Beaver question.

Hey, I’ve recently found some beaver sign in a creek and I’m puzzled. There’s no dams, lodges, or even bank dens. The stream is about 15 foot wide and 2 feet deep with a stone bottom. I found a few cuttings, which were mostly small limbs maybe 1 inch in diameter. I found only handful of small limbs chewed like this and it’s the only sign I can find. None of the bigger trees were even touched. Normally with creek beaver I find a series of dams and a lodge, with many trees cut. I know they are in here but there’s very little sign. I’ve searched farther down the creek but found nothing. Anybody else seen this before? Does this mean they were just passing through? Thanks

Don't know about passing through but it sounds like it just arrived.

I've seen that. In fact that's the situation on a nuisance spot I'm currently assessing. The bank dens are hard to find, in fact I can't find them on the stretch of stream I'm talking about. If I was you I'd assume they are there and go after 'em.

Thanks for the replies guys. Goldy, I thought so too, but I found a couple of cuttings from last fall.

Likely a dispersing beaver,stopping for a rest and a snack on his way thru.
Set it up,another will likely come along or you may get the same one on his way back in a day or two.

Are you scouting for next year or are you trying to resolve a nuisance beaver issue?
Transient beavers make nuisance work "challenging". My "favorite" ones are those which plug a culvert on their way through, never to return.

I have seen this before on small creeks with a mostly rock bottom. In this situation I have found more than once the beavers are living above the water line. Usually there will be a large tree with a lot of exposed roots and if you look you will find a couple entrances into the bank in or under the exposed roots. Look close, they can be harder to see than you would think. Good Luck!

Sometime's I wonder if beavers in this situation have multiple homes. Or if they live in the area part of the year and then move for another part of the year (perhaps up a tributary), only to come back later. I also sometimes wonder if beavers in this situation cover a bigger area than I realize.

scouting for next year lol. I’ve missed trapping since the day the season went out.