BEAVER CONTROL

   This article is about BEAVER trapping.
It will explain why they are a pest and what
needs to be done for controlling infestations.
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   The following article is about BEAVER.
It will discuss basic biology, detail what to
expect from local infestations and then list 
the products needed to control them. To see
the products, simply click your mouse cursor
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   Beaver have long been pursued for their fur.
Recent public opinion has slowed the fur industry
and allowed beaver to prosper. The once steady
harvest is at all time lows and consequently,
beaver populations have grown. This growth has
forced the beaver to find refuge in any pond,
lake or river that will house them. Increasingly,
beaver are finding their way to water privately
owned.  The destruction they do is not welcomed
and control methods are rapidly employed.
Skilled trappers who no longer are able to sell
beaver fur to make a living are now turning to
nuisance beaver trapping as a way of life.
Beaver can cause quick damage to trees which
in turn leads to tree death. They have been known
to cut several trees down in a night. They
will damn water flow and change desired currents
or water levels. Most important, they are 
nocturnal and hard to hunt. This is why trapping
beaver has long been the most productive way
to control nuisance animals. View this video to
see a beaver close up in one of our live traps.



   Beaver families are centered around the female.
She is the foundation responsible for the growth
pattern of the colony. If food is plentiful, she
will have 2-4 young a year and maybe more. Babies
will stay with the female for at least two years and
sometimes over three. Colonies can rapidly reach
12-15 animals if local food supplies will support
such numbers. If food is scarce, young beaver
will be forced out on their own at younger ages.
These young beaver will randomly chew trees and
then leave. This activity is particularly frustrating
because such immature beaver will cause a lot
of damage and then move on only to cause just
as much a hundred yards away. Older beaver will
be more set in their ways and easier to follow.
Once active, their patterns will be consistent
as they methodically work trees and waterways.
Young beaver are more inconsistent and difficult
to track. Knowing the local colony could prove
helpful when trying to trap.
   Beaver are strong, nocturnal and able to
cover large areas in short time. They swim
very well and can negotiate the strongest
currents any river can produce. Once a beaver
has decided it wants to live in a given
stretch of water, it will build a lodge
and begin to mark it's territory. Tree cutting
and unwanted damage will soon follow. At this
time, most people are ready to take whatever
measures are necessary to stop the destructive
tree killing. Beaver will cut any tree, but
seem to be fond of the prettiest trees they
can find. Cherry, dogwood and birch are quickly
found and pine is generally liked as well.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A PHOTO OF A BEAVER CHEWED TREE

   Many tricks and repellents have been devised
over the years, but few if any work. The only
product which will stop them from chewing on a 
tree is one used for bird control called
4-THE-BIRDS. This material is a clear, non-drying
glue which can be sprayed or painted on the tree.
Although painting it on allows for a precise
application, the use of a PUMP SPRAYER makes
the application fast and easy for large jobs.
Once applied, beaver will not touch it. Since
they can only reach a couple of feet up, treat
the entire trunk of the tree four feet high.
4-The-Birds is weather resistant and will last
6-12 months per application. It won't hurt the
tree or non-target animals since it is NOT a 
poison; it simply repels any animal from chewing
the bark. Applications of 4-The-Birds on trees
will save them from beaver chewing. Generally,
the animals will forage elsewhere or simply move
to another location where untreated trees are
available.  As a general rule, use 4-The-Birds
when you have active chewing that you want to
stop. If local populations are high and the
damage being done is uncontrollable, you will
have to trap local animals to get the best
results. Trapping beaver can be done several
ways.
   There are three types of traps commonly used.
Kill traps, leg traps or snares and live cages.
Kill traps have been used to take beaver for as
long as trapping has been done. In the 1960's,
bodygripper or Bodygrip traps were introduced
and quickly became the most popular used. Bodygrip
traps are kill traps. They will squeeze the
target animal tightly and quickly. Death is instant
and because of how the trap is set, it rarely
misses. It has the added benefit of not missing
target animals by catching them on the leg or tail.
Bodygrip traps, either the 330 or the 220, are
still the mainstay of any successful trapper.
The less common 280 can also be used.  You should
use SETTERS for any of these three models for quick
and safe setting.
   Leghold traps, like Coil and Bridger traps,
can be set to kill or catch beaver alive. Trappers
use them both ways depending on the animal they
are trapping and the type of set they are using.
These traps come in many sizes and are used for
many other animals besides beaver.   The most
common sizes for beaver are BRIDGER # 4 and 
BRIDGER # 5. The COIL # 3 is also very common.
It is important to use a trap with a wide
jaw width since beaver can get large and big
enough to step on a coil or bridger without
getting caught. This happens if their feet are
larger than the width of the trap's jaws.
   In recent years, snaring has become another
popular way to catch beaver.  SNARES are 
made from cable, most commonly 3/32 steel cable, 
which is able to close around the beaver as
they enter a looped end set in their path.
Designed to move in one direction, snares
will close around necks, legs or body sections
of most any animal that enters. Once caught,
the snare will hold the target animal in place
till the trapper checks his sets. 

CLICK HERE TO SEE A PHOTO OF A BEAVER SNARED

Generally used to catch the animal live, be ready 
to deal with one angry and strong animal if you
decide to use snares! Beavers may be slow but
when caught and held against their will, most
will put up a strong fight. 
   An alternative live trapping method is the use
large cage traps. Most people think of these traps
only being used for squirrels, woodchuck or armadillo.
However, if the setting is right, such traps can
be used with good success. The NH2482 and the
NH6602 are double door traps which can be set
in a run or pathway you know beaver are using.
Such a pathway could be a beaver slide.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A PHOTO OF BEAVER SLIDE

   When set properly, the animal will "funnel"
into the trap and get caught without being hurt.
Although this method sounds more humane, conditions
must be right in order to be successful. Ideally,
you need to know where beaver are active and using
trails. These locations are generally found where
they are feeding or logging. Once identified,
the live traps are then set in the pathway or
trail. To force the beaver to enter, move logs
and other objects along either side of the trap.
Be sure to do this out several feet - at least
5 and preferably 10 on each side. This will insure
that any beaver which encounter the trap will
readily "funnel" inside and not try to take some
kind of "detour". If set right, the objects placed 
on each side of the trap will force the beaver to 
enter since it will see no other clear passage. 
Double door traps will allow the beaver to see through
the trap so they don't perceive it as a hazard.
Be sure to cover the bottom of the trap with
dirt, wood chips, vegetation or other natural
material so they are not able to feel the metal
mesh. This insures they will readily walk over 
the trap bottom without suspicion. 
   Though there aren't any real sure-fire baits
that can be used for all beaver, they do seem
to have a sweet tooth for Poplar trees. If you
don't have any Poplar trees on your property,
create your own. Gather up some small branches,
1/2" to 3/4" thick and 1 foot or less in length,
and debark them so they shine nice and white.
Place 4-6 of these at the back of the trap and 
sprinkle 5-10 drops of POPLAR OIL on top. 
This "bait" will work with just about any type
of beaver trap and seems to be an effective
way to make a good set any time of year.
   If you are unsure where such logging paths and 
trails exist and still want to live trap, you will 
need to create scent mounds or trap where such mounds
exist. Scent mounds are where beaver will go to
mark their territory. Such mounds are commonly
used to catch beaver since they seem to be more
vulnerable at such locations. Mounds can be found
along shallow shore lines, sand bars or other areas
where the water level is low. Beaver will visit
such mounds periodically to freshen their scent.
Special glands release odors which are specific
to the beaver who live there. New beaver will
scent there and with the use of CASTOR LURE, you
can pretend to be another beaver.  Live Traps which
are most commonly referred to as "SUITCASE TRAPS"
can be placed where the beaver are using such
mounds. The trap looks like a big suitcase and
will spring closed when activated. Suitcase traps
can be used at feeding beds as well and can be
baited with Poplar Oil too. These traps have been
around for some time and though effective, they
can be a little tricky to set. Since strong springs
are involved, one must pay special attention to
what they are doing to avoid getting hurt. They
do enable one to make sets over water which is very 
deep so they shouldn't be ruled out. Basically, 
hanging it out over deep water and strapping or 
anchoring it to a tree will work well. Such sets
should be barely submerged with the trigger and
bait above the water line. This insures that most 
any beaver will have to swim over to investigate.
You don't have to hide it or bury it and you don't
have to worry about trapped beaver drowning since
it will elevate them above the water line when
set right. Since this trap is best used by
experienced trappers who know where and how to
make good sets, you might opt to use one of
the newer designs. The EASY SET BEAVER TRAP is
another "suitcase" looking trap but unlike the
traditional design, it involves a much simpler
mechanism. This mechanism is very easy to set
and can be done by anyone with no risk of 
injury. It uses no springs but instead a simple
locking mechanism that keeps the top closed
tight once it seals. This trap is very versatile
and excellent for most any sets. For demonstration
purposes, we have several videos which will show
how to use the Easy Set in different situations.
Keep in mind you can use other traps to make these
same sets and that the Easy Set is not the only
option. However, it is clearly superior for some
of these environments and for the beginner, a 
great choice. Here is the Easy Set being set on
a beaver dam, one of the most common places
to place any type of trap. 



  As experienced trappers will tell you, making
a set "in the water" will always improve your
success rate. The Easy Set is unique in that it's
both easy to set and easy to set up in water.
Here it is being set up in front of a culvert
pipe. Beaver commonly clog or close such 
pipes which can cause flooding. The Easy
Set is ideal for this environment.



  A similar location is a drainage ditch. When
clogged, flooding will happen. Making sets in
drainage ditches is commonly done for beaver
and this video shows how to best take advantage
of this situation.
  


  And for most people, the "open water" set is the
most feared. It's hard to imagine where you might
be able to make a set when beaver have access to
miles of shoreline along large lakes. But as this
video shows, there is clearly a pattern or "trail"
beaver like to follow and with a little detective
work, you should be able to locate such trails
where any problem situation exists.



   Remember, the clips above show sets in common 
locations where beaver can be a problem. And though
the Easy Set was used in the presentations, several
of our other traps can be used just as well. Regardless,
you must "taylor fit" whatever trap you decide to use
and be sure to add plenty of Poplar Oil if you don't
have the real product to use as bait. Beaver are
clearly controlled by smell and with the right
combination of lures and bait, you can get them to
make mistakes and fall victim to most any style
trap.
   Trapping beaver is a skill and one that cannot
be learned overnight. However, like most trades,
experience is the best teacher. If you are inclined
to try trapping beaver yourself, there are
two booklets which will prove to be great
sources of information.  The BEAVER BOOK and
BEAVER 2000 cover everything you need to know
about how to trap beaver. The Beaver Book is
somewhat dated, but the information, diagrams
and techniques are all useful today. Beaver
2000 covers much of what The Beaver Book discusses
but gets into the use of snares as well. If
you want a basic understanding of beaver trapping
to deal with a small problem, get The Beaver Book.
If you think snaring might be how you want
to trap, get Beaver 2000.  If you want to know
more than you'll ever need, get both!  Each book
discusses several sets. Some of these use
Bodygrip traps, coil traps and bridger leghold
traps. Sets are pictured in each book so you
are able to visualize how you will actually
place the trap in the field. Numerous tricks
and setting techniques are detailed. Mound sets
using Castor Scent are discussed in both and
generally are a good way to catch beaver during
different times of the year.
   In summary, there are basically two types
of people who are reading this article: those
of you who know what traps you want and how
to use them and those of you who have nuisance
beaver and want to learn how to trap. For the
first type, you can see our traps listed above
by simply clicking on them where they appear 
underlined in the text of the article. In general,
we stock everything and ship same day as ordered.
For those of you who want to try your hand at
trapping and aren't sure how to start, here are
a few suggestions. 
1) Get at least one booklet. The Beaver Book is
good; getting both is even better.
2) Although each book covers more than you need
to know, focus in on the trap sets to learn
which one will work for your situation. Each book
covers sets for dens, open water, logging trails,
feeding beds, mounds, beaver ledges, waterways,
and other great locations to trap beaver. If you
have a beaver problem, a set that will work for
you will be detailed in either book.
3)  Trap selection seems like the toughest decision,
but it really should be the simplest. Just ask
yourself if you are a novice or a professional. If
you are a professional, you know what you want to
do. If you are a novice, the question is whether
you want to trap the beaver alive or dead. If you 
want the beaver dead, the Bodygrip 220's and 330's 
are for you. If you can't bring yourself to kill the 
animal, live trap it with either the NH2482, the 
NH6602 or one of the Suitcase Traps. Although the 
leg traps and snares are "live traps" in that they 
catch the animal alive, most any beaver can be too 
much for you to handle as they are quite strong.
Catching one in a cage may require more technical
setups, but any beaver caught in a cage is easy to
deal with since it is confined. Beaver in a leg trap
or snare are mean and ornery and they won't 
hesitate to bite.  A novice doesn't have the skill
to deal with such an animal.  The Suitcase Live
Trap will increase your odds of catching a beaver
live but will cost more.
4)  Get some Castor Scent or Poplar Oil. These scents
have a wide range of uses and will generally help 
even the novice get more animals. The books detail 
how to use some and our formulation works great.
   Beaver can become an expensive nuisance animal
once established in ponds and rivers of your 
property. Watch local activity and be prepared
to deal with populations that grow too large.
Repellent sprays will work for migrating animals,
but you will need to trap out persistent beaver
which refuse to leave. Bodygrip 220's, 280's and
330's are basic traps to start with that work
great. If you want to trap them live with either
snares or leg traps, it requires a trickier set,
but can be done. Live trapping can be even more
difficult but with the NH2482, the NH6602 or the
Suitcase trap, you will be able to catch local
beaver in a cage trap. Use Castor Scent for
quicker results and to increase the beaver activity
around your sets.

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any other pest control problem, please give us a call.
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