Wisconsin’s beaver management plan is up for review. The DNR has selected trappers to interview regarding the current plan. Responses from selected trappers will be taken into consideration when developing future management plans. I’ve got my thoughts but let me know yours.

I would like to see them back off enlisting APHIS to chase down the entire watershed when they are trapping trout streams. I realize those watersheds provide travellers that will live in the trout stream but beaver dams in the very upper portions of the watershed provide habitat for much wildlife. Often those upper reaches are not trout habitat. If they need to remove beaver they should only remove the problem colony.

I've always been curious how they decide who is picked for these interviews or questionnaires.

I agree. I think APHIS should be limited to trapping an established colony that is causing damage. During spring, they are setting on travel ways targeting a dispersing population with no regard to where they will eventually populate. Travelers disperse far and wide and create habitat for all kinds of wildlife.

I also think APHIS should be strictly limited to operating outside of established fur seasons. The way they operate today, they are directly competing with the fur trapper.

That makes three of us! With Olsons departure we may have a chance. Wisconsin needs to give some consideration on managing to feed all those wolves and beaver ponds are great resource's.

Who pays those APHIS beaver trappers? Are they federally funded or is it Trout Unlimited covering the bill? Maybe send a tweeter to Ol Musky and make him aware of rampant government spending on something trappers are already paying the state to participate in.

I think that the DNR fisheries spends some of their money on beaver control.