Found a beav while deer hunting

[klikboom]

No beavers, but one of my traps was set. The one that was further in the water was set but empty. I found another spot to put it in another section on the spilling over side of a dam. Man those getting deep , barely below my waders.

[Hannibal]

Busting open a dam is the first thing some trappers do (especially the usda). ==== educated beaver

[klikboom]

I didn't bust open a dam but do you mean they are educated in that they are then trap wary?

[Humptulips]

It has been my experience that when you break a dam the beaver comes packing sticks to repair it and shoves them in your trap. Pretty good setup if you want to catch sticks.
look for the crossover on the dam. Of course a swim through works best if you can find a channel below the dam but you can set it even if there is no channel.
In a case like that I will set the swim through so the door closest to the dam is just under water and let the other end settle to what ever depth. Guide sticks and a dive stick over the end of the trap and when they reenter the water after going over the dam they will dive into it.
Recently had a beaver job where there was a crossover like that at a road and had a swim through set like that at each side. Had a couple doubles there.
The crossovers are usually your best bet if you can figure out how to set them. Beavers will be going back and forth regularly.

[klikboom]

There are two dams that I am investigating. The first appears to be very functional and old. I busted the major brush to get to it and there was no visible cross over path on top of the dam and there did not appear to be much activity around it like there was during October. It's too deep now on the dammed side for me to walk in an drop a trap.

The second dam is a large old log where a fresh tree was felled next to it. This is where I had my two traps. Again there isn't a well worn cross over that I see?

Can you find their beaver houses from the shore usually? It's so brushy I don't think I could pick one out. Can anyone share a pic of a house from a timbered area? Is this the most active spot to trap? I only have the 2 traps right now so I need to maximize traffic in my trap locations.

[big wood]

THE TRAILS OR CHANNELS IS THE KEY. KEEP LOOKING AND YOU WILL FIND THEIR TRAVEL ROUTE. THE MAY HAVE BANK DENS. USUALLY UNDER THE STUMP OF A BIG TREE. MAY HAVE A FEEDER PILE OUT IN FRONT. DONT GIVE UP YOU WILL FIGURE IT OUT. GOOD LUCK

[Humptulips]

  Most beaver dens are bank dens. They are very hard to set usually. If you can't find a travelway I'd give the scent set a try.