Snares made up but

[Wolfdog91 7,224]

It won't stop raining got a beaver swamp that I've been asked to trap for a while now and finally got to where I have time but now it's raining every other day and since a creek runs right next to the property it floods the whole place for days  so won't be able to check 

Guess I'll just build more snares and a cable stakes lol.

 

[EDDIE B 3,166]

Wolfdog, tell us about your setup. Cable size, lock you use, loop size, and set up for beaver snaring. Any pics of your sets? What's a good location? What do you look out for when looking for snare locations?

[Wolfdog91 7,224]

10 hours ago, EDDIE B said:

Wolfdog, tell us about your setup. Cable size, lock you use, loop size, and set up for beaver snaring. Any pics of your sets? What's a good location? What do you look out for when looking for snare locations?

Well Im just an amateur, actually this is the first place I've gotten that's actually had active beaver ( last few places where just farms who found old dams and what not AFTER  the beaver moved out and thought they where still there. Still wanted me to set got up set when I didn't catch anything,Very irritating lol ) so I'm still kinda on the learning curve but after talking to ALOT of beaver guys from across the country I've kinda settled on what imma start out with based on their experiences. So if you don't mind listing to my rambling I'll be more than happy to share my thoughts and what Imma try. Also got some pictures form this last few places that I was told would have definitely caught if there where actually animals.

So as far as cablefor the actual snare loop I decided to run 5/64th diameter in the 1x19  twist variety.  5/64th is basically the happy middle ground between 1/16th and 3/32nd .  I could have went down to 1/16th 1x19 but not super confident using it in as much brush as I'm going to be in. Alot of guys love the smaller cable but they have far more experience than me. And the 3/32nd just seems too bulky will work but I think a smaller cable will give me a a little edge. As far as twist, basically a 7x7 is weaker slower and less durable pound per pound compared to the same size in 1x19. You can actually drop down a cable size and if it's in 1x19 it's just as strong if not stronger than the next size up in 7x7.  But since 1x19 is more expensive I make my actual snare loops out if it then the rest out of 7x7 of the next size cable up.  So basically these are 5/64 1x19 loop, then a swivel , then a tail of 3/32nd 7x7 that will connect it to the anchor or extension. 

I load all my snares meaning I put a memory in the first 1/3rd of the total loop so that when that animal bumps the loop with there chest, and I mean just bump , the cable naturally fires and tries to close it's self on that memory. Some if you know what your doing you can load a snare where it will fire upside down and close from a 5" loop down to 1"  Many say it's not nessecary if you use a heavy lock but again I'm wanting every advantage I can.

These are slim lock where are non relaxing but also have some made with cam locks and BMI Minis.  Honestly kinda like the bmi's a little more because after you tinker with them a little their stupid fast.

For supporting the snare theirs a pice of vinyl tubbing I use to attach the snare of a #9 support wire.

Also all these snares have a 600lbs barrel swivel . Directly behind the the snare loop. I want my swivel as close to the animal as I possibliy can and that barrel swivel is far more effective than any other kind.

As far a anchoring I have two kinda of cable stakes one being wild fangs and the other pogo's. The pogo's are more suited to soft swamp bottoms and such. Wolf fangs are good all round but they lack the hold power at times the pogo's have.  If it's just too deep for a stake I have various cable extensions I can use to just anchor off too a tree. A cable extension just being a length of 3/32 7x7 with a loop on each end .

As far as sets in the perticular place what I'm going to be looking for are areas when they have been piling up mud and what not to dam up the area . I'm planning on just breaking these in small places and either setting in front of the break or somewhere on the approach to the break. Also it's easy to find their slides where they come in and out of the water , setting a snare on these is very easy.  Another thing is find where the bank is kind of brushed in and setting a snare where it's half in half out the water  cutting some of the brush out so you have kind of a trail to the water many two foot long and slicking the bank up with mud and mabye some lure. Beaver swimming by sees grass grass grass then a mud slick makes a u turn to come investigate and as he swims up to the bank he swims through the snare.  Also just going to be looking for pinch points where is obvious theirs coming through like say the space between the dam and a large tree in the water. Or the low spot on the side of the levee there they cross over. Their alot of different sets you can do with snares but that's kinda the bulk of what I'll try. I'll have to see if I have some pictures of the last sets I was trying with those ghost beaver.

[Wolfdog91 7,224]

[EDDIE B 3,166]

Nice write up Wolfdog. Those snares, apart from the size difference, are very similar to a mink snare. Actually a buddy of mine sent me over some mink snares made from 1×19 cable. Those snares were lightening fast, and worked very well on mink