Peek Inside a Beaver Lodge

Let me tell you a thing or two about beavers.

They are destructive critters and unfortunately are a protected species, at least in Arkansas, where they systematically mowed down a large pine grove on my property.

They dammed up the spillway on one the lakes and the overflow almost destroyed the dam. The water began running over the top of the dam and eroding the back side. Had my dam failed, I likely would have been liable for any downstream structural damage to the dams downstream from me.

They caused thousands of dollars worth of damage to the dam and my pine tree crop.

They met an untimely demise thanks to a neighbor who lived close by and hated them as much as I do.

Beavers? Beavers? We don't need no stinking beavers!

Not really a hunter myself, I really don't like killing anything unless absolutely necessary, but I too have shot more than a few around here for the same reasons.

Years ago Dutch Elm disease set in around here and took out about half the native trees. The beavers started working the rest so I started working on them.

Make a good hat though....

Are yours as intelligent as the ones in Pa? They have figured out ATV trails and will cut down trees to block them. I have seen this over and over, in the vicinity of several different beaver ponds, so it is not just one above average beaver. You'll find a tree several hundred yards from the beavers pond with the telltale little teeth marks lying across the ATV trail and it stays there until someone brings in a chain saw.

Hey, I saw that episode of Duck Dynasty. Is that you Si?

Nope, I don't have enough hair for that "show".

BEWARE of the beavers!!!!

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/04/11/newser-beaver-kills-man/2074145/

Bad beavers, bad beavers.......

I guess beavers don't like cameras!

Or like most wild animals, they just want to be left alone.

If they'd gone to the Raccoon Lodge next door they might have seen Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton.

_{/Yeah, showing my age.}

Something like 25 years ago there was a beautiful movie about beavers. IIRC, it was an IMax film titled simply Beavers.

(Edit) Yep, and here is a trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDwRmBCANvE

Elsewhere, I have read that beavers are very averse to the sound of running water. This motivates their activity.

Cheap Beaver Repellent:

Save the little bars of Hotel Soap, put them in an old sock, and staple them (One) to each tree. Beavers don't like the smell and will stay away. Every time it rains, your "Repellent" renews itself...

If the Little Critters have already started chewing on your trees, just spray the damaged area of the tree with automotive undercoating. This will save the tree, and stop the Beaver from chewing any more. (Just watch out for your other trees)

If all else fails, they make great "Jerky"!