Beaver has killed at least 8-Trees in a few weeks

[dmccarty]

On three separate occasions I have enjoyed watching destroyed dams being repaired. They are consummate engineers. The old notion that - "there, we've torn it down, now they will leave" - is a fools notion. Who do you think built it. They are not only expert in dam building, but on a repair - they have the knowledge of how it was constructed, in the first place.

Yep, if you destroy the dams, they will rebuild. The problem with relocation, which is illegal in NC, is that other beavers will return, especially if the habitat is good. The pond leveler I posted a link too earlier works. It is nothing more than a large diameter pipe, usually PVC, pushed through the dam. Holes are drilled in the upstream end of the pipe and the pipe is set as low in the dam as possible. The pipe needs to run a decent distance upstream and downstream from the dam. A 90 degree bend and pipe are on the down stream end of the pipe to control the pond level.

Beavers are smart but not smart enough to figure that the pipe ENDS are causing the water to leave the pond. They will "fix" the part of the dam where the pipe is located because they can hear the water running through the pipe but that does not stop the water from flowing.

Later,
Dan

 

[dmccarty]

^^^^
Too true. They had a culvert plugged on one of our main haul roads. ...

On one of the major man made lakes in my area, a four land highway runs across the lake. The highway cuts off one finger of the lake and there is a small "pool" as a result. The pool is connected to the main body of the lake via culverts under the four land highway. For years I had noticed that the water level in the pool was higher than the lake, sometimes MUCH higher. So high it looked like it might actually flood the highway. :shocked:

I saw DOT crews working in the median once upon a time and I figured they were looking for the blockage in the culverts. :confused3: Anywho, years pass and they started building an overflow channel from the small pool, through the woods, and down to the lake. Twas obvious that this was cheaper and far less disruptive than digging up part of a four lane highway. Having said that, they spent months putting in the channel but it did drain the pool and maintains it's water level.

There are some HUGE culverts under the highway. At a different spot there is another set of culverts going from the main lake to a pool and if the water is rising or falling fast, you can see where the culverts are located by the volume of water popping pop up from the lake floor. Pretty impressive.

Not sure how large the culverts are that got blocked but I would guess six feet? The question is what caused the blockage? I don't see any surface subsidence which one would expect if the culvert collapsed. I wonder if beaver clogged up the culvert under the pipe and there was no safe way to clean the blockage. :confused3: I had hoped to read something in the local media but I never saw a thing.

Later,
Dan

 

[PILOON]

Relocation, Yeah, just pass on the problem to somebody else.
Would you relocate a rat? or mouse?
(OK, I know of some that actually do that.)
A beaver is just a rodent! big one.

Simple, protect any trees you wish to keep with hardware mesh.

 

[oosik]

Piloon - my post #39. In that situation, the beavers were relocated to the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. Out there they can do their thing and nobody suffers damage.

Relocate them to the stream that flows thru the neighbors property. Your statement is spot on. You should be tarred/feathered and set on fire.

Contact your local Dept of Fish & Game. Will they trap & relocate - can you trap and they relocate. Something that CAN be beneficial should, at least, be given a chance before being destroyed.

I've witnessed the vast damage they can do. I'm no tree hugger but to destroy without exploring any alternatives - unacceptable.

That would be the same as me - shooting one of the neighbors cows because it broke thru my barbed wire fence.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Beaver meat is pretty tasty (keep your minds out of the gutter). Many years ago, friends had a cabin where the beavers work was washing the pond banks out. Problem solved and nothing went to waste.

 

[oosik]

I still contend, your answer to the beaver situation. Either trap/relocate OR start ordering "beaver chow" at your local Feed & Seed store.

There are, at least, a couple reasons beaver will establish where they are. Flowing water that can be dammed to create a pond & a food supply. I just hope the family, in my little lake, ARE eating the bulbous roots of the cattails. They have chewed off all the low limbs on my big Weeping Willow and there are no other trees available. Time will tell if they choose to attack the main trunk of the willow. It's around 28" in diameter at the base.

 

[riptides]

Trap them. If you have chain link use it where applicable on the trees you want to save. If they create a pond, it will need Beaver maintenance over time. It's not like they are doing you a favor, unless you want some land cleared. Even then you will have to work their efforts as they like to leave some trees and bushes alone.

As far as eating them, yeah, nothing special. Too greasy and hard to skin, IMHO.

 

[oosik]

Long ago, about the time God made dirt, we had another family of beaver on my little lake. At that time there were groves of Alder, Aspen, Birch & Willow in the big valley that drains into the lake. They cleared that all out and only a very few old dry stumps remain.

At my location the beavers are DEFINITELY doing me a big favor. Their low dam on the outlet is controlling discharge and maintaining a more static water level, over the entire year. They willingly do routine maintenance on this dam. Otherwise, it would be simply another task to add to my list.

 

[oosik]

And to add to my post above - I don't have the engineering skills, the drive or energy to build/maintain that dam.

 

[riptides]

And to add to my post above - I don't have the engineering skills, the drive or energy to build/maintain that dam.

Deer made a nice path that we used to walk over the dams. It is a nice piece of engineering. Alas, as the beaver foraged closer to the house, the traps came out. I think it took about two years after for the dam to give way. The entire landscape was altered. Now, it's back to a deep creek with heavy brush and sapling growth in abundance.