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  #151  
Old 02-25-2016, 05:19 PM
Tfng Tfng is offline
 
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Originally Posted by 7mmstwguy View Post
I use 330's hanging off chains, hooked on the loops of the springs, I will also use 2x2's as well, in channels. Most of my beaver are caught once the ice is melting or starting to freeze.
I like the chains idea. I've been hanging mine on wire and it's a real mess to reset after a catch. Thanks!
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  #152  
Old 02-25-2016, 05:40 PM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
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Originally Posted by parfleche View Post
Holy creepers Dave tying yourself with a rope? for a $10.00 Beaver? LOL Yep I understand! I take those chances also although they aren,t worth it ! LOL But it,s trapping and that,s what counts !
You lose a lot of strength FAST when you suddenly fall into frozen water . I usually push a long stick or small tree about four inches across and ten feet long ahead of me , If I go through I have something to grab on to . Been there !
What do you mean you lose energy fast, Leonardo Decrapio can swim around in freezing water all day.

I'm going to be more cautious than what is probably necessary until I gain more knowledge. I don't expect to have any issues but I might as well plan for the worst.
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  #153  
Old 02-25-2016, 06:34 PM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
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Dave I see your snares with Adams locks are built with single stops. Is the stop on the inside and ends up against the animal? How smooth are they when built like that?
The stop is the ferrel? It's on the outside of the Adams lock and the other end of the lock is the side that slides. The loop closes very fast the way that it's shown in the picture and I had a couple close with nothing in them. I've since turned the whole snare upside down and they don't drop if a beaver just swims by. They still close very smoothly, except that they need to be pulled rather than dropping down. I'll see how that works out.
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  #154  
Old 02-25-2016, 11:00 PM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
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Originally Posted by TFNG View Post
I like the chains idea. I've been hanging mine on wire and it's a real mess to reset after a catch. Thanks!
What kind of issues did you have using cable? I have two sets out with 330's hanging by coyote extensions that I'm going to check tomorrow. Chain might be the way to go.
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  #155  
Old 02-26-2016, 12:54 AM
Tfng Tfng is offline
 
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Originally Posted by HunterDave View Post
What kind of issues did you have using cable? I have two sets out with 330's hanging by coyote extensions that I'm going to check tomorrow. Chain might be the way to go.
I've been using wire with a safety cable, they spin around when caught and twist everything together.
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  #156  
Old 02-26-2016, 01:29 AM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
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I thought that more people would be taking advantage of this beautiful weather and catching some under ice beaver before the ice gets rotten. It sure was nice yesterday in about 0 degree weather and calm winds. The fur on the one that I caught yesterday looks awesome and I can hardly wait until I catch a big boy. I'm pulling my last 6 or 7 coyote snares tomorrow and planning on setting a few more snares/traps for beaver in a couple of new areas. Looking forward to my checks tomorrow. Fun stuff!
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  #157  
Old 02-26-2016, 08:30 AM
Tfng Tfng is offline
 
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I think most guys are smart enough to leave the ten dollar beaver alone Dave. I fleshed that 62 pound beaver last night. The knife is better but still not quite thin enough. It is really good closer to the tip and cuts like a dream but in the flat part of the blade is not thin enough yet. It was a large improvement though.
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  #158  
Old 02-26-2016, 08:46 AM
7mmstwguy 7mmstwguy is offline
 
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I trapped under the ice for 20 years..did ok..but being soaked, falling through the ice, being froze,carrying a saw, carrying an ice chisel, trudging through the snow, getting stuck in the snow..probably some more reasons..I just get way more waiting until the ice thaws, and for the price of them, I make way more money.
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  #159  
Old 02-26-2016, 09:04 AM
7mmstwguy 7mmstwguy is offline
 
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Here is a few of catches this fall..the last pic was my best 2 day check 37



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  #160  
Old 02-26-2016, 09:06 AM
7mmstwguy 7mmstwguy is offline
 
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This was close to one of the biggest..over 80 lbs, the rack on my xmr 800 is not small just for reference.
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  #161  
Old 02-26-2016, 09:29 AM
Tfng Tfng is offline
 
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Great pics 7mmstw! I've enjoyed trapping under ice so far. You make good points about the downfalls as well though. For me though I get busy in the spring and in the fall I try to get some hunting in or I concentrate on coyotes.

It would be easier to catch numbers when there is no ice certainly but if I'm going to trap beaver it happens now.

I noticed some tails cut off, are you in a bounty area? I wish we had a bounty in my county.

That 80 pounder is huge, my goal is to catch a 70 pounder this winter.

Last edited by Tfng; 02-26-2016 at 09:34 AM.
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  #162  
Old 02-26-2016, 09:38 AM
waterninja waterninja is offline
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WOW. Those are some great pics 7mm. An 80 lbs beaver would make quite a blanket! And one heck of a euro.
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  #163  
Old 02-26-2016, 11:14 AM
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Thunder Elk Hunter Thunder Elk Hunter is offline
 
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7mm, that is a good pile of flat tails!
For fleshing beaver over my knee I use a filleting knife and that is all I use that knife for.

TEH
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  #164  
Old 02-26-2016, 01:31 PM
Tfng Tfng is offline
 
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Safety first lol Only 160 rpm though so not too scary.


Last edited by Tfng; 02-26-2016 at 01:38 PM.
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  #165  
Old 02-26-2016, 03:25 PM
Tfng Tfng is offline
 
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TEH I've got so much time in this knife now that I refuse to quit until it works. I'll dig my filleting knife out if I grind this knife to only a handle.
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  #166  
Old 02-26-2016, 04:32 PM
7mmstwguy 7mmstwguy is offline
 
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By far my favorite beaver skinner..was chipped badly when I got. So I re-profiled it and works great.

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  #167  
Old 02-27-2016, 09:57 PM
Tfng Tfng is offline
 
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I checked house number three on the way back from picking up coyote snares. I had three snare poles there and got two beaver. Both were free of the pole and on bottom. I've got some victims to try that re-ground knife on. 7mmstw I might pick up a dexter next time I'm I the city to try.

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  #168  
Old 02-28-2016, 01:13 AM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
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Congrats on the beaver TFNG! I skinned two beaver with a Dexter today. I like that it's more forgiving than a skinning knife. I clean skin the bellies on the beaver and I don't get any part cuts in the hide. It has to be the knife because it's not due to my expertise.
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  #169  
Old 02-28-2016, 03:33 PM
rbsask rbsask is offline
 
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Finally! Left the sets 3 day. Only have 1 snare poll, and 1 baited conibear at this house. Was nice to get one in each set.
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  #170  
Old 02-28-2016, 04:18 PM
rbsask rbsask is offline
 
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Here's the pic on the snare poll, They are not very big.
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  #171  
Old 02-28-2016, 04:30 PM
Tfng Tfng is offline
 
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Great! I was starting to wonder if you had given up. Persistence pays off! Now the work begins. You're having more fun than I am today, I'm planted in a hard snow drift waiting for a buddy to tow me out.
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  #172  
Old 02-29-2016, 10:45 PM
Tfng Tfng is offline
 
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Double post

Last edited by Tfng; 02-29-2016 at 10:50 PM.
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  #173  
Old 02-29-2016, 10:49 PM
Tfng Tfng is offline
 
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Last nights check of house one and two. Muskrat at house one, those Sauvageau traps are hard on muskrats.

Two beaver in baited conibears at house two. I was in a rush checking so I'm not sure if the snares were knocked down or not. Nothing on snare poles though this check. I didn't reset so I don't have anything set right now. I'll get caught up and set some more. The lack of snow is making it hard to dry the beaver well.



I plan to do some fleshing tomorrow so I'll know how the knife is working. I used it the other night but I hadn't done a good job of removing the burr so it didn't work well. I've got it tuned up now and it's sharper than it has been ever. Scary sharp. I managed to slightly nick myself checking to see how well it shaves, by not being careful enough.
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  #174  
Old 03-01-2016, 11:57 AM
rbsask rbsask is offline
 
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What kind of nails or pins does everyone use for boarding? Buy them at a trapping supplies store or just local hardware store?
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  #175  
Old 03-01-2016, 12:03 PM
Tfng Tfng is offline
 
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I've been using 2" box nails from the hardware store. I asked a couple trapping suppliers for beaver nails and got a reaction like I had two heads. Parfleche said there's a sharper, thinner nail available but I haven't located them yet.
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  #176  
Old 03-01-2016, 12:05 PM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
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Originally Posted by rbsask View Post
What kind of nails or pins does everyone use for boarding? Buy them at a trapping supplies store or just local hardware store?
I just use a 2" common nail that is galvanized from the hardware store. This summer I'm going to improve my boards with pre-drilled holes and was thinking about going with square nails.....unless I find a better option. Parfleche mentioned a special type of nail earlier in the thread, I think.
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  #177  
Old 03-01-2016, 12:16 PM
Tfng Tfng is offline
 
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Nursery nails he called them, Halfords is supposed to have them but I haven't seen them in there. I wasn't looking for that at the time either and it's hard enough to find anything in there.
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  #178  
Old 03-01-2016, 12:20 PM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
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Yesterday I secured permission (I'm not going to test the system ) to trap beavers on a stretch of river that runs through 4 quarters. The landowners thin them out every Spring by shooting them so they were happy that I'd do it. I put out a few sets yesterday but I'll be going out later this week with the skidoo to hit the lodges along the river. On Monday my Wife and I are going to Mexico for a week and I'm wondering if I left my sets out the whole time if any beaver caught would go bad. I'd check them all on Sunday before leaving but I wouldn't be able to check again until the Tuesday a week later.
Would the pelt spoil if a beaver sat in a trap for a week?
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  #179  
Old 03-01-2016, 12:34 PM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
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Originally Posted by TFNG View Post
Nursery nails he called them, Halfords is supposed to have them but I haven't seen them in there. I wasn't looking for that at the time either and it's hard enough to find anything in there.
I think that these would be a good idea. Last Fall I ripped a nice 59 lb beaver pelt taking my nails out and I think that nursery nails would be more forgiving as far as sticking to the pelt. I'm not blaming the nail for ripping the pelt, it was my own inexperience that caused it, but I think that those skinny nursery nails are a good idea to use.
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  #180  
Old 03-01-2016, 01:47 PM
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The Spruce The Spruce is offline
 
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Nails...the ones from Halfords are hands down the best. Big head and no cleats, long = less finger smashing, easier to remove, don't bend.

They are located by the forming boards in a bin, shelf at head height. I think bags of 200 or something like that. Trapper Gord may also have, not sure.

As for ripping, likely too long on the board, or a little over stretched. When pulling nails, always put your free hand on the base of the nail to avoid the upward pressure on the pelt.
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