Need Beaver Help!

[Lon371]

 Wifes uncle over in Otisco has a beaver dropping trees .  I know nothing of beavers. I thought they made dams on running water? These are living in a small pond. They have a dome den built. He thinks they are dropping the trees to stop the overflow from the pond.

 Question, when do you hunt beavers day or night? He has never seen them in the day.
               How do you hunt them? like a coyote with lights?

Lonny

[LaOtto222]

You trap them. That is how you do it legally. We had them on our lake. They were at the other end of the lake. I thought they were interesting to watch. The people at the other end did not like them much. They were knocking down trees in their front yards Over the next trapping season, they were all gone. I think they have to constantly chew to keep their teeth from growing out of control, it an instict with them to chew. I know they store branches under water for winter food - they eat the bark.

[Graybeard]

You and me both Lon. They were getting into my pond and trying to set up house keeping there. My trees were disappearing rapidly. I managed to get them stopped from coming in but then they started cutting the trees along my driveway.

There is a beaver pond across the highway a couple hundred yards away with far more and closer trees but it seems they prefer mine. At least I've not had a visit lately so hope the situation has resolved itself. I have no clue how I'd go about trapping as beaver trapping is generally a water activity and I have no water they are visiting now that they can't get to my pond. I did research and determine they are coming at night. Several viduals at night tho gained me nothing. I do have a permit to shoot or trap them but can't seem to accomplish the task.

[Dinny]

Lonny,
  My grandfather lives in New Albany.  He is a beaver trapping expert, having trapped for many years in northern IL. He controls them very well out at Southern Hills in Borden where our property is.  All I know is they don't like #4 buck shot from shotguns. I thought there was some sorta beaver repellent out there, but that is a very distant memory of mine.    I will get his phone number or email address for ya. In Otisco, how far from the Concrete Lady on Hwy 3?

Also the folks at Chick's Archery are somewhat knowledgeable folks (depends on who's there), they also sell trapping supplies. I have a jar of beaver castor I will give you when I return.  They can't resist that smell.

Dinny

[cwall]

I have trapped beaver for quite a few years and shot many as well.  I shoot them with a 22 Mag with a 4X scope without the use of a light.  You need to choose a clear night without wind and position yourself so that the surface of the water looks like a mirror.  You will do better if you use a blind, because they are smart critters, and if they see you they will be gone like smoke.  With the surface of the water mirror-like, their wake is easy to see, and through the scope you will see their head and sometimes a portion of their back - bang! dead beaver.  After the first couple of kills, they will start to move very slowly with only a portion of their head above the water so you really have to look for them.

If they moved in this year, you probably have only the parents and a couple of young.  Beaver stay with their parents for two years and then are kicked out usually in the early spring after a new litter is born.  It is interesting that each litter will either be all males or all females so the two-year olds will have to mate with beaver of another colony.

You should pick up a book about trapping beaver, because sometimes they get wise to the shooting before you get the entire colony.  They are pretty easy to trap using either body gripper traps or snares.  I use mostly snares.
Good luck and have fun - they make good targets

[Lon371]

 Dinny,
  Otisco is about 5 miles up 31 from concrete lady.

 Well I did a little reading on the web. They are nocturnal creatures This is good and bad. Good because it wont interfere with deer hunting. Bad I don't have a good light(yet) One way some people are getting them to come out in the open, is to make a hole in the den. They will come out and expose themselves to fix. The uncle talked to a DNR officer, said there is a trapping season, but if they are doing damage they can be stopped .

  My boy is itching to use his .17 hmr, and my .22 is pretty accurate. I don't have buckshot, do have some turkey shot for the shotguns.
  I am going to Bass pro this evening to look at red lights. Will probably try to get one I can use on coyotes as well. Yotes were in the yard again Sunday night. So a decent light will pay off.


Lonny
Hey Dinny, sharpen your knife. I need a beaver hat

[Dinny]

Dinny,
  Otisco is about 5 miles up 31 from concrete lady.

Hey Dinny, sharpen your knife. I need a beaver hat

Lonny,
  We'll see about that hat of yours.   At least we won't have to have clothespins on our nose.

Dinny

[mechanic]

Better stop them quick.  Apparently, once a dam is built and the area flooded, it becomes a "wetland" and is under fed. protection.  My boss ran into this when the beavers dammed a creek on his acreage.  He was told locally that if he drained it, he could get in serious trouble.......apparently even though he bought the land, the government must own it............

[bigvarmnt]

Oh I See, It's a race whether Lonny gets a Beaver or a Skunk hat Let the race begin! I think the Skunk hat would make a better cover scent while deer hunting.

[Lon371]

Better stop them quick.  Apparently, once a dam is built and the area flooded, it becomes a "wetland" and is under fed. protection.  My boss ran into this when the beavers dammed a creek on his acreage.  He was told locally that if he drained it, he could get in serious trouble.......apparently even though he bought the land, the government must own it............

Thats about the truth. But they are on a pond. Their hut,den is opposite of the spillway. But they have dropped trees near the spill way. Knowing her uncle the trees are probably out of the pond already.

Oh I See, It's a race whether Lonny gets a Beaver or a Skunk hat Let the race begin! I think the Skunk hat would make a better cover scent while deer hunting.

 I would love a skunk skin   But i would settle for a beaver hat on my head

Lonny

[Dinny]

I would love a skunk skin   But i would settle for a beaver hat on my head
Lonny

Lonny,
  My grandfather trapped a beaver in N. IL back in the mid-60's that weighed just over 80 lbs. It held the state record for a number of years until someone trapped a 100-pounder off the Mississippi River. He had it professionally tanned and it has been hung on his spare bedroom wall for as long as I can remember. I hope to someday inherit that hide and have my own hat made.  Being that size, I could prolly get a scarf and gloves made too. Who knows, maybe even a pullover for a R/C car to lure coyotes in with.

Dinny   4 more days.......

[Lon371]

I hope to someday inherit that hide and have my own hat made.  Being that size, I could prolly get a scarf and gloves made too. Who knows, maybe even a pullover for a R/C car to lure coyotes in with.

LOL, Was it black and white? or brown?

Lonny

[Dinny]

LOL, Was it black and white? or brown?
Lonny

Definitely brown!!!  Lol


Dinny

[Dinny]

Lonny,
  First of all, it was nice to meet you in-person today. I forgot to mention in our short time that I spoke to my grandfather about those pesky beavers in Otisco.  He agreed that the beavers would be out early the next morning repairing their dam if it were damaged.  He suggested a tractor with a bucket on the front to inflict some damage to one end of the dam.  But you should be there the very next morning with your light.  Other than that, if it's not too far, he may be interested in trapping them.  I have to talk to him more about that later.

Thanks, Dinny

[Lon371]

   Dinny
 Was good meeting you as well. Thanks, I will talk to the Uncle. Need to get over there for a look still. He does have a bucket mounted I think.


Lonny

[hunt-m-up]

Beaver snares, well-anchored of course. A couple dozen snares will go a long ways.

http://www.snareshop.com/

This guy sells them and has instructions on the website for using them.