New Equipment Testing

[sportsman94]

A few of y’all on here inspired me to get some drowning rods made to the prevent carrying cinder blocks all over creation. I’ve been itching for a chance to try them out alongside my beaver extremes.
I got a text from a landowner saying they had plugged the dam and he was wanting me to come catch some beavers. I trapped them back in January or February and everything has been flowing prior to now. My guess is that after the last big rain one or two 2 year olds May have dispersed into the pond. Three days ago I went and made three sets. One dam break, one castor mound, and one at a feed bed he’s been using all on drowner rods. I normally don’t use any scents when I first set up a place because I don’t want them to know I’m after them, but I figured if it was just one or two young beaver it should be quick and easy. Well yesterday I checked and had a beaver on the edge of the water at the castor mound. I run back to the truck to grab my 22 and when I get back he jumps in the water, wrings out, and takes off. I knew I just made my job that much harder. Hopefully I can catch back up to him at one of the other sets soon.

Meanwhile, I pulled the castor mound set and brought the rig to the house. I had found a beaver chewed stick in the pond behind the house a few weeks ago so figured there was some dispersal going on there as well. Made sure to put the rod about 3 foot into the ground and set a mock slide with some castor on it. Came out this morning and had a young beaver down the rod.

Really liking the beaver extremes, but going to have to fine tune my drowning rod use.

 

[Doug B.]

Nice catch! I think you will like the rods the more you use them.

 

[sportsman94]

I think you’re right. I already like the weight savings and that I really don’t have to get wet setting them. It’s just going to take some playing with how far into the ground I need to stick them for them to hold in different bottoms. The one that pulled out was a sandy clay and I thought it was going to hold well, but I was wrong. Despite the learning curve I’m glad y’all talked me into them!

 

[Doug B.]

I think you’re right. I already like the weight savings and that I really don’t have to get wet setting them. It’s just going to take some playing with how far into the ground I need to stick them for them to hold in different bottoms. The one that pulled out was a sandy clay and I thought it was going to hold well, but I was wrong. Despite the learning curve I’m glad y’all talked me into them!

You will find some bottoms that the rods won't hold at all. Rocky bottoms seem to be the worst. Then you may be forced to use something like the concrete blocks or something heavy.

 

[sportsman94]

Caught this one on a dam break set last night. The drowning rod worked just like it should. I feel much better on these back foot catches than the front footers!

 

[Doug B.]

Caught this one on a dam break set last night. The drowning rod worked just like it should. I feel much better on these back foot catches than the front footers!

View attachment 1147304

Nice catch! I prefer a back foot catch. They can't wring that back foot off!

 

[sportsman94]

@Doug B. any thoughts on what a toe in trap tells you? Had one in my backyard traps yesterday all the way down the rod. Just piddling so it wasn’t a big deal, but figured I’d try to learn from it. My guess is That the trap wasn’t quite far enough back. That the levers rising threw that backfoot out of the trap… almost. Forgot the breasting sticks, so maybe they would have helped? Maybe he just got lucky and I got unlucky?

 

[Doug B.]

It could be the levers threw the foot out, or maybe the trap wasn't bedded good, silt under the trap letting it sink down when it was stepped on, or pan tension too light. That's just a few things that I can think of right off.

 

[CritterCatcher]

I learned something from a video I watched the other day that I did not know. Don't put the trap on an incline. Make sure it's at least close to level or it can throw their foot out when it fires.

 

[sportsman94]

I learned something from a video I watched the other day that I did not know. Don't put the trap on an incline. Make sure it's at least close to level or it can throw their foot out when it fires.

Very interesting! What’s the reasoning behind that? It doesn’t make sense in my small brain, but would love to hear the reason so I could understand and improve!

 

[cj580guitar]

Don’t forget to set the pan tension on your beaver traps

 

[CritterCatcher]

Very interesting! What’s the reasoning behind that? It doesn’t make sense in my small brain, but would love to hear the reason so I could understand and improve!

They didn't give a reason for it, but I know I have had a couple of MB 750's fired with nothing to show for it, as I think back, I remember they were set on an incline, so there must be something to it.