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Post by natedawg on Mar 29, 2011 23:03:47 GMT -5
Not sure if I got a smart beaver or someone messing with me. I got a couple sets out for beaver and one of them is right off the road where a creek goes under the bridge. The beavers are working right there and that is basically the only place I can set, can't get permission on the other side of the road. Saturday I made a castor mound and caught one on Sunday. Using a 330, and have about 15' of chain tied to it so the beaver can get out in the creek and sink away from being seen, worked very well on that one I caught Sunday. Today when I checked them I saw my set was messed up some, sticks weren't where I put them, and the chain was stretched out into the water. I was excited and thought I had another beaver, start to pull the trap in and it was just the trap and it was still set. It is right next to a driveway where the farmer goes in to check his cattle, and he gave me permission to trap there. I am a little wary of his hired hand though, not real sure about him.
So do you think I got a smart beaver to drag my trap out into the water and manage to not set it off or is someone screwing with me? What has me wondering if it could possibly be a beaver is I think a person would just steal the trap or at least run a stick through it to set it off to be "funny". Although the set is very close to the road, it does not stick out at all...
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Post by bill1958 on Mar 29, 2011 23:55:51 GMT -5
sounds like poor trap placement for one and what the other improper bedding.it also tells me it could also have been a toe catch as well eather the trap was to deep or the trap was set on a hair trigger and the trap fired to quick.it's not some one fooling with it.
in your case if the bottom is mud the foot sinks deeper as the beaver pulls his foot up they some times snags the chain and move the trap as i have had this happen several times using cable and a few times with chains.if this is the case push the chain in to the mud and bed the trap better.many times this happens when a beaver enters the water from working your set
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Post by natedawg on Mar 30, 2011 6:54:57 GMT -5
Actually the 330 wasn't set off, it was drug out in the water 15' or so and when I pulled it back in it was still set.
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Post by ScottRainbolt on Mar 30, 2011 7:24:07 GMT -5
i would say you got someone messing with you
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Post by bill1958 on Mar 30, 2011 7:57:59 GMT -5
i would say you got someone messing with you a 330 yep i agree pull that trap
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Post by Law Dog on Mar 30, 2011 8:20:15 GMT -5
Had the same thing going on when trapping ADC in a road ditch turned out to be a smart female that must of been pinched before! She would take the support sticks and drag the trap into the deeper water and would avoid all snares pretty much anything ABOVE water. I did get her in a blind set NO lure at a break in the dam but it took a while. I'd smooth the dirt/mud and see if you get other prints if its being messed with!
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Post by natedawg on Mar 30, 2011 19:53:05 GMT -5
Today the set wasn't messed with. If it was the person I was thinking it could have possibly been they would have seen it again today as it is less than a half mile from his house. I am starting to think it may be a beaver because my support/guide stick and bait stick (which was about 3' long) were put up on the side of the bank about 10 feet from the trap and right next to it was a pile of cattails and mud that I had not noticed before this incident....that might have been part of the beaver saying F-U. Yesterday I changed up lures, originally used Dobbins Backbreaker, switched up to Mound Master #1, but I don't think it makes any difference at this point with a beaver that is that educated...
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Post by jtdaniel on Mar 30, 2011 20:12:58 GMT -5
Just to make a point that may be of value always use completely chewed beaver sticks or dead sticks. If it was green wood with bark it could be less about smart and more about a lucky beaver who found a free meal.
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Post by natedawg on Mar 30, 2011 20:25:51 GMT -5
That is a very good point JT, but both sticks had been peeled of their bark and were dry as a bone, been dead for a long time.
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