DCHP-1 Online
trenching Fur Trade 
n. a method of trapping beaver by means of a trench cut across a frozen river with a long ice-chisel, a row of stakes being driven through the trench to prevent the escape of the beaver while the beaver house is opened from the top, the various escape hatches also being closed by stakes.
See also: chisel trench ((n.))
- 1892 It has been shown that in winter the methods employed in hunting, placed the beaver entirely at the mercy of the Indian, but when extreme measures were instituted, the creeks and streams were closely staked across, a method called "trenching," whereby every inhabitant of the colony was imprisoned from the first move.
- 1907 Describing the mode of killing beaver would not be complete unless we explained that of "trenching." This method . . . is largely practiced by the Indians after the lakes and rivers are frozen over.
- 1892 It has been shown that in winter the methods employed in hunting, placed the beaver entirely at the mercy of the Indian, but when extreme measures were instituted, the creeks and streams were closely staked across, a method called "trenching," whereby every inhabitant of the colony was imprisoned from the first move.