Howdy
Well when it comes to beaver, I estimate how many are in the pond ............ if you're trapping a small pond.
My first check should tell me what is there. If I catch one two year old (30#-40#) than I will stay and get the other one.
* Remember: you want the surplus beaver not the breading stock or the kits.
Almost the same for rivers too except some of these big rivers have not been trapped for a few years due to fur prices so you can grab a few big boys here.
** Don't Start Early ** Beaver don't prime up until late December, first of the year and then their good until the first or middle of March.
Muskrat trapping I would start the first of November. What I do is set one day, check the next and pull on the third day. Reason is that you will have most 50-60% of the muskrats the first check, second check maybe another 15-20% and the third you'll be lucky to get 5%. Remember you don't want to take everything there, you need to leave seed for next year.
I would trap muskrat until freeze up and than quit until spring. Spring comes go back after them before breeding starts. Once it starts ....... "Stop" They will chew up one another.
We don't get enough ice around here o the west-side to make it worth losing your life over a few muskrats. My trapping partner and I went over to eastern Washington a few years ago and started trapping on thick ice. Two day later we were walking on 3" or less. It warmed up one day and the next day we took our lives in our hands. We got to everything, broke through a couple of times in shallow water, thank god. I little scary.
Just remember go after what every you want but wait until it is prime. You owe it to youirself to get the most money out of that animal or if you are going to tan it for your ownself same thing, go when they are prime. You owe it to yourself but most of all you owe it to the animal.
Have fun and be safe.
JC
