The cold weather puts beaver trappers into high gear. While open water trapping provides many opportunities, the ice makes remote bogs and pond more accessible when searching for Maine’s largest rodent.
IFW works to ensure a balance between the ecological role of beaver in wetlands, the desire of landowners to limit damage to crops and roads, fisheries in rearing of trout and allowing recreational opportunities for trappers. The number of beaver state wide is increasing and the need for removal of nuisance beavers continues to increase as the department has cut back its animal damage control program because of funding shortfalls. Thus landowners are taking on more responsibility and costs in removing nuisance beaver.
I live in an area with a number of trappers, including myself. Yet on the state route we have resident population of beaver that seems never ending. I am pretty sure they work their way from Bradley via Blackman Stream to Chemo Pond to Sibley and Trout brook. These waterways flow through a number of backyards and public roads. A resident on Route 180 enjoins the services of animal control on a regular basis to keep the road, pasture and drive open. It seems that this family of critters likes to construct its dam under the signal lane bridge, weaving mud and sticks into the top decking. On a number of occasions, as live trap removal of the colony, Zach and I will assist the owner and remove the dam. Yet within weeks another group arrives and starts the process again.
The average price of Beaver over the last ten years has been running $14 - $25 per pelt. The harvest data for the same period has ranged from 7809 to around 12,000 annually, with a season of harvest from November to April.
There are a number of facts in limited harvest, low prices, high gasoline costs, poor ice conditions and weather conditions.
IFW has been working hard to encourage more trapping of beaver to lower damage and nuisance issues, while some of these measures have provided more interest, it hasn’t been enough to reduce nuisance complaints. It wasn’t long ago that wardens were called to “blow” the dam and remove the problem beaver. Again those days are done, because of time and money…I might buy the money issue, but not the time issue of the warden, but back on track to trapping.
Fisheries science and trout rearing also play into the trapping and removal of beaver. We have all fished a beaver flowage for a few nice trout and that is just about what happens, a few nice trout. Trout require a gravel bottom in running cool water to spawn and hatch eggs. Once the dam is built and creates the impoundment, trout do grow because of the increased feed, but they can’t sustain the population in future years due to the loss of spawning redds. Thus fisheries in most cases like to see brooks and streams remain free of obstructions.
Large beaver dams also create a threat to towns from dam wash out in heavy spring rains. Historical data has shown a number of cases with damage from the eight foot dam wash out.
Beaver create channels in the mud/gravel from the house or bank home the “feed bed” and fed areas. The backed up water may on be a few inches deep, but the beaver cut a channel a few feet deep in the bottom to sneak in to the feed areas. This allows the beaver to remain under water and protected from attack. Beaver is a favorite meal to bear, wolf, cougar and coyote (wonder if we have wolf and cougar in Maine?) in the state. However most of taking by bear is incidental or in the spring when bear are out of den and beaver kits are just starting to explore the nursery.
The use of beaver is not just for the use of the fur; in fact beaver is one of the most utilized animals in the country. The tails are considered a delicacy for food; the meat is utilized as general food which is high in protein or for dog supplement. The teeth, claws and skull is sought for medicines and crafts, overall the beaver is completely utilized.
Most common method of trapping beaver is by use of the conibear instant kill trap called a 330. The conibear is like a large mouse trap that is either baited or placed in a run, again much like a mouse trap. Other method includes using underwater snares and pole traps. The average price of a 330 conibear is $18-20 per trap.
IFW, paper companies and towns maintain lists of nuisance beaver locations and encourage local trappers to remove problem beavers. While this is a great place to start we need to scout areas beyond the local waters and move to the headwaters. Many of the nuisance beavers are juvenile’s that have dispersed from the main colony.
There are special laws pertaining to beaver trapping, some of which regulate trap size, must be 10 feet from the house or den, five feet from a dam and four feet from another trap, traps must be labeled and tended.
So we have found our flowage that we wish to trap and a channel that runs away from the house. We need to set the trap at least ten feet from the house (there is a special method for measuring distance from the house on ice – go figure) and at least four feet from another trapper. Thus we should set a trap at ten feet and fourteen feet. This pushes the next trapper back to at least eighteen feet from the house. Notice this puts trappers on a first come first serve when trapping.
I prefer to use conibear, placed in fence style. This means cutting a trench in the ice across the brook or channel and putting sticks to create a guide toward the trap area. The trap is wired onto two poles with cross braces. I not only label the trap, but write my name on the top of the pole and wire a tag. This saves another inspector or warden from having to chisel the ice and remove the trap to inspect the tag.
The trap is lowered into the channel, using care to insure no accidental spring, just like setting the mouse trap.
Setting a 330 trap is no easy chore, nor do you want to have it snap back on your arm. There are safety built into the trap to avoid this but on occasion snaps happen.
I recall venturing out on thin ice at Buzzy Brook in search of a few beaver. In tending the trap, I cut the inspection hole. The inspection hole is cut to check the trap and saves opening a full trench if not needed. I water was dark and murky and I couldn’t clearly see, so like a fool I reached into the water thinking I was feeling in front of the trap for fur, when SNAP, now my arm was locked in the 330. Ever tried to chisel ice one handed, with your other hand underwater. The next step was attempting to remove the trap one handed, which failed so I had to drive into Old Town and have a friend open the trap so I could get my arm back. I wasn’t dumb enough to inspect 330’s with my hands again.
My beaver trapping extends now for the kids who have junior trapping licenses and enjoy working the ice holes and building the fences, they also enjoy the extra spending dollars for the holidays.
Traps are checked on a regular basis and fur removed. Once out of the water the beaver are rolled in snow to soak up the water and protect the pelt. The removal of a trapped beaver is like taking a mouse out of the glue trap. The trench must be opened by chisel or chain saw (no bar oil) and the fence removed. However as winter progress and ice thickens, the saw bar will not reach and the hole is opened by hand.
Once you have gathered your fur, there are two choices, put the fur up yourself (preferred method) or sell the beaver in the round. Most trappers work their own fur, skinning and fleshing the pelt. Pelts are sold individually to a fur buyer or at auction. I remember selling fur to the likes of Pomery, Gould and Mowatt Fur. In fact one of the oldest and wisest fur buyers in Maine is Mr. Stevens who once worked for the famed Mowatt Fur Company. His prices are fair and stories priceless.
Trapping supplies are available at Cronks, Maine Military and a few local dealers.
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