Need advice on getting rid of nuisance beavers

[Texman]

I have a problem with beavers on a small pond in my backyard.  Does anyone have experience getting rid of them?  Does the Game and Fish commission help out in the elimination?  or will I need to hire/find a trapper?  Thanks for any advice.

[philobeddoe]

You just about have to get a trapper or trap them yourself.  You can blow up the dam 10 times and those rascals will rebuild it 10 times.  You have to get rid of the beavers. 

[IronHog]

I have a problem with beavers on a small pond in my backyard.  Does anyone have experience getting rid of them?  Does the Game and Fish commission help out in the elimination?  or will I need to hire/find a trapper?  Thanks for any advice.

1.  The cheapest option is to take them out yourself.  .22 with high velocity rounds will work with head shots.  Beavers are active early and late like most animals.  You can quietly disturb (just enough to get good water leaking) the dam to promote movement the day before a "hunt"

2.  If that doesn't work there are people who remove beavers and other problem animals for a living.  My father hired a man to remove a sneaky beaver from his pond this past spring.

[Texman]

You just about have to get a trapper or trap them yourself.  You can blow up the dam 10 times and those rascals will rebuild it 10 times.  You have to get rid of the beavers. 

I am beginning to believe my most efficient method will be to hire a trapper.  I burned the den last summer and it was 2 times as big in 2 weeks.  The beavers are really starting to take a lot of trees now... I guess I better get busy on hiring someone.  Thanks for the input.

[IronHog]

I am beginning to believe my most efficient method will be to hire a trapper.  I burned the den last summer and it was 2 times as big in 2 weeks.  The beavers are really starting to take a lot of trees now... I guess I better get busy on hiring someone.  Thanks for the input.

DO NOT disturb the lodge.  This will simply drive the beavers nocturnal and make your job that much harder.

After the beavers are removed then burn the lodge to discourage new beavers from moving in........

[Hammibal Lecter]

[twistitup]

Go fishing and take your rifle (or a pistol if you are a good shot). You will see them early and late, great time to fish as well!

[HogBreath]

I hate those dang stinkin beavers!

[Tom A]

We had a big problem several years ago.  Used dynamite on the dens and they built back immediately.  The G&F came out and showed us how to set cable traps.  We finally got rid of them using the cable noose.  We would check the traps every day and shoot the beavers.  We killed 6-7, and they haven't been back since.

They were making mince meat of our trees, so something had to be done.

[ConwayHog]

All of you boys go hunting and can't even shoot an animal. 

[HogNuttz]

I have a problem with beavers on a small pond in my backyard.  Does anyone have experience getting rid of them?  Does the Game and Fish commission help out in the elimination?  or will I need to hire/find a trapper?  Thanks for any advice.

I shot one in the head with a .243 once.  I'm pretty sure that worked.

[mah5969]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_qGISYy5CY&feature=related

[David†]

Is it the elusive North American Hairless Beaver? 

[DeltaBoy]

440 Conibears work great set them at the bottom of a slide and bye bye beaver.  The G&F dept used to bring you a bottle of Cyanide with a probe and a timer that released the gas into the den at various intervals to kill off the beavers.

[sooieet]

Just get you a medium sized alligator and turn it loose near the dam.  Of course, then you'll have a gator to deal with, but they don't eat trees, so it should make life better. 

[Wayne Watson]

Get a trapper.  I would use 3/32 snares to keep pets out.  Keep the hams if he'll let you....good eating.  Cook it like deer steak.

[philobeddoe]

It's hard to kill a beaver.  I watched one crawl off after being shot in the head with buck shot, and I watched another one crawl off after being hit by a Ford F-150 traveling over 60 mph. 

[Texman]

I talked with a trapper and he is setting the traps tonight.  He thinks he will get them all in 2 or 3 days.  I guess time will tell.

[95_alum]

Conibear

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O36w8kTbT3Q&feature=related

[JIMMY BOARFFETT]

Go out to the lodge and push a hole into it from the top.  Drop about 4 or 5 sticks of 2x16 inch tovex into the hole stopping short of the main chamber of the lodge.  Run the detonation cord to a point on the bank where you can approach it undetected attache the fuse and cap.  Wait until high noon the next day when all the beavers and beaverlettes are in the lodge.  Sneak up and light the fuse.  Problem solved!

[IronHog]

Conibear

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O36w8kTbT3Q&feature=related

Looks like a good way for your lab to lose a leg.


.22 is easier.

[IronHog]

Go out to the lodge and push a hole into it from the top.  Drop about 4 or 5 sticks of 2x16 inch tovex into the hole stopping short of the main chamber of the lodge.  Run the detonation cord to a point on the bank where you can approach it undetected attache the fuse and cap.  Wait until high noon the next day when all the beavers and beaverlettes are in the lodge.  Sneak up and light the fuse.  Problem solved!

Would you stay in your house while someone stood on the roof and tore a hole in the roof?

[HuntinHog]

Go fishing and take your rifle (or a pistol if you are a good shot). You will see them early and late, great time to fish as well!

I have a friend who used this method a few weeks ago.  He has a small lake on his property which is probably better described as a large and a small farm pond connected by a 10 food wide channel.  He shot the largest beaver I have ever seen, but by the next weekend the beaver's next of kin had worked overtime and darn near closed the gap between the ponds.  I've been told the counter attack will be brutal...

[JusticeHawg]

It's hard to kill a beaver.  I watched one crawl off after being shot in the head with buck shot, and I watched another one crawl off after being hit by a Ford F-150 traveling over 60 mph. 

Dangdest thing I ever saw.........almost felt like hitting a treestump  with the underside of the truck........and that sucker crawled back into the pond.........did more damage to the truck than the beaver I think.....

[JusticeHawg]

I have a friend who used this method a few weeks ago.  He has a small lake on his property which is probably better described as a large and a small farm pond connected by a 10 food wide channel.  He shot the largest beaver I have ever seen, but by the next weekend the beaver's next of kin had worked overtime and darn near closed the gap between the ponds.  I've been told the counter attack will be brutal...

Tell him to bring the entire arsenal.........maybe some depleted uranium shells too........they are like little furry tanks.........

[Veritas Arkansas]

Tell them you think their sister is hotter than they are.  Or tell them you have the clap.

They'll never come back to bug you again.

[JIMMY BOARFFETT]

Would you stay in your house while someone stood on the roof and tore a hole in the roof?

No, but if I were a beaver, I would come back by the next day.  They do.

[Texman]

Update:  Two 40 pound beavers were caught last night.... trapper thinks that may be all, but will run the traps for another day or so.

[deshahawg]

Congrats on the catch. Hopefully they didn't destroy to many trees.

[DeltaBoy]

Good now skin them and smoke those suckers in the smoker basting with your favorite sause at 250 till done. 

Get some Ranch style beans and some fried Taters and don't forget the sweet tea and your set for some GOOD EATING!

[Texman]

I have heard that they are good eating.  I asked the trapper and he said his wife wouldn't cook them and he probably wouldn't eat them.  He said he uses the meat as bait to trap bobcats.  I would like to try them, but am currently 400 miles away. 

[crispy crittr]

Glad to hear your getting rid of them.  Here are a couple of links from my Game and Fish e-newsletter from last week that I just looked at.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.agfc.com/wildlife-conservation/nuisance.aspx
http://www.agfc.com/wildlife-conservation/nuisance/nuisance_beavers.aspx
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've had smoked beaver a couple of times at wild game dinners and it is very good. You won't find any fat on a beaver. Both times it was from a crop duster who trapped them on a customer's farm. The farmer was more than happy for him to come out and get an entree for the dinner.

[Texman]

Glad to hear your getting rid of them.  Here are a couple of links from my Game and Fish e-newsletter from last week that I just looked at.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.agfc.com/wildlife-conservation/nuisance.aspx
http://www.agfc.com/wildlife-conservation/nuisance/nuisance_beavers.aspx
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've had smoked beaver a couple of times at wild game dinners and it is very good. You won't find any fat on a beaver. Both times it was from a crop duster who trapped them on a customer's farm. The farmer was more than happy for him to come out and get an entree for the dinner.

Thanks for the links.

[Wayne Watson]

Looks like a good way for your lab to lose a leg.


.22 is easier.

That where the snare comes into play.  Most pets will sit down like on a leash when a snare closes on them.  Let 'em go...no harm done and they learned a lesson.

[DeltaBoy]

Yep with those Conibears you best keep the pets locked up.  A 440 will snap a hickory shedge hammer clean into.  That is why I like them critters never drag them off.

[Swino]

Dangdest thing I ever saw.........almost felt like hitting a treestump  with the underside of the truck........and that sucker crawled back into the pond.........did more damage to the truck than the beaver I think.....

Did it bite your nipple off??