Beaver eradication..

[ironglow]

Beavers are doing real damage to my woods ! They are flooding a large area and have girdled and left standing, trees up to 14" in diameter.
  I have been awarded a permit by the DEC to eradicate them and break down the dam. The permit allows me to either shoot or trap them, but since I am a hunter and not a trapper, I am not greatly familiar with their habits. Are they primarily nocturnal ? How would you go about shooting them ?
   Any input from somebody with experience on this issue, would be much appreciated.

[curteric]

If you have a good place to see the dam and shoot from, Breach the dam. As the water level in the pond starts to drop they will come to see whats going on, and stop up the hole you put in the dam. They usually crawl up on the dam and you can shoot them. You can do this during the day even though they tend to be nocturnal. I've done this a number of times. It usually doesn't take long if you put a big enough hole in the dam.

[bulletstuffer]

They move at dusk and dawn too.  Get a good vantage point and enjoy natures show while your waiting for the destructive critters.  A bigger caliber and heavy bullets that penetrate the water make good pest control.  Good luck

Bulletstuffer