beaver attracting lure scent

Hi,
I live on a 90 acre lake that is rising dangerously due to a beaver dam at the end. I would like to live trap the beavers (state law requirement) and relocate them. I personally live about ¾ of a mile from the dam where all the activity is. Is there a way I can attract the beavers to my property so I’d be able to set the trap convenient to where I live? I see no beaver activity on my end of the lake.

To attract beaver to your side of the lake, see if you can determine what they are eating. It could be some kind of vegetation or tree bark. Fast growing trees like Poplar are commonly preyed upon and if the lake has some around the shore, it would be a good starting point.

When something they are feeding on is identified, you can then use this as a bait to get them to a “feeding station”. Beaver will many times stop along the shore on ledges and shallow water close to or on the shore where they will sit up on their hind legs and feed. If you spend some time early in the morning or late in the evening close to dark, you may spy some feeding. Take care to note any locations they like to use and then find a similar location on the land you’ll be able to access and use. At this location you can then place out some bait and lure attempting to attract the beaver close enough to live trap.

For example, if you learn they are feeding on Poplar, you could then round up some Poplar twigs and use them for bait. Set up several just off shore, out of the water, and add some POPLAR OIL to the sticks. 5-10 drops of the oil should do the trick. Renew the Poplar every 3-4 days till you get some beaver activity. Once they find the placement they should come around on a regular basis if you make the offering generally available and fresh. After 3-4 baitings, you can then introduce a good BEAVER LIVE TRAP to let them get used to seeing it before you actually use it. Try to make at least 2-3 “false settings” and once you see them coming around with disregard to the trap, you’ll be ready to “live”. This will help prevent trap shyness.

If you are lucky, you’ll be able to find them already feeding on the section of land you can now access. If that’s the case, you may be able to forgo extensive luring and pre baiting before you do a real live trap set. Just be sure to use the food choice they seem to prefer as this will increase your odds of success.

Alternatively, BEAVER CASTOR can be used to lure them to the shore and into a beaver live trap. This lure would take advantage of their natural instinctive behavior and generally works best in the winter and spring. With that being said, we’ve had people use it all year long in some regions so it could work anytime. Like the food lure, you would identify a likely place where beaver will be comfortable coming to shore. There you place some Castor Lure on some sticks, above water, to see if they have any interest in “checking out” the activity. If you note beavers are coming around, you can then introduce the beaver live trap, pre bait some more and ultimately get them to enter with a little patience.

Attracting beaver to a specific section of shoreline is best achieved when it naturally lends itself to them using it by their own choice. Changes can be made to the landscape to help lure them in  and with the right food or scent lure employed, you should be able to live trap some.. If you have further questions, give us a call on our toll free 1-800-877-7290.