Any trappers here?

[Saltwater60]

I know nothing of it, but I know some one who is having beaver problems and I said you buy the gear I’ll try it. They have no outdoors experience at all. I have no trapping experience so I’m looking for advice. I know how to read the water, the paths where the beavers are traveling, chewing trees, and have tunnels in the banks. I figure I’m way ahead of them and half way there. I just need the other half. I know beavers can be tricky to trap so maybe not half way. The creek is small and shallow so I figure that give me an upper hand too.
I hate to kill them because I won’t do much with them, but they are flooding the place and eating all the desirable trees at this point. They have to go.
Thoughts, suggestions, gear?

 

[wizrd]

Your most difficult part will be finding a trapping education class.

 

[Saltwater60]

Your most difficult part will be finding a trapping education class.

Thanks. I didn’t realize I needed one since I have a hunters course. I know for a while they were doing all that stuff on line. I’ll look. I didn’t see that the Dec site.

 

[nortatoga]

DEC can give you a nuisance permit and you can then shoot them, I believe. But too trap them you would need a Trapping license. I took the course years ago just for the sake of the education about it.

Maybe if you joined this forum there may be someone in you area??

https://nytrappers.proboards.com/

 

[Saltwater60]

I was emailed all the materials and I will take the course in the coming week or two. Seems pretty straightforward, but I haven’t researched it greatly at this point. I will read through the materials and take the tests as I’m reading through it for an open-book style test. You need an 80% so I should be fine. I will keep the materials for reference and regulations.

 

[prambo]

Used to have some land in West Monroe which had an old beaver dam on it. They came back , rebuilt the dam and flooded about 5 acres of very old hemlock.

Started letting water out of the dam and laying in wait - bagged a few. One day I really tore apart the dam. Long story short - got ratted out to DEC, got a $50 ticket, but DEC guy got me in touch with someone to look at the problem.

That guy issued me a nuisance permit. Could shoot as many as I wanted, but had to bury carcasses w/pelt (couldn't sell) and couldn't touch the lodge.

Got a trapping license, geared up for beaver (couldn't resist) with Conibear 330's, some leg traps, shoulder length insulated gloves and other little goodies.

Set Conibears in small breaks in the dam, and set some leg traps underwater near a recently chewed tree. Baited those with fresh twigs from the same tree. Wore nitrile gloves to minimize human scent.

Finally wiped them out, but later a really big smart female showed up - she only had 3 feet, assuming she lost it to another trap. Got there as she was climbing the dam, trap still on her leg, with 10 feet of the wire trailing behind (used to secure the trap to a tree). Still have no idea how she unraveled it. Dropped her a 41 mag round.

I came to love it - being alone in the woods, moving carefully, carefully setting the traps, trying to outwit these sneaky bastards. Such on old timey thing. My best friend thought I was nuts, being an uber-klutz and handling 330's. They are scary.

It can be addictive...there's just something about it - maybe it's all the mountain man history I used to read.

 

[Saltwater60]

I just grabbed three conibears 330’s today.
I’ll be deer hunting with my crossbow this weekend. I’m sure I’ll spend some ti e deer hunting the beaver dam since my parents saw three does at the dam Sunday.

 

[holdover]

I read that if you break up the dam , they will fix it , good place to set a trap.

 

[nortatoga]

I read that if you break up the dam , they will fix it , good place to set a trap.

They hear the water running and have to stop it.

 

[whauburger]

Read up on laws on disturbing a dam and how close you can set to lodges and huts etc......Beaver aren't terrible to trap, 330s are the easiest way imo. Just be very careful using the 330s, get some safeties for them and setters. Any major questions feel free to shoot me a message. It's more of a trial and error type thing from my experiences. I learned most of what I learned from YouTube and from trying and see what works for me.

 

[Saltwater60]

Read up on laws on disturbing a dam and how close you can set to lodges and huts etc......Beaver aren't terrible to trap, 330s are the easiest way imo. Just be very careful using the 330s, get some safeties for them and setters. Any major questions feel free to shoot me a message. It's more of a trial and error type thing from my experiences. I learned most of what I learned from YouTube and from trying and see what works for me.

Ive watched YouTube and I will use their practices. Seems fairly straightforward.
I did read about when you can and can’t set traps on dams and lodges. I need to read more to take the trappers test.
Thank you. Let me get into it and I’m sure I’ll have questions. I downloaded the materials and I’ve bought three conibears. That’s as far as I’ve gotten.
I plan to trap the paths well traveled and the dams of and when I can.

 

[whauburger]

1 piece of advice, don't get caught by a ton of fancy bait and lure. I'd say grab 1 bottle of a good castor based lure and use it to bring them close.

 

[Saltwater60]

1 piece of advice, don't get caught by a ton of fancy bait and lure. I'd say grab 1 bottle of a good castor based lure and use it to bring them close.

Thanks. I like simple.

 

[Saltwater60]

I got all the materials printed out and I’m rocking and rolling on it. I did most of it in about two hours today. I just have the class homework left, but that will force me to skim through the 113 page trapping manual. I’m only looking to trap certain things so I don’t need to know it all. I will learn more as I go if I want to trap other critters.

 

[Saltwater60]

I received my license the other day. I emailed the DEC and they sent me the instructions on how to do it remotely. I went through the questions and the trapping manual simultaneously and mailed it to the DEC office in my region. About two weeks later I received my card in the mail with a congrats you passed. I will try to trap the fisher cat and a few coyotes

 

[phatfarmerbob]

I received my license the other day. I emailed the DEC and they sent me the instructions on how to do it remotely. I went through the questions and the trapping manual simultaneously and mailed it to the DEC office in my region. About two weeks later I received my card in the mail with a congrats you passed. I will try to trap the fisher cat and a few coyotes

Pretty sure fisher closed today... never got a chance to set this year.
Really disappointed

 

[pjzwtl]

I received my license the other day. I emailed the DEC and they sent me the instructions on how to do it remotely. I went through the questions and the trapping manual simultaneously and mailed it to the DEC office in my region. About two weeks later I received my card in the mail with a congrats you passed. I will try to trap the fisher cat and a few coyotes

Be prepared to find plenty of possum and raccoon in those yote sets till you get the tension figured out. Watch your scent and remember a healthy yote can pull with I believe up to 400lbs off force. I used to cross stake 2 rebars and once in a while they would pull free. Don’t get aggravated it’s a fun learning process. I haven’t been out for about 5 years or so but I’m tempted to get back into it.

 

[Saltwater60]

Pretty sure fisher closed today... never got a chance to set this year.
Really disappointed

If so that’s fine. I got it to manage beavers on our stream and that’s been a success. They will flood out our entire property and driveway if they get going. We’re in a valley so it’s imperative.
I just heard the fishers eat the animals I like around so I can hunt them here and there. I hunt alone with no dog so I get a rabbit and grouse here and there. I’d also like to get the very large flock of turkeys we had back.

 

[Saltwater60]

Be prepared to find plenty of possum and raccoon in those yote sets till you get the tension figured out. Watch your scent and remember a healthy yote can pull with I believe up to 400lbs off force. I used to cross stake 2 rebars and once in a while they would pull free. Don’t get aggravated it’s a fun learning process. I haven’t been out for about 5 years or so but I’m tempted to get back into it.

Thanks for the heads up. I heard 4 lbs of spring tension is where it’s at?
Plenty of trees around I can use a cable tie if needed, but I will likely go the route you did as well.
Did you set them in dug out holes? I have a nice creek that we see the yotes by.

 

[whauburger]

K9 trapping is a whole different ballgame and yotes are the smartest of them all in my experience. Earth anchors are the way to go imo, best holding power and easiest to conceal under the trap in bed. It is a lot of trial and error. Scent control helps a lot also with them.

 

[whauburger]

I've been wanting to set some traps on my property, if I get time I'll try and make a video of making 1 or 2 if I can.

 

[nortatoga]

If so that’s fine. I got it to manage beavers on our stream and that’s been a success. They will flood out our entire property and driveway if they get going. We’re in a valley so it’s imperative.
I just heard the fishers eat the animals I like around so I can hunt them here and there. I hunt alone with no dog so I get a rabbit and grouse here and there. I’d also like to get the very large flock of turkeys we had back.

I believe Fishers are trap only? Look in to it.

 

[pjzwtl]

K9 trapping is a whole different ballgame and yotes are the smartest of them all in my experience. Earth anchors are the way to go imo, best holding power and easiest to conceal under the trap in bed. It is a lot of trial and error. Scent control helps a lot also with them.

I never used the anchors but would consider them if I get back into it. Gotta be lighter then rebar

 

[whauburger]

Lighter and stronger. Can make different lengths/ styles for different ground types and situations too.

 

[pjzwtl]

Thanks for the heads up. I heard 4 lbs of spring tension is where it’s at?
Plenty of trees around I can use a cable tie if needed, but I will likely go the route you did as well.
Did you set them in dug out holes? I have a nice creek that we see the yotes by.

4Lbs is good and will allow a trip for a grown fox if you only want yote you can limit it a little more and go to 5 lbs but personally I’d stay at 4. If your looking at a cable tie to a tree it’s more exposure for the yote to pick up on. Their smart and careful, fox not so much.

 

[Saltwater60]

I've been wanting to set some traps on my property, if I get time I'll try and make a video of making 1 or 2 if I can.

That would be great. I’m new at this and even though I want to shoot the animals on my property I want to protect them from death until I chose their time. I do t have a God complex or think I have the right to chose I just want a healthy population and to take one or so here and there.

 

[Saltwater60]

4Lbs is good and will allow a trip for a grown fox if you only want yote you can limit it a little more and go to 5 lbs but personally I’d stay at 4. If your looking at a cable tie to a tree it’s more exposure for the yote to pick up on. Their smart and careful, fox not so much.

Thanks. I promised my dad I wouldn’t take fox so I certainly want to avoid that. I also think they are beautiful and cause a lot less damage to the critters I want around than yotes do.

 

[pjzwtl]

Thanks. I promised my dad I wouldn’t take fox so I certainly want to avoid that. I also think they are beautiful and cause a lot less damage to the critters I want around than yotes do.

Then you better make yourself a catch pole cuz if your putting out sets for yote your gonna get a fox or 2

 

[whauburger]

Yeah fox are going to get caught in yote sets so Def make a catch pole to release them.....not sure how many acres you have or what animals you are trying to protect, raccoons are probably one of the more destructive to turkey in my experience.

 

[Saltwater60]

Yeah fox are going to get caught in yote sets so Def make a catch pole to release them.....not sure how many acres you have or what animals you are trying to protect, raccoons are probably one of the more destructive to turkey in my experience.

Yep egg eaters. We do t see many coons around.
I like the turkeys, grouse, rabbits, and deer.