Foot holds for beaver

[fuzz269]

What are your favrite foot holds for beavers? I normaly run #4 dls and a few #3 dls, I have used Montana #3 fully modded and it worked fine, but I was low on traps that day is why I used it. I have got a deel worked on a doz #4 dukes, I will give them a try this fall. I would realy like to get some MB750 beaver traps or some of them new Montana #5. Do any of you fellas use the #5 dls?

[white316]

I like the 3 & 4 DLS #3 jump thats all i ever had.

[backwoodsman]

No.4 DLS is one of my favorites. No.3 DLS is ok. Coils we like no.4's and have used no.3's. No.3 and no.4 jumps work for under ice sets for us. No.14 toothless are my favorite beaver trap but rare and hard to come by. Ours were ground off years ago by others when teeth were outlawed. Ive got a few handmade very large jaw spread DLS's that really hold a beaver. I dont think you can have too big a foothold for beaver within reason. When I was younger and dumber I caught beaver on purpose and by accident in Blake and Lamb 2 1/2 SLS but they are way too small for serious beaver trapping.

[fuzz269]

Last spring me and my yougest daughter caught one in a 1.5 duke we set for rats, used a pice of the banana she had droped on the ground for bait lol I have no idea why that beaver fell for that set.

[backwoodsman]

Its amazing the things that happen on a trapline. Ive held several beaver in no.11's on accident. Had a pretty good 50lber wedged in a barricaded 220 last year 20 feet from the nearest water. It took us several minutes to remove it. One I never could figure out was in a dirthole set along a picked beanfield in a no. 1.5 coil 150 yards from a pond and about 1/4 mile from the next water.

[white316]

I have caught 60 in beaver in 1 1,2 vic sls on occasion in mink sets.

[catmando1]

we caught 2 at the same spot, one lower 40's and one 50 lb., in #11 dls, set blind in water for coon. they were both on drowners buy didn't drown, both were back foot catches!

[fuzz269]

So much for neadin a big jaw spread for back foot catches lol

[Cam]

stranger things have happened.

[sneakysnake]

I bought a 1/2 dozen Duke #4's, 4 coiled, a few months back after the season closed. I have to admit that I was impressed with them. I think they will serve my purpose well.

[mohawk]

I just acquired 4 #3 dls and 5 #4 dls. I thought I may give them a go. Before now I just snared them or used my 1 330. I am not a serious beaver trapper though, I only do it because it runs so much longer than our regular season and when it closes I seem to not be done trappin yet.

[backwoodsman]

Mohawk those DLS's will work good. One of the best beaver trappers I ever knew swore by no.3 DLS Blake and Lambs, Victors and Triumphs. Weight and cost difference between 3's and 4's when he bought most of his in the 40's, 50's and 60's were his argument. During the fur boom I bought over 200 beaver a year from him and almost all from no.3 DLS's.

[mohawk]

To this point I have only caught 5 beavers over the past 2 seasons, just haven't been chasing them too hard. I have only used snares for them too, except 1 came from a newly acquired 330 this year which was pretty cool. I may try a little harder since I picked up these longspring traps. They ain't worth a lot but fun to mess with anyway.

[fuzz269]

The caster and oils sacks can be worth alot to a trapper even if the hide is not. I will try to put up a pix later in the week (supposed to leave for work soon) or the rebar drownin rods I made this spring, simple, cheep and man do they work good.

[backwoodsman]

Castor has real good value. If your plews are from an area that they have little value($5-$8 or so here for green skinned) you can tan and sell them for a tidy profit. The meat is awesome but if they're unfit to eat they make awesome bait either fresh, fresh frozen, lightly tainted or ground up for paste baits etc. They are one of more useful dead critters for us. Dont overlook beaver roast. Treat it same as a beef roast but little lower heat and I dont think you'll be disappointed.