Double Setting for Beaver, Double Catching

When trapping a new colony, where beaver have just recently moved in, there are quite often a pair of beaver.  This is not always true by any means, but common.  These beaver are usually matched in size, typically in the 25 to 50 pound range.

With new colonies I will often place two traps side by side, leaving a few inches between them if possible.  The Comstock Cage traps are stabile and will not fire accidentally unless the trigger wires are moved several inches.  When one beaver is captured usually the second adjacent trap will remain set, allowing for both beaver in the new colony to be taken together, side by side.  One application of castor lure on the bank is all that is necessary to take both beaver, a single set location, double set with two traps.   The traps may be completely submerged or partially out of water.  Where the beaver will remain alive in the cages it is best to keep a little distance between them or perhaps place a barrier between them so that one beaver will not reach into the other cage and fire the other trap before the second beaver is captured.

Beaver do wise up and catch on to other beaver being captured and may learn to avoid any type of trap, even if they have not sprung the trap themselves, including snares, body grippers or even cages.   Having at least a couple of cages set the first night is a plus.

Traps can also be set in channels in blind sets on the bottom.   For instance, yesterday I checked two traps set the night before on the bottom of a culvert.  The dam was in the middle of a half full 4-5 foot tube.  I simply dropped two cages into the culvert, side by side on the bottom and had the pair of beaver, both nearly 50 pounds.

Catching side by side doubles in these cages, in many different ways, solves beaver problems quickly.