most beaver had little fear of man- although on small streams, banging and clunking around too much can put them down for a few days.
but nip one- and you will find that they are as hard to catch as any spooked coyote- and that coyote might be long out of the county, but that beaver is still there, so you have daily or close to it opportunities.
I've had a pinched beaver take me weeks to catch- he would come out in the snow every 3-4 days and cut willows, but if I placed a trap there- and footprints are a no noso these were water approaches- and he never would return- I had traps set all over that little creek- and one day, a set sitting untouched for 7-8 weeks had him, missing toes and all.
had another, took out a big colony for down here- 8 beaver, but of course, pinched one early, and didn't pick him up while I was there. It had several dams, so the landowner and I pulled them. Creek wasn't over 15" deep, with the exception of 1 deep hole. I had footholds, 330s all over- once a week or so he would come out and feed. ice would come and go- this was ADC beaver, so spent from dec until a big thunderstorm in april (he was within blocks of home, thus the extra effort) flooded and muddied the creek, and got him in 330
but those were special efforts- most beaver are no harder than rats, and any wise ones on a trapline, are just seed.....trappnman
