Bog you did it!

[buckeyehunter2]

Bog your advice and great lure helped me catch my first pair of beaver last year.  This year I entered a lottery to trap some of our state lands.  I was drawn to trap a specific marsh area exclusively this year.   I scouted it out today.   The water is already froze over.   I plan to use castor mounds with 330's for the beaver.   There are signs of muskrats in the marsh as well.  Since I already have them, would you recommend baited 220's under the ice for the muskrats?      

[Bogmaster]

 If you can find rat runs you are better of than baiting rats under ice. Though 160s or 220s are abetter way to go than 110s.
 For me baited traps for rats, has been a low percentage way to get them.
 Can you trap in the houses in your state?
 Tom

[buckeyehunter2]

Yes we can trap the houses in our state, but the water is too high for me to get to them without a boat.  I am only going to be able to wade around the edges.   Thank you for the advice.   

[buckeyehunter2]

One more question...The swamp area I am going to trap as several entrance points/slides that the beaver are using.  Since it is already covered in ice (about 2 inches thick) would it be effective if I punch new holes in the ice
and make mock runs leading to castor mounds on the bank?     

[RdFx]

With ice  now it would be best to make underice sets.  If you know where the bvr lodge or bank dens are a  bvr run to and from house would be a good set and if a long run you can put  body grips  approx 12 foot apart and possibly get doubles.   Another set is a bottom edge set made next to protrusions along a pond or river shore  with enough water to set body grip.  This set also works on mink and rats so  does the same with bvr and otter. You also can use a baited bodygrip or foothood type set.  There are many types of sets for bait for bvr so go and read various under ice bvr  set books and see what you would like to use.  Good Luck

[Bogmaster]

 Are you experiencing just shore ice? with open water further out? If that is the case-break a channel from shore to the open water.From your trap and castor mound out to the open water. This can provide a lot of success ,iand is a very productive set.I use it a lot ,when conditions are right.
 Tom

[buckeyehunter2]

There is a medium sized pond that is compleely frozen exept where the beaver are entering and leaving it.   The beaver are leaving the pond to go to a small river located about 50 yerds form the pond.   Would it be wise to blind set the entrance points for beaver or will this spoil the opportunity for multiple catches?   

[Bogmaster]

 I tend to set several traps at areas like that.While I may set a blind 330,I also tend to set multiple 330s with castor mound and lue--nice to take 3 or 4 beaver at a time out of these small areas.
 Tom