speaking of beavers

Goose25

Goose25

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I have a remote trout lake up north i usually go to every year that offers some exceptional fishing. Last season I went up and there were a bunch of beavers that moved in. (I counted 5-6, this lake is only 1.3km X 0.7km) I'm wondering if it's possible that they might cause some serious harm to the fish population. Will the beavers eat as much as they can, then when the stock is low move on to "destroy" another lake? or will they be reasonable and only eat what they need, are they smart enough to know to not use up all the lakes resource's?

Do beavers even eat fish? I know they eat shrubs,twigs and children, but what about my precious trout's....

can there feces harm the lake? are they a threat?
 
Goose25 said:
Do beavers even eat fish?
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Are you serious?

No they don't eat fish, I think the worst they could do to a lake is cut out alot of the shade by cutting the tree's near the edge of the bush which will make the weed growth in the lake increase and choke the fish out but that won't happen because they also provide structure and more shade under the water with their stock piles.
 
The beaver's are not a threat to the lake. Beaver's don't eat fish either, so your trout are fine. Having beavers in the lake will actually be better for the lake. Since it is a small lake, the beavers won't build a dam to block an area of water to live, but will most likely live in the whole lake. The beaver's also will not over-populate and destroy the lake, because beaver's only breed once a year. Most people kill beavers because they think they are a threat to the trees, but I'm certain humans cut down more trees than beavers do :)

-Husky
 
MadDog said:
Are you serious?

No they don't eat fish, I think the worst they could do to a lake is cut out alot of the shade by cutting the tree's near the edge of the bush which will make the weed growth in the lake increase and choke the fish out but that won't happen because they also provide structure and more shade under the water with their stock piles.
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hahaha, ya I was serious....
now I almost feel like a dumbA** ...

ok, so these means the beavers live.
 
Husky I hate to disagree with you, but beavers will eat themselves outof house and home. Last years kits will be forced out when new ones arrive......they will travel in search of new stomping grounds. Once every pond, lake or stream in the area has a population then the damage really gets done.

It is a natural cycle though.....the beavers die out due to having eaten everything..........but in the mean time they have cleared off areas back a hundred yards or so around the lake which lets sun in......ungulates use the area, then the bush starts to grow again, willows etc and then poplars etc. Once the feed is there new beavers move in that have been kicked out of the nest and it starts all over again.

Great little creatures but they do not have the smarts to know how to regulate their tree usage. Don't believe me.....come on out and have a look where I live. I can show it to you......in fact I can show it to you in a national park where the beaver population has crashed in the last two years and they have determined that it is because they ate themselves out of house and home.

There is less visible impact on really big lakes, but on small lakes and ponds they can do an incredible amount of logging in just a couple of years.
 
Most people kill beavers because they think they are a threat to the trees, but I'm certain humans cut down more trees than beavers do
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yah, but when its your property and they are cutting down your money trees and flooding your roads.

so yah they are a threat to trees..so kill away(if you have permission from the landowner or you are the landowner) ;)
 
"...the beavers die out due to having eaten everything..." The population drops because they have moved on, not died.
 
Hey I have being fishing at the same lake for years always get fish always scaered theat I am going to accedently going to hook a damn beavear there is 4 there last time I was up.
 
I run a a wildlife management buiseness in Qc... one of the main animals I deal with is the beaver.

Beavers will typically go for poplars and willows(choice food), not much money in those. They won't get to maple and harder trees (the ones worth $$) unless the softer ones are scarce. During famine times, they'll strip the bark off the bottom of maples (this kills the trees as the sap won't circulate...cutting it's wrist veins ) They will colonize a suitable area and stay there until food is gone. .. all the while populating the area with their 3 y.o. kits. There can be up to 12 beavers in a well established colony. once all the suitable trees have been used, they'll move off. Forest will regenerate and beavers will come back.

They will affect a small lake by damming the water outlet, raising it's level to be able to go cut wood farther (drowning vegetation). Beaver dams, submerged food stores and lodges make great trout fishing spots (lotsa insects and minnows and small fish plus hiding places). best to fish them with a fly rod and floating line to avoid tangles.

The lake will expand. waterfront property will loose surface but shallows will grow with pond lilies.... moose food.

If trees need to be protected (near camp, you like it...whatever) wrap it in chicken wire mesh from the ground up to 4 feet. Beavers can cut chain link fencing materials (my live traps are made with this) but will ignore a covered tree in order to get to an easier one.

Keeping the colony, managing it or getting them out of there is something to think about. I'm more for management (trap-use some and keep the rest around). unless there is a big risk to your property (flooding, tree falling on the camp), there is no need to pul the whole colony out.

Hope my experience helps
 
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I've seen some play around with it in the holding cage (when relocating beavers, you need to get the whole family before letting them go).

Most rodents (rabbits and hares confirmed) will eat their own feces because their digestive system can't extract the food on the first pass. Digesting plant matter is really hard to do because of the cell wall (cellulose). Cows chew on ther cudd and have 4 stomachs for the same purpose.

And for those who were nwondering, YES, beaver #### contains saw dust! (wood chips)

:)
 
Good posts Rabadswompe....................

When the kits leave the nest and look for a place of their own we see them getting hit by vehicles a lot.

I have beavers in every single pond on our farm..........I have a hell of a time keeping them in check. There are so many around where I live that it is impossible to not have SOME on our property. But, that's OK it is a sustainable trapping situation and I really like watching the super rodents do their thing. Amazing animals really...................super great for creating moose habitat.
 
sunray said:
"...the beavers die out due to having eaten everything..." The population drops because they have moved on, not died.
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Exactly.

We have been controlloing them since 1979 on our range.
We have a bridge that crosses a creek to our upper range, and the beavers are kept under control so that we don't get too many on that particular streatch .
When they don't get trapped in the early Spring, they build a dam under our bridge and cause all sorts of problems, even dropping trees right across the road!:eek:
However, we have many mature poplars that have not been touched yet becuase they tend to like young willows better.
The battle never ends.......
Cat
 
beavers are rodents, so yea they breed voraciously. I've seen them change the eco system on small lakes but never on larger ones.
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I agree, when the old lady has the Red army visiting the eco-system at home changest too.:D
 
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