Different ways to get rid of beavers

Beavers are among the most diligent of animals, morphing their environments into their perfect living spaces. They are the largest rodents in North America, weighing about 50 pounds when fully matured. They can be identified by their large front teeth they use to gnaw through trees and a flat tail that not only helps with balance but is also a communication tool. If you are on this page, however, you might already be acquainted with some of their more destructive behaviors. Below are a few ways you can approach the issue. But first, let’s appreciate some of their benefits.

Why beavers might be good

What is normal in the wild is often not as beneficial when it interacts with human life. However, beavers can actually be a plus to the environment. Beaver lodges can actually serve as filters, keeping sediment and toxins from further flowing downstream. Additionally, these reserves might actually prove to be useful during times of drought or insufficient rains. Beaver dams or overflows might actually turn into an alternate place for livestock to drink water from.

Other positive effects are phosphorus and nitrogen being held back due to this natural filtration system. Phosphorus can lead to harmful algal blooms, which is bad for plants, animals, and humans.

While this is more ethically debatable, beaver fur has also been of use to humans by providing the material for warm gear. However, there are now more laws protecting hunting beavers for their fur.

Why people want to get rid of beavers

There are several reasons why some people do not want to live near beavers. Firstly, beavers are notorious for tearing down trees. They fell over 200 trees in one year, sometimes trying to get to the layer beneath the bark. This can be bad for the environment by exposing soil, and it can also be bad for humans whose livelihoods depend on trees. If you live near a woody area, beavers tearing down trees can also pose a threat if they fall over your home or property. Fallen trees can also hit utility lines and other buildings.

Beaver dams can be disastrous due to increased flooding. This can destroy athletic fields, farmland, and crops. Beavers also sometimes build their dams near bridges, train tracks, and roads, the saturated soil can cause these structures to fall apart. This, as you might imagine, can be extremely dangerous for those who are traveling.

For example, in Alabama, the interference by beaver activity costs up to $19 million a year.

Preventative measures you can take

Beavers like to live in areas that have access to both trees and water bodies. If you live in such an area that is known to have beavers, your best bet is to deter them from settling in the first place. Here are some suggestions you can take:

Fence Areas: This is often simpler than wrapping individual trees. If there is an entire area you’d like to protect, fence it with either wire mesh fencing or electric fencing. Make sure that these fences are three to four feet from the ground. This extra boundary might persuade them to find a different area to settle in by making entry difficult.

Wrap Trees: Wrapping tree trunks can be an effective way of protecting the trees from being destroyed by beavers. This might take some work and more resources, but can be effective. Good tree wraps are made of either wire mesh or hardware cloth that is about 2 x 3 inches. Similar to the fences, they should also be about three feet tall with a 6-inch gap between the trunk and the wrap. This space allows for any tree growth that might occur.

Homemade Mixture: If you have beavers in your yard, some DIY solutions might be to create a mixture of latex paint and sand, and then apply this to your trees. Make sure that the mixture is about half and half, and reapply it daily. This is a more taxing task but can be helpful.

Repellants: There are some store-bought repellants you can use, however, keep in mind that it is going to be a process such as the sand and paint mixture. Constant reapplication is necessary, especially if you live in an area prone to rain.

What to do if you already have a beaver problem

If you already have a beaver problem, you firstly want to be prepared that it is likely going to be a process. The best plans include trapping, habitat modification, and exclusion methods. Beavers are semi-aquatic so finding the perfect timing and place to catch them can be challenging. Here are some methods you can use to catch them:

Use a live trap: Clamshells can be effective and are also more humane because they do not take away the life of the beaver. They are often 12 gauge wire cages.

Try a lethal trap: These are more technical to use and less humane. An example is a Conibear body grip trap. This can be helpful if you don’t have many beavers you’re trying to catch 

Installing a drainage pipe at the dam: This technique is meant to make beaver dams unsuccessful and therefore convince them to move to other locations. Drainage systems also interrupt the dams from affecting water levels. This can, therefore, take care of the flooding issue that beaver dams sometimes lead to. Keep in mind that this process is not cheap. It requires a hydraulic engineer and materials to install these.

Dismantle dams and lodges: Before you do this, make sure that all beavers are caught, otherwise, you will have to keep repeating this process. Also, keep in mind that beavers work very fast, so you might have found that they rebuilt a dam overnight. Once you have caught all of them, use wood chippers to destroy all materials so that new beavers don’t reuse them.

Other tips: Try setting traps at night and then taking them down during the daytime. Beavers are nocturnal so you want to better your chances by having traps set at night when they are likely still moving about, but you don’t want to catch non-target animals during the day. Because it’s hard to reach them in ponds, streams, lakes, and rivers, set traps on beaver pathways. At some point they are going to need more resources or food, so use the paths they frequent. Also, make sure to properly camouflage the traps.

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