Bogmaster's 330 Castor mound sets ( photos )

[Mike Tucker]

Bogmaster requested that I post a few photos from a beaver job he & I worked last week. That's him in the pictures. Nice to have open water at this time of year :-)
Regards,
Mike Tucker

[Bogmaster]

 Thanks a lot mike. Hope this alows some to see how we make castor mound sets. Playing in the snow and mud--can be fun.
 Can't believe those photos are from a phone.
 Tom

[watershedman25]

Nice loookin' beav's man! Thanks, love the pic's.

[Macthediver]

Dang Tom
I've watched you demo your set up several times. But now seeing your actual sets in the field I see you really pinch them 330s in there. I've built sets the way you showed but I see now I can add even more fencing.     Nothing like seeing the real deal on the job.
Here is my version and it worked but I realize I can be more aggressive.





Thanks for the pic's

Mac

[MDCAT]

tom ur looking good  my friend --looking good----some good looking sets too

mike

[fishdaddy]

im gonna go set some today..thanks for the pics..i got some castor out of the beaver i got the other day will that work?

[Bogmaster]

 I will not tell you your castor won't work. But ,I want a smell from alien beavers(outsiders--intruders,not family members). To get the reaction I want, I do not make my lures with the castors from the beaver in the area I am going to trap. Some lure makers will make their lure from castors obtained from one certain area,and will not use those from other areas.
 When making my MoundMaster lures, I have used castors from several different states--it works for me,and works well. So I will hold firm to my beaver beliefs.
 Fish, castor is not the only thing in beaver lures.
 Keep me posted on how the castors from those beaver , work out.
 Tom

[four coil]

Nice pictures! I can't wait for some open water. I made 4 sets yesterday for beaver, but I needed my ice auger to reach the water.LOL
Shawn

[fishdaddy]

the beaver im using the castor from came from about 4 miles away from the place i made the sets..i dont know if that matters or not.i went and checked this morning and didnt have anything but i seen a nice size beaver swimming around and walked out on the bank about 50 yards away.

[fishdaddy]

in the first couple pics how far is the trap off the bottom?

[Bogmaster]

 The traps are on a stabilizer,they are within an inch or two of the bottom.In spots where a stibilizer cannot be put in(hard rocky areas) I will actually pin the 330 to the bottom.
 Tom

[fishdaddy]

on the sets i made yesterday i took sticks and stuck them in the mud in a horseshoe shape the place i have them set its a big long sand bar covered with beaver tracks.

[fishdaddy]

when i traped in ky i traped a lake that was full of beaver i caught 51 beaver by setting bank dens and slides.i did make one castor mound and got a beaver in it but it seems these beaver arent interested in a castor mound set.

[Bogmaster]

 I have never trapped a beaver in a den entrance.I rely on the castor mound for a minimum of 95% of my beaver sets.My one week best on beaver was 106, and the majority were castor mound results.
 I have used this same set in several parts of this state and also in a couple southern states--it always works for me.
 I have pefected the way I do things with it , over the last 30 years. Beaver depend on the castor mound and their castor, for their existance.(They let them know things about their colony, and those that try to enter into their territory).
 If you think beaver are not interested in castor mounds, you may want to look at the lures you are using.
 By your last post, it sounds as if you are not using lure. Good lures are needed --they are a key to your sets.
 Before I started making my beaver lures, I carried 7 different brands with me. I burned out lures like pop corn.
  Tom
 

[coyotero]

I'm the worlds worst beaver trapper.I'm hardheaded,set in my ways and dumb as a stump.I make sets like Boggie showed me except I'm too lazy to make the mound.I just get a good glob of Moundmaster on a stick and shove it in the ground where the mound should be.Take the safetys off the 330's.Then it's dead beaver.If I set on fresh sign it's dead beaver.I change to Moundmaster II after awhile.Soon the colony is cleaned out and I can't get to more important things.Like trapping coyotes.If I can catch the beaver that vex the farmers and ranchers anyone can.That set works.

[fishdaddy]

just been using castor i ran out of what i had bought and been using castor from the one i caught

[trappnman]

Tom- how convinced are you, that you need alien castor?

back before I used store bought lure, we catch a few in blind sets and then just use castors from those at lured sets

always seemed to work well.

but can't say if it kept some away, we never tried to get them all

-------------------------------

on a different subject, I never understood why people have an aversion to setitng den runs. I'll set them in heartbeat on the small streams I'm on, and find them very effective for taking out the 2-4 that moved into the area from last year. On a holder that allows them to swing out of the way, on 3 day checks, seems like there is one there everytime until gone.

bigger water might be different- on big water i agree, castor mounds are the way to go-

[Bogmaster]

 Steve, I stick to what works for me. While I have taken a few beaver on a chunk of removed castor--I have taken ( a lot more on lure). Take a few hundred --or more beaver out of one area, you find out the importance of lures--and not just any beaver lures.Do these same areas, year after year and your lures become even more important.
 As far as setting dens go,while it may work ok on two year olds --setting up new housekeeping.A large established colony ,may change your results. While the majority of your 330d beaver may flip out of the entrance,what happens when one doesn't make it--a beaver plugged hole can change things in a hurry.
 It's one of the things I don't take a chance on. I set up my castor mounds on both sides of the entrances.I usually end up with multiple catches on the first night, and do not have to worry about any beaver plugging the den entrance.
 Tom

[trappnman]

Tom- I didn't mean the value of lures- I agree with you on that- my saved castors I use at canine sets not beaver.

my point was more does castor from a different colony, really make a difference, or, is it just an old trappers tale?

[Bogmaster]

 Steve, there is no way I am even going to bother taking that chance.Because of how territoial beaver are,I will stick with alien castors in my lures. I believe there is a much bigger chance of them checking out a new castor smell, than there is one of checking on one of their own colony.
 Part of this comes from the number of beaver I have taken,as I am making the sets.The ones I call instant beavers.They are the ones that show up when I am making my sets--the ones that start going ballistic when I get that lure out of the jar and on the sets--the ones I have had to grab my safety grippers off of my 330 and get out of their way as they charge the set.
 Another reason I have two lures, I have watched many times as a beaver swims casually by my first set, and dives right into the set 5 feet away with my other lure on it. I like to give them a choice , these things have worked to well for me to think it --just happens.
 Now knowing me, these beliefs shouldn't surprise you--lol.
 Tom

[fishdaddy]

they swim right by my sets

[Bogmaster]

 Fish, time to make a change then. Your chunks of castor do not present an intruder to them.They aren't paying any attention to it.
 Tom

[watershedman25]

they swim right by my sets

I had some castor 2 yrs ago that they wouldn't pay attention to, fella gave it to me . No wonder.

[trappnman]

lets not get too carried away- fresh castor works and works well.

I do think lures work BETTER at times, and certainly add other attractions-
but lets not get into the mode that fresh castor doesn't work- or works poorly

because thats not the case. 

if you think that castor from the same family has no value, thats one thing- but personally think thats "iffy" at best- but if a lure maker as tom says, why take chances.

All I can do, is state many times in the past I've used castor from one family group, to trap others in that group

but it seems as if we have gotten to the point where fresh castor "spooks" or doesn't attract other beaver-

what do you think castor mounds are for, and what do you think other beaver are desposting over them?

[Bogmaster]

 It's like anything else involved with animals--and with people too. There are no gaurantees on anything.

 Now you are talking about two entirely different things--fresh castor and castor used from the same colony .(At least that is the take I am getting).Fresh castor does work well,but I still want it from somewhere else(here again--personal preference).  Its that outsider(alien, intruder) I want my lure and castor mound to represent--not brother billy-or sister sarah. Beaver reaction to alien smells(castor) is what I am looking for.And I have watched it hundreds of times. That foreign castor gets them worked up.And thats just how I want them.
 Fish says they swim right by his sets--why??? They are smelling it over and over--every day of their lives.Want to fire them up? Let them think the boogey man has moved onto their turf.
 I never claim to have all the answers, just imparting what has worked so well for me.And because it works,I don't mess with it much.
 But I am sure glad I decided on beaver a long time ago--they smell so much better than those flea busses.
 Tom
   

[trappnman]

Tom- I agree

yes, it does seem as if its gone two different directions.

I don't know either way on alien castor- I have caught many beaver with such, but well could have been missing some as well because its familar castor

as far as beavers ignoring sets- there can be and are many reasons for such.

a good example- I've used your lure, but don't have near the success with 330s and castor mounds as you do- but make it a foothold at same set- and bobs your uncle-

and the answer wasn't the lure, its my technique at 330s sets-

[RdFx]

My technique in dont spare the  blocking when setting 330s  at castor or runway sets are like Toms'.  Everything goes out the door though when trapping shy bvrs , especially  body grip shy , even with underwater sets.  Footholds, bodygrips, snares are all in my toolbox and are used when deemed appropriate.   Now  i havent used the (tator rake)  set that Tom uses with great sucess as picture shows with a double.     

[fishdaddy]

seen where one crawled out about 3 feet from my set..mine are blocked in good.work called last night i got a small job to do after i finish it im gonna order some of bogs lure

[fishdaddy]

got another beaver in the same slide i got the last one in

[TRAPnHUNT]

Great job guys!!!