Beaver trapping

Am doing damage work on some beaver they got 4 dams on small creek about 20 feet wide i got one large Male a week ago i torn some of the dam down last week and it has not be repaired and dont see any fresh sticks float can one beaver build four dams

It is surprising how much one beaver will do, especially over time. Won't build all four dams in a day, but can build quite a bit if no one bothers them over a period of weeks or months. If there is nothing happening with dam plugging, you are mostly likely done. Sometimes there may have been a second beaver that met a tire on the highway, leaving but one. I pull out quickly, no wasted trips. Probably 90% of the time I hit it, but have to go back once in a while, but at least the numbers have favored getting out. Lots of times you know for sure, but even when a little in doubt, I pack up.

Thank you i torn down more of dam today am going back Thursday to see if they is sign or if dam is repair were i trapping is private property has many people up they cent's year

Pull traps. Re-check in a couple of weeks. Holes not repaired. Job complete. Sarge

Thank you

Sarge and Jim do you guys have a specific time frame that you outline for your clients as far a maximum return time? For instance as Sarge mentioned no activity in a couple of weeks job is done. Around here...that couple of weeks can/ might allow new beavers to travel in.... especially after big rains. Just wondering....

My experience has depended on if there’s any water to hold back. If it’s a drought and I’ve broken the dam, there’s no reason to build a ridge. Don’t know where they go or what they do, but they don’t seem to build. Maybe they’re holed up saying that they can’t wait to get some rain. Maybe they go off somewhere else. Don’t know. If there’s some water worth holding, they’ll repair or build quickly. So if there’s moving water and they haven’t repaired it in a week, they’re probably finished. I’d still probably give a courtesy check after a week or two just to make sure.

Beavers rarely, if ever, quit. However, they will make the most out of their efforts if that makes sense.

personally, I'd put holes in all dams, maybe 1 ft wide and 1 ft down
check weekly for repairs
if a dam is repaired, set a foothold using breasting sticks there, offset 4-5" a forearm length away from hole just opened again.

Worth noting, when I said broke the dam and they didn’t repair until we got some water, I meant I tore it down to the streambed.

I’m pretty sure it’ll be the last time I’ll ever do that before catching them all, but I was in a very unique situation, and some lessons in life I haven’t finished learning

Rainy summers often mean new beaver will return after a job is done. Used to tell land owners that once a summer would take care of it, but not so. Have had beaver return 5 times more than once, though rare. Usually once still does it, but on rainy summers all bets are off. I usually ask the client to watch, monitor to see if there is any activity after I leave. I used to give them a month but if they have seen no activity for a solid two plus or three weeks and then it suddenly resumes hard, I treat it as a new set up, a new job. You have to play it by ear. Usually you have an idea if you have left a straggler behind or if they are a new batch. Most beaver that hang in there will resume work pretty quickly, in a week or less. Sometimes a straggler educated beaver will leave and be gone for months, but you know they will be back late summer or fall. In those cases I often don't charge another set up, just depends on the whole picture.

Thanks guys good responses from “Veteran Beaver Trappers”....much appreciated.

I may check once or twice after hole torn into the main dam. Around here, i find two weeks work for me. But I also give a 30 day warranty on my jobs (this is built into the price). It is also a good selling point. Also, I spray paint all the stubs an trees that have been chewed on. So, when one returns, the new damage shows up like a sore thumb from afar. Sarge

Thanks Sarge that’s more good info.
Let me give you a scenario that I am dealing with here in my area. There is a public area that hires me every year that has a pond that has fishing availability and is surrounded by neighborhoods. Around the perimeter of the pond is a walking/ bike path that is heavily used at all times of the year. On one end of the pond in a small creek that feeds into the pond...private property. On the opposite end the pond has an outlet that leads to a small stream that flows into another housing area. Both ends have beaver issues and feed into the big pond. So when the public area property owners hire me to remove the beavers at times other beavers can move in whenever. I have literally finished trapping beavers and get calls saying more beavers have moved in. There is potholes every where in this pond area and I believe that they naturally just swim over to the bigger public pond. So the public area owners are burdened with the bills. I have addressed this with the pond manager attempting to bring light into the situation but they tell me that their hands are tied due to private property. Like most of you, I hate doing adc work in front of so many “eyes” but it does pay the bills.

Ok. Sounds like my typical situation at times. It gets tough at times. Make sure you are getting paid enough( multiple trips will ensue). Do not set on or near the pathways, only asking for trouble. I would try to gain permission from the private property owners and set up the streams going and coming. If that isn't possible, then at times you will have to pass on these types of jobs until they(managers and landowners) come to their senses. Also, I would make sure that they know this is a maintenance job, not an eradication job. Unless they don't mind paying each and time a new beaver shows up.

If by chance they can shut down the area due to maintenance( that's a good public excuse to buy you time) for you to do your job. Then you will have to hit it hard.

Make it work for you, don't put yourself in a pickle. Remember, they called you, they are the ones with the beaver issue. If they want them removed bad enough, they will find a way that works for you and them. Also, remind them what it must be costing them every year in damage and that it will not get any better until they are removed or maintained. I have an area that shuts down for two weeks or more just for this very reason. And signs are posted that it will be closed from this date to this date. Any more questions, don't hesitate to PM. Sarge

Thanks Sarge we are on the same page here...I already do a lot of things you mentioned. Try as I may they just keep calling and writing checks. I have refused to trap on a few occasions due to fisherman and folks allowing their dogs in the pond. Police was notified and warned the folks. It is always good to check in with others working in similar situations.

I have never had to refuse a beaver job when using the combination of swim through cages and castor. With cages there is little danger of injuring pets or people even if they fire a trap. In high traffic areas you just need to locate the traps out of site and out of high traffic. I always remember setting 4 cages in a channel, then watching a golden retriever swim right over the top of all 4 sets. He never fired one. So glad they weren't the 660 Belisle Magnums I had been using, which could have ended poorly. Since castor will bring a beaver to the place of your choosing, you can put it in a brushy area no one or no pet will interact with. With the castor on the bank and brush in the water a pet might come in from the land side to sniff lure on shore, but have no reason to even try to go into the water where the trap is. Like fur trapping, it's challenging to work right under foot and never be noticed. In some cases I will set and check after dark. Always enjoyed working around fur trappers years ago, cleaning colonies that the competition was trapping with no idea anyone else was even there. Even when some know you are there, they can't find you or figure out what you are doing.