A Little Beaver Trapping

[Machias]

I'm doing a nusiance job and these guys have been busy. The landowner has been pulling the dam apart almost every night. All he's been doing is making the beavers work overtime. The second photo is the pile he has accumilated next to the dam! I made a couple of castor sets.

Dam



Pile next tot the dam



Castor set, you can just make out the rubber jawed trap in the water



another castor set



I actually moved the trap on this set over a couple more inches to the left after I took this photo, it was too much in the center



Some of the damage they have been doing

[jaws]

Cool pics! Good luck!

[chancemarquette]

looks like a helluva set did you catch him?

[Machias]

2 small ones so far. I pulled everything day before yesterday due to the sub zero temps. I'll re set next weekend.

[houndcrazyfool]

Their will probably be alot more beavers than you think... At my work we had a beaver problem that didnt look nearly that big and the local trapper came out and killed 18! He ran out of shells and told us to call him back when a few more pop up

[yotahounder]

nice pics good luck

[OB.284]

.

[bigwiz]

you ever get that beaver?

[Machias]

Yes, sorry for not reporting back, ended up with six all together being removed.

[FullCryHounds]

Good work Fred, I've got another beaver job on Monday I'm starting. Love them beavers!

[Machias]

Very cool, good luck Dean. Hey if you have time take a few detailed up close and personal photos....don't reveal any trade secrets but I love to look at good beaver sets.

Speaking of which Dean have you had much experience with live trappping and transplanting beaver? How do they fair on the other end if it is suitable habitat?

[FullCryHounds]

Fred, All I do now is live trap and relocate. A live beaver is worth $250 each for me. A beaver skin is only worth about $40-$60. I'm using the clamshell beaver traps, Hancocks or Bailey type. They work very well, easy to set up and usually catch everything in 3-4 days.
When relocating, you have to make sure to take them to a completely different watershed or they will end up right back were you caught them. They will migrate a mile or more from where you kick them loose but if they have the right food and waterflow, they should stay in that new watershed. Time of year is more critical. You can't relocate any beaver after Sept 1 here in CO. and I think that is a good law. Any later and they just wouldn't have time to prepare for winter so they would end up dieing anyways.

[Machias]

Excellent Dean, Thanks for the information!