I found some beavers made feed beds and some didn't. The ones that did had nice fur as opposed to those that didn't. The ones that did make feed beds were imported northern beavers. I found the ones that did make feed beds were predominately in the Roanoke River basin. I didn't see many in the Neuse River basin that made feed beds.

Paul I got to ask...besides the feed bed issue did you find any difference in the "catchability" to the Southern beaver vs Northern?

I had an odd thing happen yesterday when I pulled traps from the most recent beaver job.
I had removed 6 beaver from 3 previously trapped out spots(last fall).All were pairs male and female that had not yet bred.
The unusual part was after several days of no activity and no work on the 3 dams I had removed there was a young of year beaver in one trap at one spot yesterday when I pulled the traps..

I've often wondered that but not knowing just how or whether Georgia stocked them it was just a suspicion.

I know I don't recall seeing any in Alabama and I don't think they stocked any or if so did in house relocation, but I may be wrong on that.

No difference that I could tell. That last female could be a bugger whether it had a feed bed or not -

Since we don't get a lot of iced in periods here, single beaver almost never make feedbeds. In fact they barely touch trees even in fall/winter. Occasionally you'll see a sapling tree they can fall with one bite cut.

Lol, ain't that the truth!

That's interesting, what vegetation do they live on through winter?

Lily pad roots mainly. Things are massive.

I bet they got some huge teeth!

Beaver often eat tree roots.
When looking for a bank den/feed hole to set in winter I always check where a tree or good sized willow clump is growing at the pond edge near deeper water.

In SC I e seen spots where beavers get on the bank and dig for roots. I wish I could remember what trees were there.

I have too, on one of my last jobs, they dug down like a canine would...thanks for reminding me! Should have taken a pic, cuz it was unlike anything I'd ever seen!

I watched Thorpes Ice Beaver video the other day, that’s what he says about bank dens too. Look for the biggest tree.
Really good video!

Something I've noticed here is beaver that have access to lily pad roots often have better fur than the ones that use feed piles or cut trees.

What does everyone see for time of year for breeding and birthing?

Late may is when they're born around here

I see breeding from February and March. Sometimes January.

I have caught tiny beaver in mid to late March and have caught females in late April that had not given birth yet. Seems to be a pretty wide spread here but seems like mid April to mid May births are most prevalent.

Here,beavers breed under the ice in feb and the young are born first week of June.
With paired up beaver,If a female beaver loses her mate after freeze up,and before mating in feb,she will sometimes mate in late march,or april during the dispersal, with a new mate.
This is when you see those really small beaver when trapping in the fall-a late litter.