Repelling / Deterring Beavers

[muttbarker]

Howdy this is definitely off topic but I thought I would see if some of the smart folk on here could give me some advice. I live in Northern Utah and have acreage on the Weber River. We had a beaver family that did enormous damage to our cottonwood trees a few years back (prior to my buying the land). I had them trapped and sent off to beaver heaven.

I recently discovered that they are back in the neighborhood. It is to late to bring in a trapper as the river is already pretty significantly iced over so that will have to be done in the spring. I am wondering if anyone on here has had any luck with a repellent. I have read that hot sauce may do the trick but I have a very large river woodland area (at least an acre right on the river) so I wanted to get some feedback before I start in on this. They have already decimated two trees in a matter of a week or so to the point where I will have to fell them as they ready to go and are quite dangerous.

Any advice is appreciated. And, no, I can't fence the area it is to large.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[Jstpssng]

Call a trapper, even if the river is freezing. I wouldn't even know how to catch a beaver if it isn't under the ice.

 

[ovrszd]

Actually freezing over helps the trapper. Call a trapper.

 

[Jstpssng]

Actually freezing over helps the trapper. Call a trapper.

I've got a few problem houses I need to set up myself, but am waiting for things to freeze solid. I just found another one tonight, we already are losing a culvert because of it. The cold also makes the fur prime up.

 

[m1garand762]

Check with the department of wildlife in Ohio as the landowner I can trap out of season when the water isn’t frozen. I can also shoot them which I do all the time, including the one on my. Wall that took a .17 hmr to the head in an unfortunate collision

 

[Jstpssng]

Check with the department of wildlife in Ohio as the landowner I can trap out of season when the water isn’t frozen. I can also shoot them which I do all the time, including the one on my. Wall that took a .17 hmr to the head in an unfortunate collision View attachment 773508

He looks like he should be wearing a cape!

 

[oosik]

Around these parts - winter trapping is the most successful. Call your state wildlife agency regarding trapping. Many places have a government trapper that will provide the service.

 

[riptides]

Howdy this is definitely off topic but I thought I would see if some of the smart folk on here could give me some advice. I live in Northern Utah and have acreage on the Weber River. We had a beaver family that did enormous damage to our cottonwood trees a few years back (prior to my buying the land). I had them trapped and sent off to beaver heaven.

I recently discovered that they are back in the neighborhood. It is to late to bring in a trapper as the river is already pretty significantly iced over so that will have to be done in the spring. I am wondering if anyone on here has had any luck with a repellent. I have read that hot sauce may do the trick but I have a very large river woodland area (at least an acre right on the river) so I wanted to get some feedback before I start in on this. They have already decimated two trees in a matter of a week or so to the point where I will have to fell them as they ready to go and are quite dangerous.

Any advice is appreciated. And, no, I can't fence the area it is to large.

Thanks,
Kevin

They come and go. I ended up putting chain link around some trees to deter them. I also trapped them with great success using Conibear 220 traps. Easy to use, simple to setup, great kill rate. A phone call was all I needed to DNR with the magic word "pest" in it, to get around seasonal and other regulations in my state.

 

[oosik]

BTW - welcome to TBN - muttbarker. Around our area the beavers do not bother the cottonwood trees. And fortunately not the pines either. All I have here are Ponderosa pines. Our beavers are strictly the "smooth barked" tree beavers. Popular, alder, quaken asp, willow, birch and, I suppose, fruit trees if they are close enough.

I have an extended family of beavers on my ten acre lake. Their efforts are beneficial. A low dam at the outlet provides excellent water level control. The beavers here pull up cattails and eat the bulbous root structure.

 

[MiniDonkey22]

i have been at war with beavers for a few decades in upstate ny. They can flood 10 acres of my meadows if left unchecked. Agree with trapper; but i enjoy actively putting pressure on them - pulling down their small dams and very importantly - get out there in early spring (snow still on ground) and dissuade them from bedding on my property to have pups. I like the time in the woods, good cardio exercise pulling their dens and dams apart with waders on. A few weeks of nearly daily 'war' and they move to a different section of my streams which are completely wild - no people or farms.