[CuttnRun]

<span style="font-weight: bold">Who's all ready? This year will be my 1st attempt at the critters. I'm curious to know what everyone is using for setters on 330's? I just received one of the Trapper Ron's setters. All I can say is, he was NOT using new 330's in his video because I am and they don't work all that great! What's everyones favorite sets?

I've been watching a pond over the past year where a pair have setup shop. I wanted to try and get an idea of the size of them so I setup my trail cam. Any thoughts on weight? Thanks. Cutt

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[dietsch]

no idea how big they are . what i do know is the average beaver is around 35 lbs , with many being over and under . as for the 330 , read the regulations carefully in regards to how many bodygrips can be used . i prefer a # 3 bridger coil or a # 4 sleepycreek dls , or snares . have fun playing around ,hopefully you learn what is needed, and remember that once you get the beaver addiction you will be hooked and will be spending many long nights in the shed . beavers are lots of work but way worth the effort. good luck !

 

[bobcat]

not sure on the size but good luck. i set most of mine by hand at home or at the truck where there is a hard surface to push on but do carry a pair of setters for getting beaver out or when my hands are cold. the scissor type work great. dont forget to use a safety grip across the top. and paint it orange or yellow or something so you dont lose it or forget to take it off. joining the 330 club is an unpleasant experience at best.
favorite sets are always blind sets where they are already traveling but castor mounds and bait sets work well also. looks like you already have them coming to your bait. a #3 or #4 on a drowner in front of that would be pretty hard to beat.

 

[CuttnRun]

no idea how big they are . what i do know is the average beaver is around 35 lbs , with many being over and under . as for the 330 , read the regulations carefully in regards to how many bodygrips can be used . i prefer a # 3 bridger coil or a # 4 sleepycreek dls , or snares . have fun playing around ,hopefully you learn what is needed, and remember that once you get the beaver addiction you will be hooked and will be spending many long nights in the shed . beavers are lots of work but way worth the effort. good luck !

Dietsch, oh I definately have it. I just got Alan Probst beaverin video last week and have watched it 1/2 dozen times. Not to mention reading all the archives on Tman.com

not sure on the size but good luck. i set most of mine by hand at home or at the truck where there is a hard surface to push on but do carry a pair of setters for getting beaver out or when my hands are cold. the scissor type work great. dont forget to use a safety grip across the top. and paint it orange or yellow or something so you dont lose it or forget to take it off. joining the 330 club is an unpleasant experience at best.
favorite sets are always blind sets where they are already traveling but castor mounds and bait sets work well also. looks like you already have them coming to your bait. a #3 or #4 on a drowner in front of that would be pretty hard to beat.

BC, trust me when I say, I'm a tad nervous trying to set one of those beast. Those new Dukes are brutal. Yes, already planned on setting them at home and I did get one of the safety grip. Scissor setter, bent it already.

Question, do the mound sets still work even with the ice on? Do they come up and break a hole in the ice to get to the mound? Thanks guys. Cutt

 

[dietsch]

not to answer for bobcat ,but no beavers won't break through ice to get to a castor mound . they need to be swimming with their head above water to smell it. once the water freezes just look for the open spots , that will be where they are spending the majority of their time , or once you do it a few years you'll wise up and just wait for the ice to start melting , usually mid march. thats when the action gets best . years ago at the newyork state rondezvous a man named johnny thorpe had a beaver trapping discussion with me , he laughed when i told him my stories of trying to get them through the ice , he said don't go after em when its freezing , let them come to you when the water is open. took me a few years to realize what he wa saying , once i caught on i believed he was a genius

 

[bobcat]

yup right on dietsch. PA is a tough state to trap beaver in some respects. you get all excited finding beaver and it usauly freezes right before season. under ice trapping is a whole different world but not an impossible task if it freezes hard. trouble is most spots esp. creek beaver spots get enough ice to foul things up but not enough to let you get out on it to set baited sets or runway sets under the ice.

cut, you may know this so dont exception but even if it freezes hard enough to walk on the places beaver travel and around the huts the ice will remain thin. be careful.

 

[CuttnRun]

'Ol Johnny's favorite saying is keep it simple. I love to watch his video's. It makes perfect sense what he told you Dietsch. BC, I'm not making it near the hut...now ask me how I know that.

 

[pawsonpan]

Speaking of Johnny, if you do trap them through the ice, his bait set works pretty good and is about as simple as it gets, other then just setting runs.
Some beaver will get shy to conis, though, in that case, baited snares work very well too. All that is assuming you have enough ice to walk on. I'm lucky to be where we can use 10 conis and we have a lot of beaver here. At least, think I'm lucky until skinning time...

 

[Renny28]

I have homemade setters but can set them with my hands on location in a pinch if needed although I prefer snares over 330s.

 

[Denny Emery]

I use rope for setting them.

The best me and my buddy did was 18 one year. It was a lot of work!! We covered a lot of ground/water as there were not a lot around and seem even fewer now.

 

[always hunting]

Search about how to compress the springs with the rope method as renny stated. At the very least, carry the rope in your pocket when setting/checking for safety sake.

 

[CuttnRun]

<span style="font-weight: bold">Paws, have you ever tried the PVC on the bottom of the 330? Alot of the Northern guys swear by it. Cutt </span>

 

[pawsonpan]

Paws, have you ever tried the PVC on the bottom of the 330? Alot of the Northern guys swear by it. Cutt

No, I've always use aspen. Well, expect for corn. I've caught a few with corn on the bottom jaw, but have more confidence in the aspen.