2018/19 learning as I go!

[Humptulips]

I have that X-Large Duke cage trap and I am having trouble catching beaver in it. I have tried castor mound sets and I have tried a dam set. What are your guys' recommendations on trapping beaver with a single door trap?

I'm going to start a new thread with a description of a set you might try.

[fatslinger]

If you have a spot where beaver are leaving the water and working on a tree this set is golden. Find the trail they are using and flatten it out so it is level and the trap doesn't wobble at all. Put the opening of the trap in the water and put some castor on a stick in the back of the trap. I used to build a castor mound in the back of the trap but not anymore. Use a stick shaped like a Y and put a nice gob of castor on the end of it. Then just drop the stick in the top of the trap so it hangs down inside the trap. You can also 'fence' the opening of the trap with sticks to funnel the beaver in. Give it a try, I think your Duke trap will be fine.

[Buck457]

If you have a spot where beaver are leaving the water and working on a tree this set is golden. Find the trail they are using and flatten it out so it is level and the trap doesn't wobble at all. Put the opening of the trap in the water and put some castor on a stick in the back of the trap. I used to build a castor mound in the back of the trap but not anymore. Use a stick shaped like a Y and put a nice gob of castor on the end of it. Then just drop the stick in the top of the trap so it hangs down inside the trap. You can also 'fence' the opening of the trap with sticks to funnel the beaver in. Give it a try, I think your Duke trap will be fine.

Thank you so much Fatslinger, I know of a few spots like this. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Buck457]

I'd like to start off by thanking this wonderful community in being so incredibly helpful in sharing their knowledge and experiences. Special thanks to Bruce Vandervort, 3nails and Fatslinger for your advice, tips and tricks. I caught my first beaver ever this morning in my Vandervort swim through trap, that I had only received last week and only had in the water for 4 days. I had it set in a channel with some fencing and dive sticks. I broke his damn and spread castor scent around his pond that I've been working for about a week and a half now. Before I had my Vandervort trap I was trying to use an X-Large single door duke treadle trap (I've got more to learn with this trap).
 Today is a huge victory for me, I've been working my tail off for this beaver. Thank you all!

[JakeLand]

  keep at it now the fun of putting him up

[ouchfoss]

keep at it now the fun of putting him up

Congrats none the less 

[Machias]

Awesome!  Welcome to the addiction!!!

[3nails]

Congrats! Never gets old walking up to see fur in the trap. Now the work begins.

[Norman89]

Let us know if you need any tips on putting up the fur some very knowledgeable folks here for that as well

[Buck457]

well, I just spent about 2hrs skinning it. It was definitely hit by a car, so the pelt is holy... (I contributed my fair share of holes to it as well.) 
It weighed 47lbs.

[Norman89]

Good size for a first one! As Bruce says the hardest ones to skin are the first couple hundred

[Buck457]

Good size for a first one! As Bruce says the hardest ones to skin are the first couple hundred

lol, oh geeze.

[steelhead4life]

Congratulations.  It seems like the first one was the hardest.  After that, your confidence grows and it goes better.  I just trapped my first also in November.