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Beavers — good or bad?

C

chadw

Active Member
We have had beavers move in recently. In prior years, we would have trapped them hard during the winter to keep from burrowing into our dams.

But, wondered what other habitat-minded folks think of beavers.


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I like trees and so do they! Like with most critters, the habitat kind of determines the problems that may arise. I would try to keep them in check.
 
So I see them both ways. They dammed up a creek on a farm I hunt. The creek is usually boot deep at most before they moved in, now it’s waist deep. Luckily they have the dam and it’s kept water on the farm the last couple dry years. Without them the creek would be dang near bone dry. Yeah they take out some of the trees, mostly willows, but it’s not like they are clear cutting. A lot of times those beaver chews sprout right back up causing more browse for deer anyways. Don’t forget the waterfowl hunting on those beaver ponds either.


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Large rodents. I trapped for a guy, way back in high school. Guy had 3 ponds built, filled & stocked. Good sized ponds with old growth trees along the waters edge. He was in the truck with some DNR people, looked at me and I quote "leave the beavers alone, you trap a beaver & I find out....you're done." So, I let the beavers be. That fall they fell 3 large trees...into his field. I didn't say anything. That next fall I see more trees laying down & the top pond spillway had been plugged, it flooded around one end & ended up washing out & draining that pond. He said "trap every beaver that you can".
 
They came up a creek from the river a mile to the east. Gnawed a few willows. Then left. Guess that they don't care for box elders, locusts and walnuts that were the major trees along the creek bottom. Maybe got lucky. Didn't think they liked ponds, more of a stream critter?

Muskrats got into the pond, plugged the overflow tube, heavy rain had water go over the emergency spillway. I cut a hole in the ice, ran some rerod I'd welded together with a ball of barbed wire on the end down the tube to dislodge the plug. Trapped them hard, end of problem.
 
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