Hunting Beaver

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blsonne

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Hello All,

Please no Rob Ford jokes :)

I'm having trouble figuring out exactly what the legalities of hunting beaver are. As it stands, most of the data seems to relate to trapping, though they are listed under the small game license.

I had permission from the landowner to destroy a nuisance beaver, as per this page: http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/business/fw/2columnsubpage/290005.html

Lethal action is a last resort

A landowner may humanely kill or trap beavers that are damaging or about to damage their property. Firearm regulations and bylaws must be followed.
You may also hire an agent, including a trapper, to act on your behalf.
​

So I know I'm covered legally, but it occurs to me... if I was on crown land and shot one, what's the situation? Is shooting one dead considered 'trapping'?

On page 86 of the fall regs, fur bearing mammals are defined thusly:

FURBEARING MAMMALS:
American badger, beaver, bobcat, coyote, fisher, arctic fox, grey fox, red
fox (all phases), lynx, marten, mink, muskrat, opossum, otter, raccoon,
red squirrel, striped skunk, weasel (least, long-tailed and short-tailed),
wolf, wolverine and polar bear.​
But on page 79 of the fall regs, beaver is not among the animals listed as being takeable under a small game license. I have no interest in the pelts.

My interpretation of the regulations are this: You may not hunt beaver unless you are (a) a licensed trapper or (b) have been requested by, and received permission from, a landowner to destroy a nuisance beaver on their property. Am I correct?
 
blsonne said:
My interpretation of the regulations are this: You may not hunt beaver unless you are (a) a licensed trapper or (b) have been requested by, and received permission from, a landowner to destroy a nuisance beaver on their property. Am I correct?
Click to expand...

You are correct. You cannot hunt beavers. If you do however get the chance to shoot one, they are actually quite tasty this time of year. Do not allow the fur to touch the meat as you skin them and make sure to remove the glands under the back of the legs otherwise they are almost inedible. I toss the backstraps and hind legs into the crock pot with a bottle of beer, a sliced onion, some garlic, salt and pepper and a bottle of beer. Very tasty. ;)
 
Beaver tail roasted on hot coals until the skin blisters is the best part....dip the white meat in garlic butter, pretty darn good!
 
blsonne said:
Is shooting one dead considered 'trapping'?
Click to expand...

No hahaha.


From the hunting regs...

You may only hunt the furbearing mammals (see
Definitions, page 86) listed in the table below under the
authority of your small game licence
Click to expand...

Furbearing Mammals which may be harvested under the authority of a small game licence
Raccoon
Red Fox
Arctic Fox
Skunk
Weasel
Opossum
Wolf and Coyote
Click to expand...

So no, leave them be.
 
Well, thankfully I've found out that there's a lot of folks up by the Ottawa river that are displeased at the beavers trashing their roads and fields! It always pays to be respectful and friendly to the local landowners, as nothing's quite as lovely as a pick-up pulling up alongside you, rolling down the window and saying "You should come over to my lot next year" :) lol
 
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