Winter Scouting

[T-Bar]

I have been contacted by a landowner that came into my work and he talked to me about coming out and taking care of a beaver problem in the river that runs through his land.

I've had great success the past few winters catching beaver through the ice in drainage ditches. However I was able to get out there and scout before winter so I already knew where the beavers were concentrating their efforts and I was able to put 330's on both sides of the bank den...done deal.

My questions are how do you go about scouting for beaver sign in the winter like this. If there is a hut...I know about the ice on top where the warm air seeps up...I have seen that before. And I have found food piles and branches sticking up through the ice before. But recently got dumped with about 14" of snow around here so I'm afraid it will be tough to locate food piles through the ice or bank dens or huts?

I guess I have never scouted for beaver this late into the season...am I better off waiting till spring? Any tips or tricks?

[Bogmaster]

 The sun will melt off some of the snow on feed beds.I have found them in 3 feet of snow. Beware of river ice--I don't like it.
 While I prefer open water beavering, if you have nothing else going on--spend some time looking things over.If you can't find the feedbeds or runs, wait till ice out.
 Tom

[travfeasby]

tom why dont you like river ice . i think i am going to learn something new here.

[Bogmaster]

 I have broken through the ice, to many times to like any ice--and any ice with moving water underneath it--is even worse.
 Tom

[Macthediver]

As someone who does and has taught ice rescue I'll help Tom out a bit here with his dislike of river ice.

There are many reasons river ice is less safe than say pond or lake ice as a general rule river ice is considered at least 15% weaker than say lake ice. I'll hit on some of the major reasons that should give you and idea of what to look at and think about.
 
River water is generally in motion all the time even if it's a very low flow. So currents working under the ice can make it unpredicable from day to day as it wears on the ice sheet unseen. Rivers levels tend to go up and down with tempurature changes as melt water flows in or stops flowing in. This can leave the ice sheet floating with open water or soft ice at the edges along the bank. Or as the water drops the ice sheet can become suspended along shore around beaver lodges or other obstructions. Ice gets a great deal of it's strength from the water it floats on supporting it. Not only is it very dangerous to walk on ice where the water has dropped leaving it suspended. It can be impossible to get out on you own once you've fallen threw and difficult or impossible for even a rescuer to assist you getting out. River ice tends to be stronger on straight aways and weaker on curves again because of current. Current can stack ice up creating pack ice which can be very unstable and dangerous to walk on or cross. Ice on rivers is often subject to what is called over flow where water runs on top of the ice. Anytime you have water on top of ice it is degrading the ice and making it soft. Just like ice in your drink glass water degrades ice because it's warmer.
There you go..
These are just some of the many factors that make river ice less safe to be on. I know I can list more but for the sake of not writting a book or sounding like a preacher,,, I'll leave it at the very high points.
Now all that said I still travel on river ice myself. But I pay close attention to the condition I'm dealing with and usually I wear a float coat.  I don't just wander around without sounding the ice with a spud bar or looking at the big picture.
Good luck and be safe.

Mac

[Bogmaster]

 Thanks for the info Mark.
 Tom

[travfeasby]

wow thanks mac very infor. ice scares the tar out of me and now i know why. thank you again.