# Who else has beaver fever with these temps??



## legard29 (Nov 7, 2005)

Have a few beaver left to catch my Muskegon SGA permit, boat will be in the water asap as soon as 8th grade volleyball wraps up, can't wait!!


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## Fool'em (Sep 29, 2016)

Careful you might get a sunburn this year
Good luck 
Let us know how you do


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Yes sir! Good luck!


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

I always have the fever but the old body will not allow it any more.


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## Feather Mucker (Nov 9, 2007)

Not familiar with trapping at all... but I do know a certain stretch of a certain river running through state land just south of a certain recreation area on the Northeastern side of the state that appears to have a major problem with beavers. And based on my recent observations (yesterday) they are and have been very active. PM me if you want more specific (if you need it) info.


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Feather Mucker said:


> Not familiar with trapping at all... but I do know a certain stretch of a certain river running through state land just south of a certain recreation area on the Northeastern side of the state that appears to have a major problem with beavers. And based on my recent observations (yesterday) they are and have been very active. PM me if you want more specific (if you need it) info.


Why oh why couldn't it be closer?


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## Anita Dwink (Apr 14, 2004)

Spotted a few rat bank dens and have a few culverts that will have colony traps in front of Saturday. Maybe a few 330's while I'm there . Never thought I'd get out before season ends . Can't ice fish .
Might as well.


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

Since the ice is melted off my pond, the beaver are plugging up my otter set. I only set 1 trap so I don't get 2 otter, I guess it's time to clean the beaver out.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

I'm sure most will not have this issue but a newbie might. DNR press release.

If you don't buy a 2016 base license by Feb. 28, you cannot buy a fur harvester license in March or April.

Trapping

Feb. 28, 2017 is the last day to purchase a 2016 base license! A 2016 base license is required to purchase a 2016 fur harvester license.
All those who hunt and trap furbearing animals must have a valid base license and fur harvester license. 
If fur takers do not purchase their 2016 base license by Feb. 28, 2017, they cannot purchase a fur harvester license in the months of March or April.
Base and fur harvester licenses can be purchased at license agents, DNR Customer Service Centers, or online at E-License.
2016 fur harvester licenses expire on April 30, 2017. 
Learn about other important changes for fur harvesters during the 2016 seasons by visiting mi.gov/trapping or see the 2016 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest found online at mi.gov/dnrdigests.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

What a big of bunch of DNR mumbo jumbo.

What is this all about? NO 2016 licenses are available for purchase after February as they are out dated

So if I did not trap in 2016 and wanted to purchase a 2017 Fur harvester license along with my 2017 base license and other licenses I can not in March and April.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

multibeard said:


> What a big of bunch of DNR mumbo jumbo.
> 
> What is this all about? NO 2016 licenses are available for purchase after February as they are out dated
> 
> So if I did not trap in 2016 and wanted to purchase a 2017 Fur harvester license along with my 2017 base license and other licenses I can not in March and April.


This change is to make your 2016 fur harvester good through the entire trapping season....right through the end of April beaver trapping. It is a good thing. There is no longer the need to run out in march or april and buy a new license to trap beavers in april. I personally found this an annoyance because the otter/ bobcat tags were never available at that time so you still had to make a point to go back to the retailer at somepoint later in the year....if you remembered to.


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## ottertrapper (Jan 6, 2006)

If you hunted anything last fall you bought your base license so would be good to buy fur harvester license after feb 28. If you bought your 2016 fur harvester license last fall already your good thru April.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

_I under stand the part about buying a base license to hunt. This is what I am talking about.
QUOTE from lthup's post"
"If fur takers do not purchase their 2016 base license by Feb. 28, 2017, they cannot purchase a fur harvester license in the months of March or April." QUOTE

If I am reading this as it is stated it looks like I can not even purchase a 2017 Base Licensee and Fur harvester License when they become available. That is the way I read it. Or am I supposed to read something between the lines._


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

Got 4 330's out today, and 1 mb750 on a castor mound. Tomorrow will get another 750 set. Pond is skim ice, but I did have a beaver dam up my otter run after I took that last beaver.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Whitetail May I suggest that you set the foot hold a little deeper as I looks like it might get chest sprung. Even digging it in would help. Also put some pointed sticks on an out ward angle in front of the trap. This will get the beaver to put it's feet down thinking it had hit bottom with it's chest.


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

multibeard said:


> Whitetail May I suggest that you set the foot hold a little deeper as I looks like it might get chest sprung. Even digging it in would help. Also put some pointed sticks on an out ward angle in front of the trap. This will get the beaver to put it's feet down thinking it had hit bottom with it's chest.


It's in 3" of water on a ledge, and drops off sharply. His chest should hit the ledge. This same spot worked last year. If you look you can see a root I was unsuccessful of digging out and breaking. I'll be bringing a hatchet and shovel tomorrow. Can you explain the sticks in front any better? I'm a self taught trapper that has taken 30+ beaver out of this pond over the years. Any advice is appreciated.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

I guess the picture made the trap look shallower.

I sharpen some 3/8 or so sticks on one end. Stick them in a semi circle just out side the trap a few inches below the surface of the water. When a beaver hit's the sticks with its chest it thinks it hit bottom and puts it's front feet down into the trap.

I could not figure out what the rerod was in the picture of the foot hold until I looked at your first picture. I would not want to haul it in 1/2 mile on snow shoes.


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Courtesy of "Beaver 2000" by Hal Sullivan:


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Thanks Firefighter


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

multibeard said:


> I guess the picture made the trap look shallower.
> 
> I sharpen some 3/8 or so sticks on one end. Stick them in a semi circle just out side the trap a few inches below the surface of the water. When a beaver hit's the sticks with its chest it thinks it hit bottom and puts it's front feet down into the trap.
> 
> I could not figure out what the rerod was in the picture of the foot hold until I looked at your first picture. I would not want to haul it in 1/2 mile on snow shoes.


Thanks guys, the bank edge is straight up and down everywhere and 2-3' deep. The reason that spot works is because the beaver have the bank cut back so much. The stick idea will work great on my next set instead of digging the bank back so far.
The 2 rerod maybe weigh 5lbs and was lighter than the 4 330's. I've used cable in the past and 50lb beaver ruin the cable. It also takes a lot of weight to hold 50lb beaver down. I carried steel weights in the past, the rerod is the best option for me, and are quick linked so I can use for my 1 1/2's also. It's only a quarter mile walk (1 way) lol. 
Thanks again multibeard.


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Whitetail Freak said:


> Thanks guys, the bank edge is straight up and down everywhere and 2-3' deep. The reason that spot works is because the beaver have the bank cut back so much. The stick idea will work great on my next set instead of digging the bank back so far.
> The 2 rerod maybe weigh 5lbs and was lighter than the 4 330's. I've used cable in the past and 50lb beaver ruin the cable. It also takes a lot of weight to hold 50lb beaver down. I carried steel weights in the past, the rerod is the best option for me, and are quick linked so I can use for my 1 1/2's also. It's only a quarter mile walk (1 way) lol.
> Thanks again multibeard.



Use an onion sack filled with rocks from the bank. Nothing lighter than that.


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

Firefighter said:


> Use an onion sack filled with rocks from the bank. Nothing lighter than that.


This is a 400 acre cattail swamp, never seen a rock. Even tilling my food plots, never seen a rock. The rod also adds a few inches to drowning depth, which helps in 2' of water. I knew someone would say use rocks. I would assume it would take a good bag of rocks to hold a beaver down. Cable sucks, I'll take a pic of my last cable that took 3 beaver.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Creative drowning weights is a topic that always interests me. I like trying to cut back on labor. 

I tried unsuccessfully to use a drowning rod on a beaver once. We made it out of a 10' piece if electrical conduit. I found it easy to carry and light enough. It was sturdy and I manufactured a nice slide lock out of square tubing that worked perfectly. My issue was the end I stuck in the Mud didn't hold. The water was close to 3' deep and I felt I had it well secured in the bottom. The beaver was a rear foot catch and the beaver went to the bottom. Then pulled free and swung the rod up on shore. He was there waiting when we got there. I always wondered if my rod was too long and the angle wasn't right because of it.

Since then I have used brake rotars. I trap with two sons most of the time. I give them each a rotar to carry. If the walk is a long ways we use a light backpack. Most rotars are 11-15lb range. If the bottom is sandy or mucky 2 rotars wired together is plenty. They dig in well. If it is a hard bottom creek or pond it takes 3 wired together.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

If you can get to some sand put it in a gunny sacks, aka feed sacks, and throw it out into deep water. It held beaver for me. The mucky stuff will not work as it is to light. It is to bad that all of the feed sacks are now plastic as with the old burlap ones, I would just be able to empty them and bury them and the would rot away. The plastic ones I had to carry back out

I had a number of places that had rocks available. I used rocks in feed sacks all of the time. One set that I used for years still has an 18 inch rerod fox stake driven into the rocks. I used it year after year.

I always used heavy wire for my sliders, never had a problem with it. Sorry but I can not remember what gauge it was but it was heavier than the tie wire that is used for most other trapping.

This thread is really making me miss trapping beaver. I basically quit most of my beaver trapping when some one decided to get PC and outlaw teeth on traps. All of my #4's have teeth on them and I was not going to spend the big $$$ on the super duper foot holds to continue using foot holds.


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

We're live from the pond, drowned rod worked perfectly.
No slide








I see it








And a 20# beaver


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

By a toe! 
Lol

Surprised that little feller got that far past without springing.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

There is some good eating!!!!!


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## wicklundrh (Mar 18, 2014)

Jeff Dunlop uses a ton of drowning rods. I've never seen him use sand, rocks, or whatever. When water trapping and accessing an area from a boat, it would be a little difficult to put several hundred pounds of debris on board to take with you.

I agree, going out in the water and pounding a stake to run a cable to sucks!!! I like the drowning rods myself.


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

Firefighter said:


> By a toe!
> Lol
> 
> Surprised that little feller got that far past without springing.


Actually 2 toe and a toenail.


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

Remake








The new set


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## Northcountry (Feb 4, 2004)

I quit using drowner wieghts (sand bags with gravel, cinder blocks, etc.) a long time ago. Well, occasionally I may still use one if I can drive my quad or truck close to the set location. LOL If I'm using wire, cable or chain...my bottom-end anchor will fit in my front pocket. Its just a big fender washer (or two, if necessary) driven deep into the muck and loon poop with an extended Pogo driver. But even simpler and easier than that, I'll often use a stout stick (about the size of a boat oar), attach my wire/cable/chain to the bottom, and drive it as deep as I can down into the muck. If stealth is an issue, I'll saw the stick off just under the waters surface so it doesnt draw attention. 

The only drawback to these methods is that you cant just pull your beaver and drowning wieght back to the shore, or up into the boat. You need to slide the lock back up by using a pole with a nail in the end, or by tying some decoy line to it, ahead of time. Every system has its pro's and con's and they all work. Most of my spots are very hard to get to, so I appreciate being able to carry a 6-8 sets worth of anchoring supplies, in my pockets.


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

The view


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)




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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Man I'd have that place blitzed. Looks prime!


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

Firefighter said:


> Man I'd have that place blitzed. Looks prime!


It's a 50 + acre beaver pond that is fed by a ditch from two spring fed 50 acre lakes with beaver. Then a half mile ditch to the main creek which they dam up on my property and flood 200 acres. It then goes into 5 more lakes with a few more beaver ponds along the way. It's never ending every year. There's 3 large beaver huts on the pond I'm trapping. I have permission to trap the whole pond out of deer season. I should really put the hurt on them since ice melt was so early this year.


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## Timberdoodle2 (Jan 6, 2015)

can you show me how that drowning rods works? as in how to set it up.. cant get my head around it..


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

I welded a really big nut to the end of the 1/2" rerod so I can drive a 1/2" stake through nut to anchor to shore. The other end has a large washer welded to it to keep the slide lock from coming off. Stab the end in the creek bed past the washer and stake the other end at the bank.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

How long are your drowning rods shown here?


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

DirtySteve said:


> How long are your drowning rods shown here?


8'


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

The washer acts like a pogo stake and makes it harder to pull the rod out. I also like to stake the shore end sideways as it makes it harder to pull the rod out and be alive on shore. Some guys weld two nuts and double stake which makes it impossible for them to get on shore. Make sure the slide lock can move freely, the bank got in the way on today's catch(****) and wouldn't slide down.


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

Whitetail Freak said:


> The washer acts like a pogo stake and makes it harder to pull the rod out. I also like to stake the shore end sideways as it makes it harder to pull the rod out and be alive on shore. Some guys weld two nuts and double stake which makes it impossible for them to get on shore. Make sure the slide lock can move freely, the bank got in the way on today's catch(****) and wouldn't slide down.


After viewing my remake picture, I think the **** didn't want to go in the water and just mucked up the bank. 

Today's catch on the same castor mound set. Pulled up the rod and I got the smaller otter of the two.


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## Anita Dwink (Apr 14, 2004)

Spring looks like it's taking the week off starting tonight. Got to trap some new area this week. Put in 8 330's. Got 3 beaver all about 30 lbs. Landowner very pleased. Access to very large muskrat population next fall. A drone would come in handy to fly over and locate main lodge. These 3 had to be dispersed last spring from somewhere. Just happy to get some early ice out trapping in.


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## rob0311 (May 11, 2012)

40#,26#


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## rob0311 (May 11, 2012)

37#


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## Scottygvsu (Apr 19, 2003)

Keep the pics coming guys! I have some nuisance trapping to do do at work, the thaws have lasted just long enough to get a little bank activity, then the river freezes back over. Not frozen enough to walk on of course, just enough to freeze sets. I have a score to settle with a bank den SOB that gave me the slip in Nov. I'm definitely not a tried and true trapper like you guys but still enjoy creeping your threads and picking up tricks.


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## Anita Dwink (Apr 14, 2004)

The one good thing about the latest freeze was I had a chance to walk around and spot the active bank dens and runs with clear ice
on the water and the mud froze up. One place I thought cleared out had feed pIles that were stripped . Plan set after thaw.


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

Scottygvsu said:


> Keep the pics coming guys! I have some nuisance trapping to do do at work, the thaws have lasted just long enough to get a little bank activity, then the river freezes back over. Not frozen enough to walk on of course, just enough to freeze sets. I have a score to settle with a bank den SOB that gave me the slip in Nov. I'm definitely not a tried and true trapper like you guys but still enjoy creeping your threads and picking up tricks.


I pulled my traps after the otter catch not wanting to get another otter. I've trapped this pond every year for years so not many beaver. I'll set for a week when it warms up and there's beaver sign again.
I used 6 330's for years and I bought 1 mb 750 for castor mounds. That 1 750 took a beaver everyday until there was none left. Castor mounds with castor scent on a stick is where it's at! Good luck.


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## rob0311 (May 11, 2012)

#5


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## rob0311 (May 11, 2012)

My dad went with me for the first time to set, he's never trapped so it was nice to have someone fetching sticks. But he did lose all my castor from previous catches. It was fun anyway


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Whitetail Freak said:


> . Castor mounds with castor scent on a stick is where it's at! Good luck.


This brought to mind the time there were a bunch of guy sitting at a beaver demo at a convention. the beaver expert said that castor should only be used in the spring as it will not work at other times. You should have heard the laughs erupt in the crowd. A lot of the guys actually got up and left knowing the guy was not that much of an expert


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## Whitetail Freak (Nov 10, 2008)

multibeard said:


> This brought to mind the time there were a bunch of guy sitting at a beaver demo at a convention. the beaver expert said that castor should only be used in the spring as it will not work at other times. You should have heard the laughs erupt in the crowd. A lot of the guys actually got up and left knowing the guy was not that much of an expert


I'm far from an expert at any type of trapping and honestly I am just a hobby trapper. I must say I've killed a lot of beaver in December on castor mounds.

In the Whitetail forum there was a question of name 5 members you would have lunch with. I didn't reply but thought about it and I picked 3 trappers as I know none and 2 walleye trollers. You sir would make 1 of my 3.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

I've used castor in November and it worked just fine.
Beaver can get weary of castor, so I start out with straight poplar sticks in the fall and winter. I then use castor in spring. 

I vary my sets so there is a variety at a location. As not all animals are the same, neither should the sets for them be.


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## rob0311 (May 11, 2012)

Selfie time


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## Scottygvsu (Apr 19, 2003)

I've picked up a few the last couple days. I watched a YouTube vid of a guy pressure washing instead of fleshing hides with a knife. He made it look easy as all get out. I tried it and just ended up soaked, cold, and covered if fat. Ended up just fleshing it the tried and true way. There is no free lunch I guess


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Scottygvsu said:


> View attachment 248955
> View attachment 248956
> View attachment 248957
> 
> ...



That made me laugh outloud. I have watched that same video several times wondering if it was worth a shot. Thanks for answering the question for me!

Check out the technique for frost fleshing beavers. There are some threads on trapperman about it. The only downside is you have to wait for those nights where it gets well below 0 deg. I would have to freeze my hides and then thaw them A day or two ahead of time anticipating the cold snap. I plan on trying a couple next yr just because I like to try new things.


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## on a call (Jan 16, 2010)

Some day I will trap beaver with open water....I have always gone for them under the ice 

First and second were both over 50 pounders 56 and 52 I was hooked right at the start.


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## Anita Dwink (Apr 14, 2004)

Got my nemisis beaver this am. Trap shy lost toenails # 4 been after for 4 years. 330 got him. Had to picket hard, grass over and put another next to it that he tripped.


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## Anita Dwink (Apr 14, 2004)

I spent 4 years with this one. Needed to send him off properly. I'm going to frame it and think fondly of our time together. " Never Quit "


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Most times when I finally catch the one that's been dodging me, I find out he quickly gets reincarnated.


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## Scottygvsu (Apr 19, 2003)

Picked up a pair last Saturday.








The landowner wants the beaver gone and in exchange I get to hunt turkeys and geese on her farm. Not a bad deal.


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