Hunting Beaver

bigfutz

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I have a relative who is starting to have a beaver problem on her property. We have considered bringing in a trapper. Is hunting them an option? Personally, I would like to shoot them. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to effectively get after these boogers, maybe a link to some other site that goes into it in detail? Or do I need to just forego the fun and have a pro come trap them before they get out of hand?
 
I'll admit that I was a little disappointed at first but this may turn into a good thread. Beavers are alert and smart creatures, hunting them may be strong challenge. Put on your best camo and wait.
 
Do something and do it now as this problem with very quickly get out of control. I'd get a pro if possible and there may be some grant money available to get rid of them. They will continue to build dams and flood quite a bit of property causing loss of timber stands and other issues. Trust me on this...........if you're seeing some beaver signs, there are many more that you do not see yet that will join the efforts of building dams when the call comes.

Or if left unchallenged the beavers will quickly establish wetlands in those areas they live and that may not be a bad thing in some areas. Many people see the beaver infestations as nature's way of restoring wetlands and striking a balance.

I just don't know if there is an easy answer here.
 
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Never hunted them myself but have heard if you have active dams try to open it up where it will be running just a little and sit back and wait in the evenings as they hate to hear running water and will try to come stop it but again a trapper would be quickest method and like others said they can be a big problem quick.
 
I'm able to control them on my property in south GA just by shooting them on sight. Put a break in their dam to get them to come work on it and pop 'em when they show up.
 
BurnedOutGeek;n98896 said:
Do what you can to keep the pelts and get them tanned or tan them yourself. Good money to be made there.

No. There isn't. Unfortunately. Thank the bunny huggers for making fur a sin.




To the OP.
Find someone who can deal with them using traps and snares. I could do it but I'm simply not able to do that kind of work anymore, and make no mistake it is work.

I used to be on the list of trappers you could contact through the wildlife commission.
They should still have a list. You can contact a local trapper through them. If you are near Johnston county I could put you in touch with my uncle, he is a professional.

When I was nuisance trapping I found that many folks seriously overstated their problem.
Where are you located?
 
The Green Heron;n98951 said:
No. There isn't. Unfortunately. Thank the bunny huggers for making fur a sin.

Maybe not here in NC, but you get up to some color climates and they will sell.
 
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I can't remember their names now, I met father & son trappers through Lumber River Outdoors a couple years ago.

They're down around Fair Bluff, NC in Columbus County, near the SC border. If you're not close to them, they may still be a resource for finding another trapper or providing training for you to do it yourself.

At that time (2014?), they said the price for beaver pelts had fallen recently. Seems beaver hats & clothing had fallen out of fashion somewhere overseas.

Anyway, they seemed to know what they were doing.

Lumber River Outdoors: (910) 641-7303 and (910) 641-1786 are the numbers I have for them. Good luck!
 
BurnedOutGeek;n98953 said:
The Green Heron;n98951 said:
No. There isn't. Unfortunately. Thank the bunny huggers for making fur a sin.
/QUOTE]

Maybe not here in NC, but you get up to some color climates and they will sell.

There is a pretty small niche market. Average price right now is about $14 total market. Top is $42. What you may not understand, is that $42 beavers are few and very far between. It all hinges on the Chinese and Russian demand, not to mention their currency value.

I've sold a lot of fur, back in the 80s and early 90s. My uncle is a raw fur buyer, and sells overseas. There is no fur market left in the US worth mentioning.

Beaver is one of the hardest hides you will work, next to otter. If I got $10 for a coon, and $30 for a beaver, the coon is better money.
I still wouldn't waste the animal. They are good to eat, and the hide makes a great conversation piece. If you have 8 or 10, having something made is a great idea.
 
A little tannerite in the damn will blow it apart nicely. Then hang around a bit. They'll come out of their huts and downstream to see where their water went. They aren't that shy when their water is going away.
 
bigfutz;n98881 said:
I have a relative who is starting to have a beaver problem on her property. We have considered bringing in a trapper. Is hunting them an option? Personally, I would like to shoot them. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to effectively get after these boogers, maybe a link to some other site that goes into it in detail? Or do I need to just forego the fun and have a pro come trap them before they get out of hand?

1) Get tanerrite, place in beaver damn, shoot said Tanny. Watch stuff go all over the place. Await furry critter with a cup of coffee and a good chair. Dispatch at will. 2) trap 3) Go out at night with flashlights and catch them with your shotgun while they are out of the water. Just a few thoughts.
 
Throw a duck decoy in the water. When he comes out to clean out the pond, shoot the thieving sob in the head.

At least that's how I get rid of them. :)
 
Dang it. I thought this was going to be about some dimly lit night club
 
Slacker;n99186 said:
I'm fairly sure that southern beaver pelts are not worth much if anything.

That makes sense. Last trip to Alaska they were still quite high dollar items. Makes a helluva hat!
 
Study the common paths they take, where the lodge is and main dam, this will be important in a few. Next shoot one and retrieve it. Make sure the shot counts or they'll swim down and latch on to a root and pass and you'll never get it back. Next take a cinderblock or two (anything heavy) and attach the beaver to it with a short piece of nylon rope or wire. Place the beaver/weights in the spot they travel frequently. This has worked for two swamps so far. They will move on out and it will be your neighbor's problem.
 
BurnedOutGeek;n99287 said:
That makes sense. Last trip to Alaska they were still quite high dollar items. Makes a helluva hat!

Alaskan fur is still highly sought, as well as most of Canada. Western pelts(Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado) are in a different selling class as well.
 
It's in Laurens County SC (Upstate). Thanks for all the feedback. Sorry to disappoint some of you regarding the topic, but I must admit to clickbaiting the title. I see it worked! Anyway, I will probably take your advice on the tannerite, pop a few, then realize I'm in over my head and call a trapper. I have couple
of questions, though, if you're game. How much tannerite is too much? (expecting some witty answers here) And should I use a red or green light (IOW are beavers blind to either), or it is best to wait for sound then light them up (pun intended)? Don't worry, I will be checking in with the local game warden to make sure I'm using legal methods. FYI, I don't currently own a NV rig.
 
Beaver dams are pretty strong but cannot tell you how much it would take to blow one apart.
 
Tannerite will depend on what the dam is made of. On my Dad's farm, they are making dams out of corn stalks, should blow easily. If it's made of hardwood, more explosives.
They also cut crop circles in the cornfields, but that's another story.
CF
 
Chihuahua Floyd;99457 said:
Tannerite will depend on what the dam is made of. On my Dad's farm, they are making dams out of corn stalks, should blow easily. If it's made of hardwood, more e****.
They also cut crop circles in the cornfields, but that's another story.
CF

Remember, Tannerite is a binary target... Don't use the "E" word!
 
No need for explosives, just take enough material out of the dam to get more water to flow. They are very sensitive to the water level on their pond.... If you blow it, it may be a long time before they venture out to see what is happening.....
 
I have no wit or good solutions to add but I know from experience that #6 shot from a 12 ga barely gets their attention. 00 buck is required and a .308 is even better. The most enjoyable though is 17HMR.
 
A tater rake and some waders or hip boots is all you need to start pulling apart a dam. You don't have to completely demolish it, just pull out enough to get some water flowing. They'll come PDQ after you back off and get quiet. The problem is, there are always more that you don't see. You'll need to be very persistent to actually get almost all of them and you'll need to get most of them in the area, otherwise they'll be back. It may be easier for you to just hire someone.
 
Call the trapper and do it once. Don't wait, it will only get worse. The NCDNR website has a list of licensed trappers in your area. But, after trapping season ends, you'll have to find one with extra licensing or you'll need a depredation permit. He'll know what to do, just ask him. If he doesn't, pass on him and go to the next guy on the list.

Pelts have been down for several years; it's not worth the time, effort, and necessary experience unless you just enjoy it. Most trappers have multiple years of catches saved up waiting on the market to come back.
 
It's in Laurens County SC (Upstate). Thanks for all the feedback. Sorry to disappoint some of you regarding the topic, but I must admit to clickbaiting the title. I see it worked! Anyway, I will probably take your advice on the tannerite, pop a few, then realize I'm in over my head and call a trapper. I have couple
of questions, though, if you're game. How much tannerite is too much? (expecting some witty answers here) And should I use a red or green light (IOW are beavers blind to either), or it is best to wait for sound then light them up (pun intended)? Don't worry, I will be checking in with the local game warden to make sure I'm using legal methods. FYI, I don't currently own a NV rig.


I'm unfamiliar with this strange concept of "too much tannerite".


Youtube "tannerite beaver dams". Those guys let you know how much they used.
 
Someone is going to get hurt!
 
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