Beaver problems

Justins1877

Justins1877

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Surrey,BC
I own a cabin on about 1 square mile of property in Princeton, BC. Very beautiful area and town.
Sadly, I have a serious beaver problem. They are causing 10's of thousands of dollars of damage to the roads, and property, not to mention my trees. It's so bad it almost looks like a clear cut in some spots.

After doing much research regarding the beaver, I found some very interesting information out, such as hunting and trapping it and general information about these rodents.

I have a great deal of respect for these rodents, due to them being mini architect/engineers. They are also the second largest rodents in the world. Besides humans, they have the ability to change their surroundings more then any other animal. Can hold their breath for 10-15 minutes, weigh 65 lbs and up. These are some of the things that interest me about the beaver.

Based on holding their breath for 10-15 minutes, I will not get it trapped with a connibear trap and make it suffer. I would much rather shoot it, quick and painless

Checking the Ministry of Environments website on the the permits required to rid myself of these beavers and their dams and lodges, it seems like a huge run-around. Permit to destroy the dam, permit to let water out, permit to destroy the beaver, ect.. I look at Ontario's regs, and it's basically open season, what gives?

Anyone have basically the same thing going on, or been through this and can offer some general advice regarding permits and do's and don't of beaver hunting?
 
They've been a real problem here in Sk. were there is a bounty on them, I've been shooting them steady, it's good for trying out different loads/bullets. That's why I'm calling my new LBT designed bullets the "Beaver-lution" bullets. I've shot them with .17 rf. ,.44 Mags., 45/70, and 50/90 Sharps...they flop around alot when hit by the .17 but, the big .50 calms things quickly.
 
Not really concerned about the gun i'm going to use, I figure a .223 or a 308 will be more then enough.
As for the BMG, if there any water left in the pond after a shot? The HS50 is way to heavy to lug up to where my beavers setup camp.

It seems the best way to hunt them is to tear down some of their main dam in the day, come back 30 minutes before dark, and they'll be already repairing it.
 
Fall is the best time to get rid of them - Use an excavator or explosives to open the dam up wide and once it is drained, put a few pieces of drain tile through the trench - leaving at least 20 ft of tile on the upstream side - staked so that it is not sitting on the bottom.

If you are shooting them - good luck - there are always more. By the way - the best place to shoot a beaver is in the lip - no kidding - they will come up on shore and quickly die - if you want the hide.

A connibear does not drown them - it squeezes them - well okay - suffocation by squeeze is close to drowning - but death is likely quicker than most bullet kills on them - they sure are tough.

One last suggestion - put roadkill skunks on the lodge - beavers have a sensitive nose. The greenies will love that idea.
 
I would not feel guilty about using a connibear trap. Most beaver I have seen were crushed flat by the trap much like a mouse in a mouse trap. You will likley never shoot them all but a trap is working even when your not there. I think your best chance to rid property of beavers is a shooting/trapping combination.
 
Trapping is the most efficient and effective way if you want to rid yourself of the problem (for awhile :D)
 
i asked a conservation officer something similar once ....... and i got the third degree about even thinking about shooting a beaver .

to do it legally in b.c. you need a trapper .

the only way around it might be self defense , which is going to lead to the HUGE problem of thousands of beaver self defense threads now :D
 
a canabear is a very god trap for beavers thy donot suffer at all a 330 is the best size fo beavers .and i am sure if you seen one work you would change yoru mind quik .if it is good enough for the europein union and all the trap standereds we have today .it is good enoigh for me i have taken 40 beavers last winter with 300s connys and no one suffered DUTCH
 
I have had the same problem here in ON. I was told by everyone I knew including a very experienced trapper to shoot them. I didn't want to do that and I thought that I could find a way to deter them. I went to the library and got out books on beavers. I found that the bucks mark their territory by making a mud mound and putting musk around and on it. So I actually ordered beaver juice (musk? don't remember what they call it) from SIR back in the day. Didn't faze them. I wrapped as many trees as I could in chicken wire, which is great but I couldn't wrap that many trees. I called the Ministry of the Environment. After they confirmed that it was on private property they advised me to shoot them. I didn't find that answer acceptable at the time so I kept asking questions. CO said look, there is a biologist that works out of this office who has made it his life's work to study beavers, I will get him to call you. You know what he said? Shoot it! So I did eventually do that. I have a lot of respect for them as well, but sometimes you really do not have any other option. Gun fire only deters them for a very short time, they always come back.

Now all that said after dealing with another beaver on another property I would encourage you to do some more research about installing pipes under the water level that will permanently render the damns ineffective as a previous poster was mentioning. The key to the technique is that they do not hear the water flowing as it is under water and so do not damn the pipe. Check out devices such as beaverculvert, beavercone, etc. Lots of products and techniques out there. You need to deal with the ones that are there now, but you also need to prevent flooding in the future. They are like a vast army, you take one down, there will be two to replace him - not right away, but long term.
 
17 HMR or better yet a Hornet or 222. Pack a thermos of hot coffee and sit in a good location overlooking the flood. Head shots in the shallows if you intend on recovering the beaver for bounty. Consult your local game personnel as per legal issues. Pleasant way to spend the evening as well.
 
Call a trapper to come take care of your problem critters.
Either that or see the post with the 3 S' .
If you tear it down , they will only return with more sticks/twigs and determination
to prevent the dam from breaking.
Rob
 
I use my old .32 Special. Let the beaver come up on shore or on the dam....Boom! Beaver doesn't move again. We have scads of the things around here. They carry lots of parasites and are very destructive. They are not a rare animal by any means!
 
... It's a LOOOONG SHOT, but contact,directly, Fisheries, and also Conservation/Wildlife/Environment, as there MAY be, some available, either assistance ( suggestions) or even a Money Grant to remove them from the waterway(s) ... Fish Enhancement. ..... David K
 
get a hold of the local C O and get the name and number of the trapper who has the area you live in then get a hold of him and make him aware of your problem.most trapper take care of nuisance beaver when the season opens as they can make some money off them.I used to look after all my nuisance beaver and try and keep people happy as it gave me access to area that I may not have been able to get to before.
 
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