Dan,
It's a private lake and the HOA is not doing much if anything as far as hiring a trapper. They all talk about it but most everyone just wraps the Cypress and Willow. So I did my own research and watched many videos on the Conibear 330 but did not follow through with it.
The lodge is on a steep embankment with no way to set the trap from the neighbors yard and the water is about 6' deep at a 45 degree slope at one entrance. I think the second entrance is shallower and it may be possible to set the trap with my jonboat.
I have about 100' of lakefront and if you can suggest methods to bait them to my side I would be interested. It is much shallower and I can set traps easily.
I will say this, it is a lot of fun trying to ping them with the CB's but the destructive bastards need to be thinned.
My Cooper is sub-.75" at 50 yards almost 100%. I can re-zero to 25 yards and use match ammo at 1080fps, they won't swim away. I would be limited to shots directly at the lodge though and could only shoot once a night and late.
Beaver are easily caught with a castor based bait. Search the WWW. Don't over pay its not rocket science like some Coyote baits seem to be.
But you need a pretty good leg hold trap Bridger #5 is good.
Need a flat spot big enough for the trap with 4" of water. Trap chain needs to be 6' so add some chain wire is not reliable except for tying to the stake. Stake in deep water using a dry or pealed stick about 2" diameter. Beaver will cut it off and carry away green with bark. Put another stake out 2-3 feet farther out to entangle. Beaver in 3 ft of water will die about as soon this way as in a 330 (they don't kill beaver instantly).
Good sets will run 75% till the beaver are gone or pull out due to casualties.
Dip a 12" or so dry twig in the lure and stick in the back about 15" above the trap.
Also. There should be bank holes as well as a lodge. These are killers with a 330. But you must know the direction of travel so feel with a stick. Also they often eat in these and carry sticks in and out or the older beaver use them the get away from the kits its seems. Carried sticks often trip conibears.
Fold the trigger to about 2-3" long then st it about 3-4" off center. You don't want to just wack a big beaver on the head.
From the jon boat figure how long your stakes need to be to get to the bottom and hold the 330 steady (you can use multiple stakes so long as they are INSIDE the springs, then wire the trap to the stakes to give the proper elevation. Use a wire to another stake or well anchored stick in the lodge. If you go to pounding on the lodge etc the beaver will likely come out.
Make sure you can legally trap houses. If control work sometime all laws are off but check with the fish cops.
Beaver will move into good areas so you will likely have them return every year or two from up or down stream etc.
If you kill one and retrieve the body you can make your own lure from the castors.
Gotta head for the big city. VA want to check my hearing. Wife is tired of "huh?"
Dan
