Beaver time

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
Go ahead and get the beaver jokes outta the way. Low hanging fruit at this point 🥴 I was thinking I’d do some beaver trapping with the kid I mentor and showing some other folks some stuff who needed help with snares, etc. Figured I’d be so busy chasing dogs and small game hunting and trying to kill a deer that I wouldn’t trap beaver till late in the season . But my houndsman mentor said he needed a favor so I’ll oblige him. Good friend of his has beaver cutting corn down. Checked it out to day. Setting steel tomorrow. I guess the good lord is giving me an opportunity to pay back my mentor for whats he’s doing for me in the hound world.
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41magnum

Twelve Pointer
That’s my boy! Hang a snare every 6 feet on the trail and a blind foothold or blended in 3:30 where they r climbing in and out of the water.
 

41magnum

Twelve Pointer
And a foothold or 330 at both ends of The grassy lil trail. Should have at least four waiting for you in the morning.
 

timber

Twelve Pointer
We have plenty corn and beavers but never seen one cut down corn. Guess the trees taste better here here
 

41magnum

Twelve Pointer
Beaver will go into the corn at least 100 ft THEN commence cutting it down. We’ve lost as much as 2 acres in a 20 acre field.
Trapped 7 out back then.
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
That’s my boy! Hang a snare every 6 feet on the trail and a blind foothold or blended in 3:30 where they r climbing in and out of the water.
You know it!!! I’ll be setting up Tuesday evening (school tomorrow then work at night) so you’ll get an update mid week. Good thing a great friend of mine sent me some new lures are the end of last season
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
I didn't know beaver wouldn't do that to cor, coons was always trouble round here. Good luck on traps
Yep they’ll cut that corn and use it in their dams. Think about a pile of wet corn stalks mixed with mud and other debris. It’s not brittle so it won’t break, but it’s stout enough to get beat on by the current . Sure is weird seeing a buncha corn stalks that are only a few inches high with that signature 45 degree cut on them lol. Oddly enough my first 3 properties I ever beaver trapped were all farm creeks where they were going into the field to cut corn
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
I always learn something when I read these threads. Did not know about beaver cutting corn to use in dams! And looking forward to the snare seminar in mid-November, @YanceyGreenhorn!
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Wait till you make a dam break set sometime and come back to your trap buried in the dam! And yup...snares were the most ignored method of beaver trapping for me. Idk why I never paid them much mind. Now they’re prob my favorite
 

QuietButDeadly

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Not only will they cut corn to eat and use the stalks in their dams, they will also mow down soybeans as well, even after they are dry. Planted waterfowl impoundments are one of their favorite haunts and they plug up the drain pipe with stalks and mud. I have seen creeks beside cornfields where the dams were nothing but corn stalks, mud and rocks. If there is ag fields close by, they do not typically do a lot of wood cutting in summer. Most of the summer wood chewing is more about tooth maintenance than feeding or dam maintenance. There teeth never stop growing and they have to chew to keep them worn down.
 

QuietButDeadly

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Kris, the ones I have dealt with were privately owned. Most that I am aware of that are public are run on a permit system for waterfowl season. I would not attempt to trap in them unless I had talked to the WRC depot responsible for them and then only before or after waterfowl season.
 
Watching shows like life below zero and reading threads on here has made curious about the beaver. lol. Are they good to eat? What's it cost to make effective traps/snares? and if you were to sell hides, what do they go for? Last one, what do you do with the tail?
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
Watching shows like life below zero and reading threads on here has made curious about the beaver. lol. Are they good to eat? What's it cost to make effective traps/snares? and if you were to sell hides, what do they go for? Last one, what do you do with the tail?
Heck yeah they’re a pretty viable resource and a lot of fun to trap (for me anyways). The meat is lean red meat. I’ve shared it with about 20 people that aren’t hunters or trappers . Every one of them seemed freaked out about it until I showed them the meat before and after cooking. Big thing is not getting castor from the glands on the meat you’re gonna eat. As far as traps, you can buy pre made snares, instant kill traps, and foothold traps , and big wire live traps ...I can’t remember the name of em I don’t use em. I know some guys on here build their own snares. Pelts aren’t worth a whole lot as far as the market goes. From what I’ve seen, people make their money making cool stuff with the pelts. I know the mountain men loved the fat from the tail since they ate so much lean meat and were fat deprived. I’ve yet to eat one but i have a recipe. Guy in Georgia I know uses the leather from the tail to make wallets, gun holsters, etc.
 
Heck yeah they’re a pretty viable resource and a lot of fun to trap (for me anyways). The meat is lean red meat. I’ve shared it with about 20 people that aren’t hunters or trappers . Every one of them seemed freaked out about it until I showed them the meat before and after cooking. Big thing is not getting castor from the glands on the meat you’re gonna eat. As far as traps, you can buy pre made snares, instant kill traps, and foothold traps , and big wire live traps ...I can’t remember the name of em I don’t use em. I know some guys on here build their own snares. Pelts aren’t worth a whole lot as far as the market goes. From what I’ve seen, people make their money making cool stuff with the pelts. I know the mountain men loved the fat from the tail since they ate so much lean meat and were fat deprived. I’ve yet to eat one but i have a recipe. Guy in Georgia I know uses the leather from the tail to make wallets, gun holsters, etc.
Awesome, thank you. Its definitely something I want to try out. Ive never trapped or been with anybody but its a skill that I would like to know how to do and just being part of a tradition thats been around for a long part of time.
 

QuietButDeadly

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Swamp chicken, if our governor ever allows the state to open up again, check the WRC website for Basic Trappers Ed classes. They are around 3 hours of online and 4 hours of field day. Excellent way to get introduced to trapping and gives you a good base to build on. They are also free!

I try to post about the classes on here as well but due to the virus, we have not been able to have any classes this year at all. Got to get to Cooper's self declared phase 3 before in person classes are allowed.
 

KrisB

Ten Pointer
@00 swamp_chicken
I found a guy in Idaho on Trapperman (www.trapperman.com, probably the biggest Internet forum where trappers from all over the US, Canada, and elsewhere talk to each other) who makes beaver tail wallets and checkbook covers. I sent him the beaver tails from the first 2 beaver I ever trapped last trapping season, which was my first season trapping. He made them into the most beautiful wallets I have ever seen in my life.
 

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YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
Swamp chicken, if our governor ever allows the state to open up again, check the WRC website for Basic Trappers Ed classes. They are around 3 hours of online and 4 hours of field day. Excellent way to get introduced to trapping and gives you a good base to build on. They are also free!

I try to post about the classes on here as well but due to the virus, we have not been able to have any classes this year at all. Got to get to Cooper's self declared phase 3 before in person classes are allowed.
The beaver job ended up being a no go. The farmer wanted me to set the traps on public land along the river and not actually on his property. I don’t have an ADC license and wasn’t interested in breaking the law, getting fined, losing license, giving trappers a bad name, etc. Talked to my hound mentor bout it since I was doing it as a favor to him. He understood and agreed with my decision. I’ve said it a hundred times and I’ll say it a hundred more. The free trappers Ed courses were what ignited the spark for me to start trapping. Hope folks can start going to the classes again like you said. Great suggestion Harold
 

41magnum

Twelve Pointer
Swamp Bird
You’d be wise to join us at www.nctrapper.proboard.com and ask for a local mentor to ride with.
And Attending the big Va Trappers Convention in Bland Va Oct 16-18 if ya wana shorten your learning curve by yrs.
2 days of demos taught by pros and buying gear without paying shipping is a great opportunity. Camping is free or Big Walker Motel is in Bland or many larger hotels in nearby Wytheville.
 
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