My first shot at trapping beaver

**ar15jules** · January 19th, 2015, 08:38 PM

Hold the jokes to a minimum. I have already heard them all. I had a buddy show me the ropes. I happened to have another friend with a beaver problem. I have learned a great deal so far and have come to appreciate the beaver as a crafty little (or not so little) creature. Their dam building skills are phenomenal. Here are a few photos from my season so far. Thick ice has added a few challenges. All of my traps are pulled until I get used to the idea of trying some new methods. 4 catches so far.

My first catch.

Here is a sample 330 Conibear set. The water had dropped quite a bit.

Beaver caught in the above set.

Here are two from today.

Beaver track

I didn't want to show any catches out of the water. The 330 Conibear dispatches them rather quickly. I have quickly learned that setting traps and checking them is the easy part. Skinning and fleshing is a whole other ball game.

Jules

**God's Country** · January 19th, 2015, 09:00 PM

Cool!

I never trapped.
I tagged along with a friend a couple times when I was kid to check muskrat traps, but that was it.

One more thing I need to try some day.

**ar15jules** · January 19th, 2015, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by God's Country

Cool!

I never trapped.
I tagged along with a friend a couple times when I was kid to check muskrat traps, but that was it.

One more thing I need to try some day.

There are a few spots over your way that I would like to trap, but never find myself there for more than a few days.
Jules

**ar15jules** · January 19th, 2015, 09:15 PM

Here are just a few more pics. The family is camera shy. The kids were in bad need of a shave.

**Emptymag** · January 19th, 2015, 09:22 PM

Looks like catching mice.

**ar15jules** · January 19th, 2015, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by Emptymag

Looks like catching mice.

Well, they are rodents as well. Set the conibear up in a "run" just like a mouse. The mice run the walls, the beaver use "paths" and they can be seen. The ice out presents challenges now. Other states allow trapping on dams and lodges. PA does not.