Comstock Cage Traps--Triple on Beaver, Caught Side by Side

These remarkable traps truly have no equal. With a low profile, only 12 inches high, the Comstock Swim Through Beaver Cage Traps that come in 12x12 and 12x18 openings as well as others, can easy be hidden in shallow water. Even when ponds begin to freeze, these cage traps may still be set in water just over a foot deep. Because they can be set upside down, actually the preferred method, the top of the trap can become iced in without affecting the trip rod and trigger located on the bottom of the trap. The trap will still fire and lock the "escape proof" doors.
Though we don't often set three of our 12x18x 39 wide beaver cage traps side by side, in this case we believed there were a number of beaver at the site so we took advantage of a five foot wide travel way by filling it with three cage traps placed a few inches apart. Wide areas that are two to five feet wide are much easier to find than tight narrow spaces required to accommodate 10 inch wide conibear type traps. Body grippers frequently require fencing, something seldom used or needed with the 18 inch wide cages. The 18 inch wide trap or traps drop in quickly without need for major, if any, camouflaging where beaver are the only concern. Because the sets can be made virtually anywhere with castor attractant, it is unlikely anyone will find your traps, even when catches are made.
In this case one castor lure placement was all that was necessary to take all three beaver the first night, the big female and two small beaver. Catches usually come quickly, first night. The second night produced two more beaver, the big male and a two year old along with a 30 pound snapping turtle.
When using more than one trap at a setting, once a catch is made and the door closes, that portion of the channel is now "fenced" off. With that part of the travel way closed the next beaver will head for the opening left by the remaining trap or traps to make another catch.
For those who need to catch turtles, these traps are turtle catchers. We took 30 pounders at this location and a 15 and 20 side by side at another this week The width of the trap makes it possible to take snappers 30 to 50 pounds with no problem. Additionally we used the same traps to take 11 otter this year, not only in swim through water sets, but also in dry sets for live take and release. Others use the large beaver traps to capture raccoons, sometimes several at a time, badgers, woodchucks etc.
We find that these cage traps are rarely fired without a catch inside. When comparing these traps to common 10 inch body gripping traps, you will notice that the body gripper has to reach out 5 inches from center to make a catch. Body grippers can and do miss. The deep set recessed trigger in the Comstock beaver cage trap means that a beaver is 19.5 inches into the trap when he contacts the trigger and more than 23 inches into the trap when the trap does fire. There's no backing up or turning around as the powered doors push the beaver into the trap.

[@scottk0623]

How cool is that! It gets no better. Keep up the great job.

[@JamesComstockCages]

Thanks for watching Scott!! Hope all's well with you.