Nice article featuring T-man's own JD Nichols.

Jim Hoffman is a respected contractor, philanthropist & hunter.

This video shows Hoffman's wetland's project.

https://wisconsinwatch.org/2024/12/...aver-dams-to-restore-wisconsin-wetlands/

Very Interesting

I found this to be one of the most interesting articles I've read in quite a while. The ability of trout to traverse the watershed and the actual water temp. variance on dammed versus unobstructed watershed were the most eye opening information presented in the article. The effect of all this on beaver trapping in the future will have to be followed closely.

You will find that these stories are the new vanguard employed by the antis to shutdown beaver trapping. In Oregon we are barely hanging on to our beaver trapping and every legislative session find ourselves under attack and more restrictions in place. Just like the spotted owl was employed to shut down logging years back, they are now highlighting beaver as a keystone species that will save the planet if only allowed.

There is a book "Beaver Believer" that is a bible for these folks. The estimates for pre columbian beaver populations is way overstated. And the science used to estimate it severely flawed. Still, there is a lot of interesting beaver lore in there.

Case in point. This in this morning's paper. These articles are intended to get the votes they want later on.

Nicely written article about Hoffman's efforts, but his idea is a no-go in most of the US. Good luck to any beaver trappers in those areas....just stand by...you'll be needed soon.

I can see the faces of landowners and timber mangers down here if this was suggested....lol

Carl, Trout Unlimited is championing improving fishing for trout by removing beaver dams, scraping overhanging banks clean (eliminating habitat for baby waterfowl, muskrats, mink, and other species that use overhanging banks for protection from avian and other predators that prowl the banks. They also promote putting boulders in the streams using heavy equipment that churns up the bottoms, all for the sake of more fishing. Here in Colorado rich people have bought up most of the ranches in the pretty places especially with rivers and streams. These same people then want to go to the local golf course for more recreation (we have six in my little town of Steamboat Springs) and dump fertilizers and herbicides as well as pesticides onto the golf courses which in turn kills or negatively impacts their fishing, then blame the beavers for the disappearance of their prized fishing.

In Oregon we apparently don't have coho salmon returning in sufficient numbers because the coast range streams don't have enough beaver. It's the fisheries people leading the charge to ban beaver trapping.

What! They don't understand management?

Trout worshippers are the Debil.

What's crazy is they'll say the beavers benefit the salmon, but then a lot of streams the salmon can't get past the beaver dams or plugged up culverts

This was the 1st I had heard of a BDA.

I think beaver dams do benefit beaver in our area, but ever since they do no longer allow logging within the riparian areas the trees have become mature, shade the edible species, and no longer are suitable habitat for beaver. Plus since protections were put in place for cougars they have increased many fold and are devastating to beaver. In short, the habitat is no longer adequate for beaver.

Anybody that thinks a salmon can’t get past a beaver dam doesn’t know salmon. And, according to the article, the trout don’t have any issues either.