How to Prevent Beavers

The jury is hung on whether the consequences outweigh the benefits when it comes to beavers in any particular area. On the one hand, they have been a part of that biome long before humans, providing shelter, food, and water to the other animals. On the other hand, they can destroy yards, gardens, and the structural integrity of homes. Not to mention they can be a danger to pets.

Preventing beavers from entering an area is the best way to keep their presence and destruction under control. Ultimately, they will move on to another location entirely. It may take some time, but it is worth it in the end.

Mesh and Screens Prevent Beavers from Destroying Vegetation

Beavers are herbivores and generally eat anything, but they do have a few favorite foods. If you know that beavers are in your area and they’ve been chowing down on certain trees or shrubs, you can wrap said trees and shrubs with a metal mesh. The mesh prevents beavers from eating the vegetation by providing a thick barrier, which should be around three feet tall, so that their teeth can’t get through.

It’s important to note that if beavers are already present in the area, then they will be more willing to chew through any barrier you build. This could lead to wasted time and money, and you’ll want to look at our other beaver prevention methods.

Fencing to Prevent Beavers from Accessing Large Areas or Pipes

If you sense beavers are interested in more than just a few of your ornamental shrubs and trees, building a fence could do the trick. Beavers stick to the ground, so fences don’t need to be particularly tall. Three or four feet above ground is a good enough height, but you’ll want to make sure it’s at least a couple of feet underground because beavers are diggers as well as biters.

Regular fencing works, but again if beavers are in the area already, they are more inclined to break through it. You can try combining your fence with a natural repellent (e.g. hot sauce or store-bought spray). When they taste it, they may retreat to another area. It’s not guaranteed to work 100% of the time, as beavers are known to enjoy some of the flavors of certain repellents. Using an electric fence is useful in preventing beavers, but you run the risk of fatalities.

Fencing also prevents beavers from chewing your piping. They use manmade and natural materials to build their lodges and dams, so they’re not always only after your vegetation.

Clearing Potential Food and Construction Materials for Beaver Prevention

Beavers are herbivores and not only eat the vegetation around, they use it to construct their lodges and dams. Cleaning up the area of all materials laying on the ground or of their favorite foods prevent beavers from coming back. It’s a sign that the area is useless to them, so they will seek out a new area (hopefully far away from you).

When cleaning, you could even try to lure them to a different area by dumping your findings there. They’ll find it eventually, and once they see the abundance of food and building material, they’ll think they’re in beaver heaven. 

Sprays and Repellents for Beaver Prevention

Unfortunately, there aren’t any registered beaver repellents. This means that there is no, 100% proven repellent to prevent beavers from accessing your area. It depends on whether you’re fighting off beavers who already live nearby and have been using your land, or if you are preventing potential beavers from intruding.

There are rodent sprays and other remedies like hot sauce that have the potential to work, but it’s not guaranteed. In fact, some repellents draw more beavers to an area.

Depending on which tree or plant you use it on, beavers could be attracted to the flavor combination. It’s a hit-or-miss situation, but always worth a try. 

If you stick to the methods above, beavers will be out of your hair in no time. It takes a little patience and planning, but beaver prevention is a successful endeavor.

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