Basic Beaver Trapping Techniques
Few of the methods mentioned above to control damage will be effective if the beaver population is not managed by annual trapping. Trapping is the most effective and practical method for beaver control and management. In many cases landowners need to do no more than contact a local trapper to trap beavers. Many trappers will be happy to trap beavers during the regular trapping season, especially if they receive permission to harvest other furbearers. Even without trapper assistance, landowners should be able to remove beavers from problem areas because they are relatively easy to trap and do not require a major investment in equipment or time.
Beavers can be trapped with the 330 conibear trap by inexperienced individuals. North Carolina law requires that this trap must be set only underwater. Inexperienced trappers should use care when handling or setting the 330 conibear trap, due to its size and strength. Capturing beavers in leghold traps requires a higher level of trapping experience and should not be attempted by inexperienced individuals without instruction by an experienced trapper. The key to trapping beaver with the 330 conibear is to set the trap in a natural channel or crossing so that the beaver will swim into the trap. Frequently used channels or crossings are easily recognized by the freshly disturbed or smooth appearance of mud or vegetation, where they enter or leave the water. Two basic sets will allow the novice trapper to effectively control beavers in problem areas.
1) Channel Set (Figure 8)
The most productive places to trap beavers with 330 conibear traps are in channels which they use to travel between the lodge and dam and to feeding areas. The most frequently used channels are recognized by the 1-2 foot wide ditch cleared by beavers during low water periods to provide easier access to feeding areas. Because beavers normally swim on the surface when traveling to and from feeding areas, 330 conibear traps should be set so the trap extends several inches above the waterline. Traps may also be placed on the bottom of the channel if a floating dive stick is placed above the trap to make the beaver dive into the trap. Always try to select a trapsite along a channel where the beavers are forced to swim between natural obstructions, such as stumps or downed trees. In many cases it is helpful during high water periods to lower the water level by breaking a hole in the dam. This not only forces beavers to use these channels but encourages increased activity to rebuild the dam.
Figure 8. Trap sets placed in channels used by beavers to travel between the lodge, dam, and feeding areas are the most productive places to trap.
2) Lodge or Den Set (Figure 9)
The lodge or den set is basically the same as the channel set except the 330 conibear trap is placed directly in the lodge or den entrance. The trap should always be set directly on the bottom of the channel, since beavers typically dive to the bottom when leaving the lodge or den.
Figure 9. The lodge or den set is placed directly in the entrance to the lodge or den.