Introduction to Beaver Trapping; A Multi-Season Approach - Brewer

Maine is home to one of the longest beaver trapping seasons in the country. This is a privilege earned through generations of responsible and sustainable wildlife management. Thanks to this continued stewardship, our state supports a thriving beaver population, allowing trappers the opportunity to pursue them throughout the fall, winter, and spring.

Each season brings its own unique challenges. As the conditions change, so does beaver behavior. In the fall, we’re targeting beavers with open water sets as they start to prepare their food caches. Once winter arrives, ice starts to form, which requires a shift in tactics. Come spring, depending on where you are in the state, you may find yourself working both open water and under the ice during the same week. To stay effective, a trapper must be able to adjust their strategies and build sets that meet the conditions that are in front of them.

Learning Objectives

This workshop is designed to help new trappers build on what they learned in their trapping safety course by providing hands-on instruction focused specifically on beaver trapping. We will begin with an overview of the primary trap types used for beaver, giving each participant the opportunity to handle and set them safely and confidently. From there, we will transition into building a variety of effective sets suited for different environments and conditions.

We will cover both under the ice and open water techniques, from blind sets and baited sets to castor mound and drowning sets. We will also introduce participants to the fundamentals of bait and lure use. The goal is to ensure that each student leaves with a practical, seasonal understanding of how to approach real world beaver trapping situations.

By the end of this workshop, participants will:

• Gain hands-on experience setting 330 body grip traps, footholds, and snare cables
• Understand the type of gear that is involved with beaver trapping
• Learn how to use bait and lure effectively to attract beaver
• Learn how to build open water drowning sets and understand the details that affect their success
• Gain experience constructing both live and dead pole sets for various conditions

Each student will have the opportunity to work with a 330 body grip trap, a foothold, snare cables, a drowning rod, and a drowning cable, along with the various other equipment and bait used.

We will begin with a quick overview of the traps and tools commonly used in the field. From there, we will move straight into the practical portion of the course, working through different types of sets categorized by open water and under ice strategies.

Tools of the Trade

• Trap types and set-up overview
• Pack basket / jet sled essentials

Bait and Lure

• Preparing aspen for baited sets
• Castor lure basics and application

Open Water Sets

• Channel sets with 330 traps on poles and stands
• Drowning sets with footholds and drowning rods
• Drowning sets with footholds and cinder block cables

Under-Ice Sets

• Swinging Suzy set
• Baited foothold pole set
• Live pole snare set
• Dead pole snare sets with horizontal and vertical bait presentation

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The Maine Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, religion, ancestry or national origin.

Any person who needs accommodations to participate in a program should contact the office at 207-287-5220 or to discuss their needs in advance.

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Host or Publisher Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife