I was scouting a nuisance beaver sight today. The beavers have been chowing down on the oaks. But now they've also switched to other trees, including white pine. What does it mean, that beavers would knock down & chew white pine? Perhaps it's quite a few beavers or they are extra hungry? This will be interesting. It's a long, wide, fast moving creek with no dams.

Beavers down here frequently eat pines. I've seen where a pair of two year olds were eating pine as well as a whole colony. I doubt colony size has anything to do with diet. Perhaps there's a nutrient in the pine they are needing?

I always felt when they chew down a pine or a balsam when there is popple available, it just means there is something in it that they are needing, nutritionally. So...when they are a hankerin' for something else, they need it.

They will mow down a bunch of 2" to 3" diameter planted pines in no time. The bigger pieces are peeled and the smaller stuff with the pine needles ends up in the dams. Not unusual to see this even when there is plenty of small hardwood available.

All depends on whats available. Can use the castors off thos beaver to refresh your trucks pine tree freshener...

Had them chew a lot of hemlock at times up here in Connecticut

Ain't that the truth Sniper....trapped several S. Indiana beaver whose castor reeked of pine.

I've seen them take down white pine before, but they seem to prefer it less. This is the 1st time I've noticed them make a bone stick out of a white pine.

Do beavers chop down trees pretty much year round?

No. They might take down the occasional tree during the spring/summer. Usually there is a spurt of tree falling in early October then goes dead until nearly Christmas here or the weather turns cold enough to threaten ice.

I've seen beaver go over a year without even touching a tree.

I don't mind when they take my popple but when they start on the oak and the ash that's it!

I hear ya. They're after the oak! Some of the oaks were over 75 yards from the creek. I'm hoping I can still get 'em this time of year. Even though the beavers may not eat trees much this time of year, I'm guessing they are still in the area, and that they're still coming on shore and using the bank slides.?

Come on now, you moved into their habitat. It's not the other way around, lol.

Depends on the beavers. I've seen them take down trees here in May and then again in September. Northern beavers have some slightly different time tables. Southern beavers don't get iced in and Northern beavers do. I believe this creates differing actions at differing times of the year.

Some educated beavers won't touch a tree, and some will. Lots of variables when dealing with them. You have to understand the beaver you're after. Fur trappers don't have a problem with this, but those of us who have to take out the last beaver in every colony we trap do.

Y'all deserve it for using that term for aspen.

Then you get pond beaver and those are even more idiosyncratic.

I went scouting yesterday for sign, as it was the last day we had snow on the bank to be able to see beaver sign in the snow. Snow sure makes scouting beaver nice. The beaver have been active de-barking white pine. It must be some hi nutrient stuff, that or a really hungry beaver.