. Both days when I went to check the traps, my mound was gone and the beavers had left their own mud pies all over the place. All the mud and debris on the snow was left by the beaver. The orange spot in the snow to the right of Conall’s foot is castor that they left. I caught one beaver the first night (ended up with a trap on each hind foot). Unfortunately, on the second check (with Conall) I had a miss. The traps were fired and one was moved out to deeper water. When I reset them, I noticed that the one trap that was moved had a small stick wedged between the jaws which prevented them from shutting all the way. I use big traps (MB-750’s) so misses are rare and I was bummed to have a miss when taking my son along. However I think he had a good time, there were lots of critters and sign to see, we even got to hear the beaver slap his tail a couple times.

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Thanks for sharing John. I haven't trapped in many years but beaver was always my favorite. Back then our season was the month of Feb so all trapping was under the ice. Do you make your own castor lure? I learned a lot the first time I did - like, don't use the wife's blender unless you want to buy her a new one haha.
 
Pete: I sell the better grades of castor. But I do save the smaller castors and grind them up from time to time, mixing them with some glycerine and a couple drops of poplar bud oil. I grind them in a mini food processer. This home concoction is just used as a change-up, I usually use Dobbins or Night Owl castor.

I’ve tried trapping through the ice, but haven’t really gotten into it because of the additional time it takes to get into these spots in the winter (no snowmobile for me). I can cover a lot more ground (and better fit it into my daily schedule) after ice-out.
 
RL: I do see a fair amount of red rump in the spring. However, it hasn’t seemed to hurt the prices that much. I worry more about them biting each other in the spring, and I usually see more of that in April. Most seasons I am pretty much done by now. This spring and last spring were late ones.
 
Though I made my own, the best castor lure I used was from a guy in southern Ontario - can't remember his name right now.

Trapping under the ice was never by choice but because the season was only open then. One year I happened across another trapper who eventually became a good friend and partner - he said the definition of a beaver trapper is a guy with a size 44 chest and size 4 hat - I learned to appreciate that :).

One year I started setting at daylight snowshoeing between sets and pulling all my traps on a saucer. Finished at dark and got 12 sets in.
 
Nice to see the young guy out on the trapline John. This is actually the first season in a loooong time that I never set a single trap for anything. Man did I miss it. I had guys begging me to come and trap beaver for them, I just couldn't find the time to do so. I just talked to one of them today and promised him he's first on the beaver line next season.
Those 750's are good stout traps...the largest we can use in PA are the 650's or equivalent (6.5" jawspread) I have a couple of CDR's I've thought about bringing up to NY, I just haven't done it yet. Maybe next season. I'm going to have to clear up some time waaay before the season opens next year.
Steve
 
Sorry that you weren't able to get out this year. Hope you have more time next season.

CDR's are good traps too, definitely bring them to NY for beaver.
 
Just have to check the jawspread on them...I'm not so sure they're even legal up there. I guess I have a good 8 months to research that. Either way, I'll get to the trapline next season.
Steve
 
Are you guys allowed to use #14's or 44's - traps with teeth? Used to use those and even made our own up with #4 jumps. Nasty looking but very effective.
 
Pete...If I'm not mistaken traps with teeth have been outlawed in every state for years. The only possible exception I can think of may be Maine where they may still trap bears, or did that get outlawed this past year too? Alaska may be another exception, but I'm pretty sure teeth aren't permitted up there either. I'd have to double check that though. Definitely not legal to use in PA or NY. Those are the only two states I trap in right now.
Steve
 
Steve,

Just looked at our 2014 Trapping Regs. Looks like our regs haven't changed in that respect. Toothed traps are still legal for water sets. Here is an exerpt:

Trap Size and and Placement Restrictions
You may not:

•set, place or operate any steel-jawed trap with teeth unless such traps are
located completely underwater at all times;
•set, place or operate any steel-jawed trap with a jaw spread width of more than
7 inches from Oct. 15 – Nov. 30 unless it is a water set or with a jaw spread
width of more than 8 inches at any other time or as a water set;
 
7.25 inches is the maximum for water in NY. Teeth are not allowed. I've got a couple of CDR's and they are within 7.25". In fact, I've heard that they are now made in NY.

I was impressed with the holding power of my MB-750's when one of them held a beaver by the last 2 or 3 inches of it's tail.
 
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The only thing with the 750's is you've got to be careful when setting them. With no free jaw you've got to put your hand between the jaws to get the pan set. Not too hard on firm ground, but more challenging when standing in the water. I usually try to set them and place them by the water before climbing down the bank.
 
Well that's interesting Pete, thanks for pointing that out. All of these years I figured teeth were illegal with very few exceptions, which they still are I suppose. That will be good to know if I ever decide to run a trapline out of my sisters house in Appleton. Boy she would have a fit!
I've used the 650's down here in PA in the past, and yes they are a stout trap. I may have to pick up a few 750's for the NY line next season. Even the 650's can be a real pain to set if you're not on firm ground.
So, I'm seriously thinking of leaving my wall tent at home next season and renting a small cabin in the Adirondacks instead. I'll be able to get way more steal in the ground, trees & water that way. I'm also thinking of hauling my enclosed trailer up and using that as my fur shed...after some slight modifications of course.
John...are you planning to head west in August and go to the NTA convention in Buffalo?
Steve
 
Steve,

Curiosity got the better of me and I did a search and came up with this document from 2007 http://www.fishwildlife.org/files/Summary-Trapping-Regulations-Fur-Harvesting.pdf

Page 9, item 12 asks the question if toothed traps are legal in your state. out of 48 responses, 17 indicate toothed traps are legal.

Interesting.
 
Pete we can still use our 14's as long as there covered by water. There still by far my favorite trap to use below the ice.
The only traps were allowed to use on Bear are cable traps. They tried to outlaw Bear trapping, hounding and baiting via a referendum vote and it was defeated for a second time.
 
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