Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Beaver dams/wetland resto

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve watched several videos where wetlands/streams are being restored in places like Nevada and Idaho. It seems that the same is happening in Europe.

It’s pretty amazing to see how much water is retained even during droughts. I would thing that the carryover to game, bird and mammal, would pretty impressive for overall health and numbers.

While the beaver is a hated animal by many they seem to have a tremendous benefit when controlled.


Have any of you guys seen the direct results or been involved in any of these projects?

The few beaver I've had interaction with in
this region were destructive pests that dug
and undercut the banks and dams on
stock tanks and small lakes
and destroyed valuable trees. They're more
or less like feral hogs and coyotes and other
furry varmints that get trapped or shot or
trapped and shot.

Unfortunately most all fur in this part of
the world is next to worthless so most
every pest goes in the boneyard at the
back fence, or used for baiting other pests

They create great wetlands for ducks around home.

They've really changed an area I've hunted for over 30 years in southern Idaho. They've changed the way we have to get around because some roads are now under water.

Bb

Beaver in the process of ruining a dam across the fence of a neighbor a good bit backs up on us. Talked with him and offered to help with the problem offering access to bring equipment in from our side t ease repairing it. We’ve been able to keep a handle on this for nearly 40 years but it now requires a good trackhoe to repair. He hasn’t even went to look at it and says it needs nothing. Next heavy rain with significant runoff it will wash completely out.

Are the game animals happier now?

They will do a number on a cornfield. One slough I used to hunt had a lodge in it. The beavers made roads into the corn and dragged the stalks into the water. Slough dried up a few years ago so I guess that problem is solved.

Beaver pond is the best thing to keep wood ducks happy and duck hunters

Brook trout love beaver ponds too

In some desert/drought prone areas, beaver can be beneficial.

Here is western Oregon, they make everything even more wet.

Game warden tells me they make excellent mountain lion bait. But it’s a felony if I do it, so I won’t test that theory.

BMT

Around here the Beaver is the foundation for many creatures, many of them fur bearing, the others are just good eating.

We have nuisance wildlife permits to shoot the bastards and tear out dams. Way too many dam beavers in our area. Lots of lost timberland from the flooding.

I have 2 beaver Dams on my property. They are more than welcome there. They have changed the habitat for the better. 3 lodges and tons of wildlife inhabit the area. Huge bonus in my book. While they do munch on some trees that’s the trade off I can deal with. All kinds of aquatic life, fish, ducks, otters, eagles and osprey, mink, fishers, deer and turkeys, etc…

A good beaver is delicious.





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Stupid beavers changing the hydrology and screwing up the drainage which floods strip mall parking lots and impedes traffic flow into and out of the Walmarts…. Don’t those beavers, as dumb as they are, know that if they mess with the “natural runoff” from our pavement, concrete and steel then we can’t control the excess water.

If the beavers insist on continuing to mess with us and mess with our ability to control Mother Nature in a way that WE see fit and best then I’d suggest confronting them politely. They ain’t called Castor Canadensis for nothing….the “Canad” part of Canadensis stands for Canada because the North American beaver was extremely polite and helpful to the settlers and pioneers of the New World just like Canadians were. 😂

And they's all good, some'r jus good'r n others?

Good to see your sense of humor is intact tonight!

Like most things -they do good in places.
But are also bad in places.
Control is imperative.

Depends on how tall they build their dam. I've seen two dams taller than me that severely impacted downstream wetlands (hunting grounds) and needed to be removed. But for the most part out here, unless you are a farmer, they're pretty useful.

Beaver make a constant job for me we have a river go threw the north part of our land....i usually shoot around 10 the limit my DNR permit allows trap around another 20 during trapping season every year no idea how many end up wolf food its not enough....its like a plague !

I couldn't even imagine how bad they would be if I couldn't shoot them all summer !