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First beaver

WildWill

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 10, 2016
Messages
3,229
Location
SE Oklahoma
A lady who let's me hunt her property asked if I'd help her get rid of a few beavers that are tearing up her pond. I usually run a few traps on my property and lease this time of year for fox, bobcat, coyote, and coons for predator control but have never trapped beaver. Unfortunately we can't use snares or conibears in Oklahoma. So I set up some offset Bridger #4s I use for coyotes on some slides staked into the ground. That was a mistake that resulted in one front foot wring off and 3 toes of a back foot. I pulled my sets and regrouped got some cable and cinder blocks and fabricated some sliding rigs. Set them out yesterday checked this morning and had my first ever beaver and to make it better it was the one with a injured back foot20200215_115129.jpg20200215_135301.jpg. It's a female she was 42 pounds to me she seems big but not sure how that compares with a typical beaver. By the way beavers delicious just finished some beaver stir fry. Hope to get a few more before it warms up.
 
Congrats! That’s a damn good beaver! Never tried it stir fry, might give that a shot next beaver I get. You getting the pelt tanned?
 
They are great fun. I don't trap anymore, but I had lots of fun trapping them here by my house. 42 pounds is a great beaver. They get a lot bigger, but not as a rule, in most areas that get trapped to any degree.

I had the last nine that I trapped, tanned, because the fur was worth very little. I still have several of them laying across my couch. Some went into a hat and two pairs of gloves, too.

You're hooked, now.
 
Ran the line this morning to find my second beaver. A male this time that weighed 37 pounds. It was a front foot catch with a Duke # 3 attached to a drowning rig and everything worked perfect. I also caught two coons this morning on the line behind my house a large male and a female.20200214_091948.jpg20200216_112112.jpg20200214_092200.jpg
 
They are great fun. I don't trap anymore, but I had lots of fun trapping them here by my house. 42 pounds is a great beaver. They get a lot bigger, but not as a rule, in most areas that get trapped to any degree.

I had the last nine that I trapped, tanned, because the fur was worth very little. I still have several of them laying across my couch. Some went into a hat and two pairs of gloves, too.

You're hooked, now.
I ordered a sleepy creek double long spring #4 1/2 last night definitely addicting. I'd like to have a pair of mittens made for my wife.
 
I ordered a sleepy creek double long spring #4 1/2 last night definitely addicting. I'd like to have a pair of mittens made for my wife.
I had a couple of the monster Bridgers one time. I had gotten them as a part of another trap deal. I never used them and sold them. I finally got to where I could set them over my knee. I wouldn't have a chance, now, though! LOL.

Wild Things Fur in Wisconsin is THE place to have fur stuff made.
 
I had a couple of the monster Bridgers one time. I had gotten them as a part of another trap deal. I never used them and sold them. I finally got to where I could set them over my knee. I wouldn't have a chance, now, though! LOL.

Wild Things Fur in Wisconsin is THE place to have fur stuff made.
Agreed on a Wild Things Fur. They’ve made some amazing garments out of my tanned fur. Had the fur tanned at Moyle Mink Tannery.
 
I've caught a few beavers around here for local farmers that are having problems with them. They usually try to pay me but I just ask if i can access their property for hunting.
 
Some went into a hat and two pairs of gloves, too.

Who made the gloves? Mittens?

Ive never had a bad beaver. Call me lucky I guess.

Is there such a thing... I mean occasionally you get one with an off flavor, though I would argue that is more a problem of preparation than the beaver itself.
 
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