# Ponds! Freshman Trapper Questions



## dmrbigeshott (Apr 18, 2010)

Lesson learned: It’s much easier to learn the lay of the land when there’s not ice.

I went out to a creek I tried setting before full ice up and found several bank dens, fresh sign, and even spooked a beaver out of the lodge as I drug my sled up to it.

I put out 3 duke #4 foot hold sets with castor lure, 1 conibear on a main run coming out of the lodge, and conibears on bank dens. Feeling pretty confident (maybe foolishly) for the check tomorrow!


----------



## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

> Lesson learned: It’s much easier to learn the lay of the land when there’s not ice.


 If you hadn't had the inititive and desire to try with ice-on you wouldn't have learned that valuable lesson. The best learning is always in the actual doing/trying which is of a greater learning experience and value than being told what to do or not do. Good job!


----------



## dmrbigeshott (Apr 18, 2010)

Seldom said:


> If you hadn't had the inititive and desire to try with ice-on you wouldn't have learned that valuable lesson. The best learning is always in the actual doing/trying which is of a greater learning experience and value than being told what to do or not do. Good job!


Ha! That’s for sure.
No luck in any of my sets. Yesterday after getting my sets out I wanted to check out an area a ways away from where I was. I found a lone conibear on a castor mound set. Checked it after dropping my stuff off at the parking area this AM and there was a smaller beaver in the 330.

It was valuable to see/study what a successful set actually looks like! Congrats to the trapper.


----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

My baited sets didn't catch anything but a muskrat. I still have ice but it is out in a few areas where water is moving. I set all five 330s in runs and crossovers and will set two more snares this week. Many of the spots look pretty good. For instance there's literally a canal going into one of the lodges I had no idea existed until the ice fell off. But I think they use lodges less after ice out. We'll see.


----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

There was a beaver pulling my snare out every night and splashing the water. So I put a 330 in front of two of the runs. Left a snare on a drowning wire in front of the other. And set a third 330 in front of a castor mound. I had high hopes but found today that my actor mound 330 was stolen and the one on the best run they just set off. Didn't see the other I guess. See if I can get some pictures of the sob.


----------



## otterc (Mar 20, 2016)

What county are you in? I have a low life messing with my beaver sets also.


----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

These traps were in oscoda county. I had another issue where a co dropped a trap off to me and said that someone complained it was out of the water. It was in the water when I set it but it was on the tail end of a dam and after the water fell under a certain level it stoped flowing over the dam and left the trap without water. I reset it above the dam. At least he wasnt a new co or he might have given me a ticket.

Point is that none of these traps were in obvious areas where you would have found them unless you were tromping around beaver lodges and looking for beaver runs. This makes me think they are trappers showing up with the thaw and getting pi$$ed to see someone already in the spot they were eyeing. I mean I had 6 sets in two areas and 3 of them were reported stolen and screwed with in less than a week.

One thing sure is the thief doesn't like wet feet because he stole the one he could pull out from shore and the one in deeper water he just climbed out on the lodge and stuck a stick through it. So I'll wade out past knee deep water and put out a trail cam out and hopefully that is deterrant.


----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

I think these are otter tracks due to the five toes and they don't appear to be rear beaver prints. Correct????


----------



## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

Nope, look like **** to me.


----------



## haggerty05 (Nov 19, 2013)

shaffe48b said:


> I think these are otter tracks due to the five toes and they don't appear to be rear beaver prints. Correct????


Admittedly i am not good with tracks and its something I need to work on.
I'm leaning towards a good sized raccoon. Definitely not beaver.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

We'll I'm glad I asked because I was going to go out there and smother the bank with my foot holds. But I do have two dog proofs going out. Yeah!!!!


----------



## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

Is **** season still open?


----------



## haggerty05 (Nov 19, 2013)

Seldom said:


> Is **** season still open?


Yes it goes to the 31st.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

The main pond I'm trapping I trapped this winter with both snares and 330s and I think I educated them. I put a 330 almost completely submerged in front of a slide and put a castor mound on the slide. They must have went around my trap and cut a new tree out of spite. After otter season, I might get a few legholds and set this pond and move on two 3 other spots where they might be less sly.

Otherwise I have 5 330, 1 snare, 2 #2 cs for otter, and two dog proofs for raccoon. So maybe I'll have a two catch week. Which I actually haven't done yet!


----------



## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

Nothing like a bunch of Guinea worms rolling out of a joint to lose your appetite for an angle-hair spaghetti dinner eh?!


----------



## dmrbigeshott (Apr 18, 2010)

This beaver trapping thing isn’t as easy as it looks! Several heavy servings of humble pie this year.
I moved to a more local pond and have some foot holds set within 40 yards of a lodge on the shoreline and the mouth of a canal. The first two nights and both were sprung, but no beaver. Put some fresh castor lure and mud on the mounds with no luck. Moved both sets by the canal and one was sprung this morning, but no beaver!

I’m using duke #4s with medium pan pressure, but holy cow! I didn’t think it was possible to go 0-3 on foot holds lol the trap beds are relatively solid, so I’m not sure what the deal is.


----------



## dmrbigeshott (Apr 18, 2010)




----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

Is another trapper doing it?


----------



## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

I guess I’m sort of surprised some of the more experienced beaver trappers on this forum haven’t given an opinion for your sprung traps? In their defense though, it can be difficult to give an “educated” opinion just by looking at a photo.

From what I see from your photos, the traps weren’t sprung using a stick unless the individual removed the stick which from my experience is sort of unlikely. Bastards like to leave the stick in the jaws. So the traps, if sprung by another trapper, would have been sprung either by picking up the trap and firing it or by springing it with their foot. In either case if a person sprung the traps they’d have to wade to the trap rather then come off the bank where they’d leave sign which I don’t see evidence of in the photos.

So, if you carefully observed and saw no sign of another individual dickin around with your traps, I’d suggest your set construction and/or trap placement needs some serious fine tuning. Failure can be the greatest educational tool of them all If time and energy is spent searching for the reason WHY!


----------



## Tron322 (Oct 29, 2011)

I try to think of how the beaver approaches the castor mound, think of how it's going to swim in and put a few sticks just under the water leval to give it a little poke or resistance and it puts it's feet down. Then off center the trap a little for a front foot catch. Wish I had taken better pictures or noticed the depth of my trap pans, I would think I am down 2-4 inches for a front foot catch.

I'm no expert at all but I would have it off shore a little more, kinda wonder if the belly is setting the trap off as it walks up on shore.

Do a little tinkering and just get in the water and think of the approach and where those feet are going, when I can I go for back foot catch's but sometimes the water I am setting in or where I need to drown it is not deep and I set for front feet.

Good luck.


----------

