Norman89 18/19 season

[Buck457]

How can you tell how old a beaver is? I'm very new to trapping and just caught my 2nd beaver tonight. I would really like to know how to tell their age, so trap out the area.

[Norman89]

I was taught by an old trapper to judge age by weight with beaver Pretty much kits will be 15 pounds 2 year olds can be about 25 ish and most adults are 30+

[Buck457]

I was taught by an old trapper to judge age by weight with beaver Pretty much kits will be 15 pounds 2 year olds can be about 25 ish and most adults are 30+

Right thank you. So, I've caught two adult beaver out of a large pond that has two beaver huts. How many more beaver would there be? Again, I do not want to over trap an area.

[Norman89]

Most lodges if it has been active for a few years will have a minimum of six to complete a colony. 2 breeding adults, 2 2 year olds that help maintain the dams and feed bed and help around the house and then 2 kits that's just fart around the house playing watching and learning from the rest. This is assuming the lodge has been active for 3 years. I have seen on camera as many as 10 beaver to a colony and one of my spots seems to be anually have between 9 and 13 in a single lodge. It greatly differs from what there is to feed on, predation in the area, other trappers, it can all change. It also depends during breeding season other males will be cruising between colony's looking for a mate. Cameras go a long way to keeping tabs on a colony. I usual pull at least 2 beaver off a lodge if I want to leave seed for next season but lately I find myself doing removals where a land owner wants nuisance beaver removed complete. Can cost a farmer a whole pile of money when they start losing valuable fields that produce an annual crop

[Norman89]

JUST tickling that tripple extra large size with a muskrat today 

[Norman89]

Can I join the fist full of rodents fan page 3nails!!??

[3nails]

 YES!!!! Awesome pic. Love the muskrats!!

[Norman89]

Never what you want to find checking traps on private property. I already had a lengthy talk with the folks who got me the spot here and we are unsure what happened it's a bummer but oh well life goes on I can fix the beaver trap but I think the mink cage is a R.I.P case

[3nails]

 What happened? Looks like someone drove over your mink trap.

[Norman89]

We aren't sure we know the elk were in the area last night but this was set on a steep bank at the waters edge about 10' from the spot the elk cross the creek in the brush and no elk tracks around it. I truly think someone smashed it but I didn't think I needed a camera on this piece of property so who knows it's a bummer but the folks that got me this spot are referring me 2 more beaver jobs so I'll take the good with the bad

[jasnt]

Is that a mink in the trap?

[Norman89]

No just a muskrat for bait

[JakeLand]

This is the 3rd incident of traps getting destroyed that I personally know 

[lewy]

That sucks man

[Skyvalhunter]

You never did get yours resolved did you Jake, I still see that clown strutting around town like he got away with it!!