Beavers

Late evening to dusk as mentioned is the witching hr. to be pond side and waiting. The 17 HMR should be fine. Ding them in the head, it is not nearly as difficult as what some portray. They do not die on the spot, they dive instinctively. Sometimes you see them again sometimes not. I have shot many this way with a 22mag. Never mind all the BS about shooting over the water and fur bearing animals. Use your common sense when picking your shots and follow the three "S" code. Shoot, Shovel, Shut Up.!!
 
On my old land, had a big pond, I had a very bad beaver problem!!! I mean big! I was losing ten trees a day not joking! I had my trapper's lic, plus got a permint to kill any and all. Started out doing the same thing, tear down the dam a bit and pop one with the 22's, but, if luckie, get one or two in a night, next day 10 more tree's down, then you have wait for days again for them to come out in the light, they wait until total dark. Then more tree's down!! Then I did a big blizzt, I had two high banks on this big pond, had a buddie on high ridge, with a 12 gauge with buckshot, me in the catails in cheast waders with a full rifled 870 12 gauge with sabot's, I was getting eat'n alive by the bugs , even with a head net, then the fat rat pack came one by one, fixing the dam, we put out about 6 traps before this on all routes, when the big boys where on the dam, and light going, I let the lead fly!! took out four on the big dam, bud got two heading for the water! In the morning, 3 in the coni's. But, You will never win, if they have made a house, your toast, you can kill ever one of them, and next month you have a new tentant. They smell water miles away, when a family pod get to big for the water they have, they kick out the young one's and they will move in as soon as they smell water, or hear running water!

This went on for a whole spring to fall, I think I took out about 40 beavers intotal, lost well over 100 6 inch trees and about 30 24 inch trees. After the beaver war, my large pond,mini lake was toast for stocking trout!! Because of all the decay of the dead beavers in the hut, and never coming back up after being shot.
 
H4831 said:
Every old time trapper in the north shot their beaver with a 22 rim fire.
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Yes, but they had a lot more patience for a perfect shot than many have today. I've seen many a pelt at the fur auction with a small hole in the top of the head.;)
 
H4831 said:
Every old time trapper in the north shot their beaver with a 22 rim fire.
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Every old trapper in the north uses a 330 conibear, then you dont have to go wading for a dead beaver in the middle of the pond.

Using traps is much more effecient than shooting them (a trap works 24/7 until it goes off), and having a trapper do it in season ensures the pelts get used. Problem is that the beavers start get real active now however the season starts in Oct.
 
Let's not forget that beavers are rodents. Depending on local laws, the pelt does not have to get used, much like a gopher or coyote.
 
1. Wait for evening
2. Hike to beaver house
3. Set 330 conibears in every opening.
4. Jam a stick down the air hole and 'stir' the house
5. Grab .22mag and shoot as many beaver as you can that have escaped the conibears
6. Clear dead beaver from conibears
7. Shoot any other beaver dumb enough to check on things as you clean said conibears
8. Break your back and get covered in lice/fleas/pestilence as you drag your dead beavers to the truck
9. Celebrate with cold beer!!
 
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