# I Hate Beavers!



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

The annual beaver invasion has begun. So far this fall they have girdled 12 of my Aus trees, cut down 6 small Ash, and chewed on several more trees. They don't live on my place but come in at night and do their woodworking so they are hard to get rid of. Guns and spotlights are illegal in combination in Ok. but I have dispatched a few this way. My big dog isn't effective as they jump in and submerge when he shows up. I'm all for living in harmony with the wildlife but these things are destroying my beautiful place that has taken me years to build. It really pisses me off as I planted all of these trees and they destroy years of work/growth in a single night. Any suggestions (regardless of how cruel) would be appreciated. Nuisance wildlife trappers aren't an option. He's already been here and told me he can't help since there are no dens/slides where he could trap them.


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## FatherHooligan (Mar 27, 2008)

Chicken wire around the base of trees, snow fencing along the river/stream to redirect them away from your property, and loud rap music played at the base of the trees…okay the rap music thing was just a gratuitous slam against that form of music but the other two prevent the critters from getting to your trees. They are persistant and smart creatures but they have to have their lodges built and larders stocked by freeze up otherwise they won't survive the winter… a particularily cruel way to die, slowly by starvation whilst trapped under the ice with out a lodge to shelter in. A buddy of mine finds a perch and just plinks away at them, he'd cleared a few off of his property that way, but it means sitting out in the evening shooting at things…hey that may not be such a bad way to spend and evening after all LOL!


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

The chicken wire didn't impress them at all. They either chewed through it or just pulled it up enough to get at the tree. I live about 3/4 mile from the river. They come up the creek as best I can determine so I don't see a way to fence them out but thanks for the suggestions, Mark. ps I think I'd rather have the beavers than the rap music!


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

'Shame night vision is so expensive. 'Only way I see around a spotlight ban. Hopefully, you'll get some suggestions. Good luck!


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Night scopes are likewise illegal in Ok. (even for varmits). My son in law got arresred for spotlighting armadillos in his own hay meadow last fall. The Ok. Fish and Game guys are pretty overzealous. My philosophy is "it's only illegal if you get caught" and we live 1/4 mi. off the road so it's hard to sneak up on us. Roscoe, the watch dog doesn't like the local game warden so I think I'm OK with the spotlight unless the neighbors get involved. Beavers have no natural predators in our area so they have reproduced like flies. Behave yourself, Bently! This is a family forum. lol


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

get some live traps…ya know catch them with food…they take them far away to a place that wont conflict anyone else…...or dispatch them and turn the furs into winter hats…ive got a beaver hat…and man is it ever warm…try that…...of bever steaks…i like them, but they give me gas…lol..grizz


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## maljr1980 (Sep 4, 2011)

my advice, set lots of traps, put up huge spotlights so you can easily shoot them, and install a mine field, for your nosy warden friend


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## MrsBob (Jul 18, 2011)

In this state it is illegal to shoot them and tear out their dams! 
With that said, I will only add this… After watching ducks swim in my hay fields and now trying to figure out how to take out a dead weeping willow that I started from a twig, without taking out a fence, I may have discovered some beavers are up and swimming early in the morning when the sun first comes up!

We've also learned that some trappers are just plain lazy!


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## Roger Clark aka Rex (Dec 30, 2008)

I think I will pass on this one.


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## Woodwrecker (Aug 11, 2008)

Well Doc, I can't see any other choice then declaring war on them critters and run the risk of the warden.
As far as the neighbors go, either they talk to them or bribe them with some of your nice woodworking.
18 trees gone so far, with more probably going to go, "it's war"!
Good luck Doc. Let us know how it turns out.


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## redryder (Nov 28, 2009)

It's amazing how big a tree a beaver can take down. They will hear you coming in heart beat. I've done a few early in the morning with a .22 rifle…......


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## Stosh (May 27, 2010)

Acadamy Sports sells a nice ruger 10-22 for around $200. Get a couple 30 round mags and declare war! Id also trap them! Most beavers are fun to shoot !


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## mtenterprises (Jan 10, 2011)

Just a thought , if chicken wire doesn't stop them how about chain likk staked deeply to the ground. It comes in several gages 10ga. being the heaviest. You can un-weave it wrap it around the trees and re-weave it back together. Find some used stuff for free or cheap. Try your local fence installer they usually have used stuff they scrap out you could get it for scrap price.
MIKE


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## mark88 (Jun 8, 2009)

shoot a beaver, then starp his messed up corpse around a tree you don't want chopped….that'll teach them


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## dakremer (Dec 8, 2009)

two possible solutions I have found…..

*1. Abrasive Tree Paint Protection*

Ingredients:
Exterior Latex (choose a color to match the bark)
Mason Sand (30 mil or 70 mil)

Formula:
Mix 5 oz sand per quart of paint, or
Mix 20 oz sand per gallon of paint, or
Mix 140 gm sand per liter of paint.

Make only in small batches at a time on the day you are going to apply it. Using too much sand will cause the mixture to roll off the tree. Apply paint to bottom three to four feet of tree trunk. This formula does not work for saplings, so protect them with wire fencing.

Above method reprinted from the Wildlife 2000 Newsletter, 2000 News edition, p.3.

*2. Another Method of Protecting Trees*

Vegetable or mineral oil infused with cayenne pepper and then painted on the tree trunks has also been reported as an effective means of preventing beaver chewing.

Acknowledgements: Dr. Thomas E. Eveland, Ecology Consultant, The Fund for Animals and the "Beaversprite" newsletter.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I had a betterweekend than these 2 beavers. That tool box is 20" long for scale. I couldn't get the pic of the chicken wire failure to post.The last pic shows how much damage they can do in less than a week. All of these trees have been girdled and you can also see stumps from previous beaver attacks.


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

Thanks Dakremer! I'm wondering if the abrasive deterent might injure them? I imagine that chickenwire would put up little resistance to a beaver's teeth; I can't imagine them getting through chain link easily, though. I am an animal lover 100% but if it's an overpopulation problem, dispatching is the answer. How to do it legally is the question. Can you get some "pest" relief from the warden, given that you're taking lumber losses? Here in WV, you can get a temporary tag for garden eaters.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

There is the failed chicken wire pic. They just root it away from the tree or chew through it. The .223 seems to be the best answer (until the cops or game warden shows up).


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## dakremer (Dec 8, 2009)

thats too bad about the trees. Isnt there a layer just underneath the bark that if cut through the tree will die? (In your picture above) Will this tree make it, or is it a goner?

I would try one of the two choices I had posted above. Since reading this forum topic, I was searching the web and I've read a lot of places that beavers are very territorial, and killing them will only allow other beavers to move in (if it is an over populated area) You will have to be continually killing them in order to stay on top of them. This is the same reason why live trapping them (and moving them to a new territory) doesnt work either, because new beavers will just move in as soon as the old ones are gone. I was reading that if you can get some beavers in there permanently, but can deter them away from chewing on your trees long enough, they will eventually just give up. So maybe deterring them somehow is a better solution than killing them? Just a thought.

PS - those are some huge beavers by the way! beaver soup tonight?


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## dakremer (Dec 8, 2009)

PS PS - What Bently said above was hilarious!! LOL


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## Woodwrecker (Aug 11, 2008)

Good shootin doc. That'll teach those pesky beavers!


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## mark88 (Jun 8, 2009)

thats some nice beaver….pretty big suckers


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## mark88 (Jun 8, 2009)

that'll teach them beavers for "chuckin ur wood!"


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## pierce85 (May 21, 2011)

Unfortunately, the only effective way to control this sort of nuisance is at the source - locating the dam and den(s) and trapping them on location. Believe it or not, I used to do this sort of work when I was young.

Using live traps can be an option, but you would need a Hancock live trap - not the Havahart style live traps - and they are very expensive. The usual method, however, is by using a 330 conibear at the entrance of the den (underwater) or at the dam (partially under water). In either case, if you're not familiar with conibear traps, especially a 330, you should not mess with them - they can break your arm or worse. The Hancock live trap can cause similar harm as well - in fact, it's probably more dangerous than a conibear.

In short, you should NOT attempt to trap these beaver yourself if you've never done this before - it's not like plunking down a "leghold" at the waters edge. State laws obviously dictate what can and can not be done in controlling nuisance wildlife. Oklahoma does have a program. Here's a link that should help you get started - http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/laws_regs/nco.htm

Disclaimer - I no longer trap and haven't for many many years. I'm a good person and love all critters great and small.


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## lilredweldingrod (Nov 23, 2009)

Andy,
I'm afraid that if this were my problem, First, I would buy a BIG freezer, Second, I would fill it with beaver steaks and roasts, Third, I would develop a weight gain problem. The only sin I see in taking game is not eating what you kill. That is just waste to me. But growing up in the Ozarks, I was taught not to be wasteful.

If you are concerned with interference from the neighbors, you might step down from the .223 to a less noisy round. I prefer the CCI Stinger .22 LR.The Ruger 10-22 and the CCI ammo is a very effective combination and much less audible.

I have some Coyote traps that I use on occasion to catch feral dogs killing my animals. They are not too expensive. I bought three for about $55.00. These are very humane as they don't break bones of cut the skin, but they do not turn lose either.

Let me qualify my statement above; I do not eat dog! lol I have never been THAT hungry…..yet. Although, it can't be much different than ******************** or possum. When the grocery stores run out of food, I'll let you know. lol


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Thanks for all the input. I'll try to address some of it. I have way too many trees to wrap or paint. I can't find where these things live (the Ark. river perhaps) to eliminate them at their source. If its the river it is public so no shooting/trapping, etc. My .22 didn't seem to be doing the job but the .223 definately does! You guys that eat these things may be on to something but I'm not sure my wife would be on board with beaver cooking. She's a farm girl but pretty much sticks to eating domestic critters. Hopefully, I have slowed them down some. I liked the idea of displaying the carcasses as a deterrant but the ponds are right behind my house and the smell would be a problem pretty quick (plus beaver carcass is an excellant coyote bait and we have enough coyotes already!).


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I'm sorry I looked at this discussion. Lame.


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## blackcherry (Dec 7, 2007)

bentlyj…lmao


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