otter slides and caster mounds

[ibuyre]

Hi guys. This is sorta on the tips and tricks topic. And I am trying to learn. How do you set cage traps for caster mounds and for things like well used slides you find. I did one caster mound set with the trap out of the water. But it was a PITA because of having to check it every day, and then when it did connect the beaver rubbed two big patched of hair off in the trap. Is there a good way to do a caster mound set with the cage trap underwater, or a way to set a cage underwater on a slide? I have tried the cage at angle underwater at the end of the slide. But found they tend to just want to crawl over the top of the cage. 

Also, could this be a good location to use a single door trap with the fishing line mod on the foot pad. I have a few of those traps, and haven't figured a good way to use them underwater. Always looking or new set ideas. Thanks

[Norman89]

If you have a extra large trap you can make a castor mound in the back of the cage iv had limited success with that. My best is to make my own castor mound on the bank with a channel of water going to it deep enough to submerge the cage like you would see on a natural take out spot the beavers use to go tree cutting and set in the water with dive logs in place. Castor gets them moving towards your set and you can catch them coming or going to the mound. Iv tried placing cages on a slide as a dry land set where an otter will be coming down the bank at high-speed but my cages aren't stout enough to hold on otter on dry land they tear up 14 gauge wire quick fast and in a hurry. That being said Bruce's traps, comstock, or advance trap seem to have no issue holding otter on dry land. Iv been trying to figure out a drowner for a cage but it just doesn't work out well vs good solid pinch points underwater at least for my lighter duty traps. Someday I'll make some with some heavy gridwall type material I'm sure that will hold on otter or 50+lb beaver pretty easy just be a royal turd to pack in anywhere due to weight

[ibuyre]

That was how I caught my first beaver. I used a large cage with the caster mound in the back of the cage. BUT like I said, it rubbed it fur off in a couple places on the hide. So I am now I am not a fan of catching them on the land. Pinch points in the water seem to be the ticket.  But you don't always have that. I have some of Bruce's traps, but I don't want beavers or otters to rub them self's before I can get to them. I would rather figure out a drownder set.

Right now I have a spot with wide, deep water. With tons of slides and pull outs, but no pinch points in the water. Trying to figure out how to trap that with cages. I tried trap at a angle in the water at the end of the slide with brush on top like dive sticks. Maybe if I ring it with brush/sticks with a clear patch of water, it will work when they are going down the slide. But no way it's going to work when they are coming out of the water..... just hmmm... I will keep trying, just wondering if anyone had a trick, or good way to set it. Thanks for the help and ideas. I like your idea of making a ditch with water to the pull out, to make your own pinch point. I am going to have to try that. Thanks

[Norman89]

I have even had some pretty good success in those big deep or wide runs just stacking cages up or across. I trap one creek that is about 8' wide no slides no runs just a rock bottom and I lay my 12x18 side by side and cover the whole creek at once with a dive log across the top. Can pick off otter and beaver and muskrat all at once I got that idea from one of jim comstocks videos. I hear some guys on the east side will block off an entire irrigation ditch with colonys in a wall and just slay the rats overnight

[ibuyre]

Oh wow, good idea. Thanks for sharing that. Love that idea, just the kinda tricks I was hopping to get people to share. Thanks. lol I need more traps. lol

[Norman89]

If your building your own I get all my fencing wire from tractor supply seems to be the only place local to me that carrys it in stock. This year I stumbled on a bunch of gridwall that I broke apart and got a crazy amount of 1/4 rod iv been building all sorts of traps with it  nothing like reused free materials