The Great Beaver

[Lifejacket]

Byron you need a choke stick. I know several guys that use them for live trapping coyotes. I could probably get you one if you wanted.

[BEubanks]

So how's the choke stick differ from a wire snare. And how do you get around having to handle a live beaver not confined to the insides of a Have-a-heart type trap? Need some chloroform or ether on a stick?

[Lifejacket]

Well first off using a choke stick means handling a live beaver. You would snare it, get a hold of it with the choke stick, and then cut the snare of. What I refer to a choke stick is a 3 to 4 foot pair of metal tongs, used to grab the beaver behind the head and lock closed. once you have it locked closed you drag into something to transport it. You can also use a catch pole but you won't have as much control over the beaver.

[Jim Krueger]

Byron,

Several years ago I took a year-long integrated pest control technology course through Purdue University and thoroughly enjoyed it. As a side note, one of my textbooks had a nice big Smokey Brown cockroach on the cover, I thought THIS will make a lovely 'coffee table' book, sure to please any of my lady-friends dropping by for a visit... I really was pleased to learn, or relearn, much about the many invertebrate and vertebrate creatures we share the world with and how and why each have become pests to humans. I particularly enjoyed the fact that most of the subjects discussed were by many different authors whose individual speciality it was, each offering much in the way of history, case studies, and experience.
In the case of beavers, unfortunately, they are not good candidates for live trapping such as skunks, raccoons, squirrels and other animals attracted to baits.
The traditional beaver trapping methods have indeed been snares and spring-loaded leg hold traps set in their paths on the bank. In addition to shooting, another widely used steel trap is the Conibear (sp) trap which breaks the beavers neck when they stick their head through it.
I really appreciated the thoughtfulness and depth of many of the experts in dealing with many pests. As an example, bats and bees, while it's certainly undesirable to have a colony of either in our homes, they are beneficial otherwise.
With the right knowledge, both of these creatures can be moved then measures taken to exclude them. I too would be interested in live capture and relocation of beavers but currently, excluding them from a few choice trees is all I can offer.


Best Regards
Jim Moose

[Jim Krueger]

The choke stick would indeed be a good way to hold and release the beaver but then there is the damage to the beaver from the trap to consider.

Jim

[tomcat]

"That is the biggest and hairiest beaver I've ever seen!!!!"


hehehe!

[JohnB]

My Dad used to duck hunt with a farmer down at Gillette. Beaver dams on irrigation canals were a constant problem, so they started trapping them using conibear traps. They'd sell the hides and leave the carcasses to the dogs/coyotes/ buzzards, etc. (these are farm folks and not sympathetic about critters that impede their ability to make a crop). A local heard that they were wasting meat and asked them for some. Turns out that beaver makes pretty good BBQ, lean and rich, and much better than coon (coon is too greasy for my taste). That set my Dad in motion and we regularly had beaver-Q until the novelty wore off.
BTW, that is the biggest beaver I've ever seen!
JB