Beaver Numbers

[sportsman94]

What’s the most y’all have ever pulled off of one place? I’m on the best beaver habitat I’ve ever trapped. Couple major creeks and a small lake are feeding into the place I’m trapping. I’ve broken dams and the water level has come down significantly. Only one dam has been repaired, and they are repairing it every night right now. I’m not just hammering them every night, but picking away at them here and there. Got me to wondering how many yall have taken off of one place

 

[2dye4]

31 off my place in 3 1/2 years. Still working on them but they have become awfully trap shy. Haven’t caught any this year yet.

 

[sportsman94]

5 more today brings my total to 14 at this place in the last 2 weeks. I’ve cleaned out a few ponds with creeks feeding into them that had 6 or 8, but this will be my best run of beavers by far. Will give it a few more days and see if any more come through

 

[cj580guitar]

5 more today brings my total to 14 at this place in the last 2 weeks. I’ve cleaned out a few ponds with creeks feeding into them that had 6 or 8, but this will be my best run of beavers by far. Will give it a few more days and see if any more come through

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Nice Catch man !!

 

[sportsman94]

Nice Catch man !!

What’s the most you’ve ever caught out of a place in one go? I know you probably have some good habitat up that way!

 

[cj580guitar]

What’s the most you’ve ever caught out of a place in one go? I know you probably have some good habitat up that way!

Not really. We have a few around but not as many as people think. Most caught at one place for me was 11. First night catch was 6. I trapped that place last few years. I’m at about 25 total. But every year I catch less and less. Last year I caught 3 in 10 days.

 

[sportsman94]

I’m surprised that there are any beavers left in the state between @Doug B. and @canine933. Wish they’d weigh in on what the biggest congregation of beavers they’ve ever exterminated was

 

[2dye4]

I’m surprised that there are any beavers left in the state between @Doug B. and @canine933. Wish they’d weigh in on what the biggest congregation of beavers they’ve ever exterminated was

@canine933 had to stop trapping beavers due to knee problems. I bought all his beaver traps.
Not sure where @Doug B. has been. I texted him the other night and haven’t heard from him. Hope he is doing well.

 

[canine933]

@canine933 had to stop trapping beavers due to knee problems. I bought all his beaver traps.
Not sure where @Doug B. has been. I texted him the other night and haven’t heard from him. Hope he is doing well.

I texted DougB last Wednesday and haven’t heard from either.
Beaver trapping and bad knees do not mix.

 

[2dye4]

I texted DougB last Wednesday and haven’t heard from either.
Beaver trapping and bad knees do not mix.

Not like Doug not to respond.

 

[canine933]

Not like Doug not to respond.

Hopefully he’s on a vacation.

 

[canine933]

I’m surprised that there are any beavers left in the state between @Doug B. and @canine933. Wish they’d weigh in on what the biggest congregation of beavers they’ve ever exterminated was

I was trapping a piece of property one time and caught 30 something in 6 months. Thought the problem was solved. Got a call and they were back. Caught 10 or so more. 3 months later back again. Finally told the guy if he could get the landowner across the road on board I could catch more and slow the problem down. They would not agree to it. So I trapped a few more and turning it over to someone else.

 

[Throwback]

I’m beginning to think they travel a LOT farther from “base camp” than we —or at least I—traditionally think they do.
As @canine933 mentioned one neighbor not on board can make your efforts in vain.

Our farm is at the very end of a watershed that empties directly into flat shoals creek. One neighbor has a beaver swamp that has progressively gotten bigger through the years. We can’t keep them off our ponds, and I noticed a few months ago another neighbor that backs up to flat shoals has beavers on his place for the first time I can remember in my entire life.

After 6-7 years of struggle and surgery I’m finally to the point I think I can put on a pair of knee boots again so I’m about to try and knock them back a little.

 

[sportsman94]

I was trapping a piece of property one time and caught 30 something in 6 months. Thought the problem was solved. Got a call and they were back. Caught 10 or so more. 3 months later back again. Finally told the guy if he could get the landowner across the road on board I could catch more and slow the problem down. They would not agree to it. So I trapped a few more and turning it over to someone else.

I first set traps on this place two weeks ago. I caught a couple ones and two that first week, but have caught 7 in the last two days. It seems like I would catch a couple, then there would be no activity for 1-3 days then catch another couple. I’m thinking they aren’t really living in the creek/swamps I’m on and just come investigate every couple days. Makes sense in my head anyways.

Two things I’ve noticed that have been odd in comparison to other places I’ve trapped. Castor based lure is not getting much interest at all. The tails on most of the beavers I’m catching are perfect and have no scarring. I’m not sure if those two things point to these beavers living harmoniously because it’s so many water features coming together or what. I just found it interesting

 

[canine933]

I have used anise based lure and done well with it. I think I got it from M&T. It was their brand. I used it when castor base wasn’t catching for me. I’ve had times it would be a week and I would not catch anything then next day I would have 1-3. If I wasn’t scared of falling when beaver trapping I would still be doing it. It can be challenging and hard work.

 

[Doug B.]

Hopefully he’s on a vacation.

Actually that's exactly where I was. We went on a cruise with some friends and just got back! I'm ready to set traps now!

I don't know if my experience counts for much because most of my beaver trapping is in The Little Tennessee River. The beavers don't dam this river. So I may catch 10 in one trap over a two week period, then catch 10 more two weeks later in the same trap cause the beavers use this river like a highway.
If I do get to trap a creek that they have dammed I usually only catch a breeding pair with their offspring.