Beaver numbers per pond

[treeroot]

I'm doing some damage control this spring. Most of the ponds I'm on were trapped hard last spring/summer already. I was told they were cleaned right out. They are not large ponds and they only have 1 house/den.

I'm curious about the #'s of beavers in these ponds in the spring.


I'm finding I'm getting 2 adults m/f and nothing else out of these situations..


On one pond, I got 1 very large adult and nothing since. Castor mound sets with fresh castor from different beavers every 3-4 days. I'm wondering if it's just one adult in there? It was a female.


If the male/female just hooked up and moved into the pond last spring/summer, am I correct in assuming they likely did not have a litter?

[pikeslayer22]

If those ponds were trapped that hard chances are you have some highly educated beaver. If your using connis on castor sets good luck

[TrapperMike]

Could be a new pair or single that has just relocated to the pond.

[kingrat]

Theres nothing worse than coming behind someone like that. You dont know how many are left, odds are they are highly educated now, etc. And yes if it was a new pair last year they wont have little ones yet.

[treeroot]

Originally Posted by pikeslayer22

If those ponds were trapped that hard chances are you have some highly educated beaver. If your using connis on castor sets good luck

I am fairly confident the pond was completely trapped out last spring/summer.. I know the people who trapped them out.. great trappers and I have talked to them as well.. pretty sure they were emptied.. so the beavers in there are new to the pond.

By your reasoning it also kind of confirms it because I put my traps out and usually within 1-3 days I've whacked the adults in there.. the only thing I wonder about is if there is kitt's or not..

One pond only produced 1 adult so far. Could be a smarter one in there still.. But on that pond I've very limited to where i can set due to dogs.. and the house is in the middle of the pond so I can't set at the house either.

[treeroot]

Originally Posted by kingrat

Theres nothing worse than coming behind someone like that. You dont know how many are left, odds are they are highly educated now, etc. And yes if it was a new pair last year they wont have little ones yet.

thanks! I'm thinking they are new pairs.. Haven't got a kitt out of any of the ponds yet.

[esher]

Beavers are like squirrels, they keep coming to funerals. I have seen no sign for weeks and there is more. The old guard are definitely harder to shoot. The honeymooners are usually together and quite distracted.

[treeroot]

Originally Posted by esher

Beavers are like squirrels, they keep coming to funerals. I have seen no sign for weeks and there is more. The old guard are definitely harder to shoot. The honeymooners are usually together and quite distracted.

I've tried to explain that to farmers.. yes I can trap them out, but their cousins will just move in next week.

I convinced a couple farmers that the only way they will not have a beaver problem is to knock down all the poplar/willow around their dug outs.. no food, no beavers.

[esher]

My neighbour didn't believe me when I told him he had beavers in his dugout, his reply was how could they get there, walk? My reply was since they don't fly, yes. At least 3 showed up at the same time.

[esher]

How do the kits do this time of year if the parents die of lead poisoning?

[esher]

Last of 9 just before Halloween, no sign for a month and almost no water. Next photo was first of 9 from June. There was none fall before.