Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management Beavers

WOW!!

Another reason for them to go away.

and counting!

Here's a tip for setting 330's. I don't like using setters, I use the rope method. Get a 6' piece of rope about 3/8" and tie a loop in one end big enough for your foot to slip into. Place your foot partially into the loop so that you are standing on the bottom part of the loop. Run the tag end of the rope through both of the eyes on one of the springs, then bring the tag end back around and run through the eyes again the same direction as the first. Pull up on the rope {you will effectively have 3X leverage on the spring} and when tight enough set the safety latch on the spring. Repeat with the other spring. It is alot simpler than it sounds.

Got another one today. I had just about run them off of my place, so this one moved.

He had come from my neighbor's place, through a drainage pipe, and was entering my big water through my CNBG pond. I set the 330 in the muddy water under the pipe, and he got got.

I've never had a beaver at my ponds. They used to be in the creek but I guess the coyotes got them.

Actually Dave, the digging I can deal with. The damage to my oaks really punched my button. Between last years drought and the beavers, I've lost way to many trees this year.

I have these sizes of holes (12" dia) at the waterline (only along the dam), below the waterline going straight down and also at the top of the dam which I'm guessing are air holes.

There's also trails leading to the holes but I have no tree damage whatsoever. My pond is surrounded by trees and about 200' north of the dam-side of the pond is an active creek with steep banks. Even at the creek I see no fresh tree damage but there are a few beaver dams but they look they've been there a while.

I've seen muskrat in the pond (which I have better luck shooting than trapping) but nothing else besides mink but I haven't seen one of those for some time.

My pond is 2 acres (oval) and from the dam-side of the pond there's about 15 acres of woods (I'm on 80 acres total). My trail-cams have picked up turkey, coyote, deer, coon, skunk, badger and possibly a woodchuck but no beaver yet.

Could it be these are old beaver holes now being used by muskrat? I'm afraid if they're active holes that I may start losing water. I'm not losing any right now and I'd like to keep it that way!

I've attached a picture of the pond and put black spots where the big holes are, and there's an X where the breather hole is on top of the dam.

Oh, and if this is considered hijacking a post, please let me know and I apologize!

Thanks for any help or ideas!

Fill in the holes and put a camera there to watch. Beaver or not fill the holes.

I need to put up a post to support the cam in that area but you're right, I need to know what's there.

The holes above ground I can fill but I think I'm limited on what I can do for those at and below the waterline. I dropped a large brick in the hole dug into the pond bottom that goes straight down and it completely disappeared.

I also experimented with dropping a large smoke bomb in the dam (above ground) hole and then covered it to see if the smoke would come out another hole but we'll call that a failed experiment

Al, two more and you are a double ace!!

I easily got 2 more in me if those moonlight cowards continue to spoil my fun.

Al, do you bait your traps or just set them in the runs and cover them?

Thanks

I agree with Eric. Fill the holes. If you can dump dirt/clay into the holes and runs that are under water do that too.

Lovnlivin, sorry I didn't answer quicker, but I was spending the Powerball money in my head last night. I'm obviously over that now.

First, no hijack, a hole's a hole. My beaver dens went horizontally from the bank, not down. After 3-5', they traveled up where I assume they built the dens above the water table. All the entrances, and I had as many as 9 at one point scattered around the lake, where all built on the steeper slopes like yours. I'm not sure what would burrow straight down, but maybe guys who have muskrats would know.

I've never used any bait, I've just found the entrances to the shore, and set the Conibear 330's in that path. I covered them with grass and twigs, and they seem to work OK. I have had several instances where you could actually see the trails go around the traps, and the beaver continue on the same path, so they were careful to avoid a uncovered trap.

I've also caught 3 with a double doored trap set at a den entrance. I packed loose limbs around the trap, and trapped them as they left the den at night. I've had good luck using the Advanced Trap large double door model.

As said, I would fill and pack the holes, and spread a winter cover crop like rye grass as soon as possible. Erosion will eat away the holes, and they will continue to grow.

Hope this helps.

I've never seen a muskrat hole go straight down; both beaver and muskrats have the same den characteristics. Muskrats will build houses in shallow swamps, but in every other BOW or river they burrow to make a den.

Could it be they went in horizontally, built a den, then water erosion found its way to the den and opened up a hole vertically to the den? They possibly abandoned it because of that?

FIH, no worries, I was in a powerball dreamstate as well. I appreciate all the responses, thank you all!

BTW, I think there were two winning tickets, one in AZ and one in MD, but I have no relatives in either state so hopefully it was a PB member!

With my water clarity up I'll see if a picture will show the hole going straight down, it's very odd. Also, with unseasonably warm weather this weekend I'll be out filling all the holes.

I have 3-110 conibears which are too small for beaver, and a #2 body trap, so as I'm still thinking the muskrat may be using those holes I'll set them in the runs and see what shows up. There's 3 different runs leading to the same hole and I've had a 110 stuck down in it but nothing yet.

The last time I set the body trap in a run all I caught were coons (3 in 3 days) but that was at the opposite side of the pond, not at the dam, just a run leading to the water.

Thanks again for all the responses. I'll fill the holes as best I can, set some 110's for hopefully some rats and try to get the cam set up close by.

Hopefully I'll have a successful report back!

Thanks again!

Keith

The 330's for beaver work just as well as the 110's do for 'rats.

Thanks Esshup

We'll see if the holes get re-opened and/or if I can catch something on the trail-cam. Anything larger than a 'rat I'll get some 330's.

I've also spotted a badger in the woods but I don't think they're normally that close to a BOW, but I'm still researching that.

Aquatic badgers - LOL

Badger

Yes I recall them - just add flat tails.

I've run across a few "Real Badgers" while growing up.

Not very high on my list on what I want to do on any particular day

I hear they are pretty territorial and act like they weigh 300#