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How to get rid of a beaver dam??

O

old

Well-known Member
Location
Camdenton Missouri
Well I have a beaver problem again. They have built a dam that has backed up water so high that it is now spilling into parts of my hay field which I don't need what with all the rain we have gotten any how. If this was say 25 years ago I would just go some dynamite but can't do that any more. Its also where I can not get my back hoe so thats out. I'd make a bomb but any more thats not legal. So how do I get it gone?? Its about 3 foot high and growing
Hobby farm
 
Somewhere out there in google land is the answer to your question, I have seen a description of a method of burying a plastic pipe inside the dam, the trick, apparently, is to let the pipe drain the area, but not make enough noise to attract the beaver's attention!
 
22/250 from a hundred yards. I've often heard that beaver tail tastes good. No beavers to speak of out here anymore or I'd have already tested that one out.

jb
 
Game wardens will bring in a trapper to get rid of the beaver.Dynamite is still used by wardens here when needed.
 
Hello old.
My neighbour had a pond next to his cabin and had a beaver problems. He had a grounds keeper that came up with a clever way to stop them!
He took a 4" flex hose and put it trough the dam, he positioned one end in the water the other trough the dam at a lower level of the pond side By raising and lowering the pipe in the lake side he maintained the level of the water. I though it was pretty clever. I think he got a used hose from a company that had gasoline tankers.
Guido.
 
How about calling in an excavator? Neighbor here does work with a LARGE Japanese model for 80 bucks an hour. I imagine it would take about 15 minutes to dig that dam out.

Gordo
 
I would contact your game warden. They can set traps and catch them and relocate them to another area. We had that problem where I worked after bringing in beavers. They flooded the test courses and if they removed the dam during the day the beavers would rebuild it during the night.
Afer seeing one of them up close in a trap they're not to be messed with. They cut down every tree along that test course. Hal
 
Google "beaver pipe" ...it'll bring up a bunch of hits.

Basic trick to controlling them around here is to tear the dam down to an acceptable level where it's not flooding roads or valuable property, and install the pipe to prevent the beavers from damming water high enough to cause damage again.

Connecticut's not bad on trapping; Massachusetts is tough because the city dwellers passed a referendum years ago banning trapping in general, so State Fish & Wildlife have to certify all other practical means have been exhausted before you can trap the water rats.
 
Learn to live with them they are real good at building good dams better than you could just build a dike along the side that is bothering you and they will keep it up.
My beaver used to plug up my over flow pipes so i made an agreement with them not to do it until spring worked real good for awhile but then they disappeared, I think my neighbor did that he has Morals and could care less about laws or neighbors.
Walt
 
people down here arent scared to blow stuff up or make bombs.....

so i would BLOW IT UP!!!!!!!

you know it is always cool to see stuff being destroyed and blown up!!!!!!!!
 
Thats the problem they have built to the point that the dike thats there no longer hold the water. They have dug into it so bad it leaks all over the place now
 
How about getting some junk dirt and concrete junk and dumping it along the beaver area, or is that just a major inconvenience?
 
In my area conservation will just come in and set traps for them the ones that kill. Beavers in my area are almost as common as rats are
 
That would be a no go because of how soft/wet the ground is. That machine would be down to the cab in less then 5 minutes. Yep years gone by I ran them and know theres no way to get one in to it
 
we run into the same problems here. they move into an area and dam up the drainage ditches. all the field tiles drain into the ditches, so when they are plugged up, you can flood your farm and loose the crop real quick. you loose 30 acres of corn or soybeans, its a dent in the wallet. you have 2 choices with the beavers. either re-locate them or dispatch them. call your county extension office. if they wont send somebody out, then its up to you. if you cant get your backhoe in to clear the dam, and blasting is out of the question, see if you can get a grapple hook or some j-hooks from a tow truck, and enough cable and or chain to get to your tractor. hook the dam and pull it apart. if not , i have used a come-along to get it loose. they are devils to remove.
 
I had the same problem. A backhoe came in and tore the dam out and he also shot a couple of them. The offspring returned the following year rebuilt the dam and brought a few friends to build some more unwanted ponds. Finally found someone whom trapped and allowed him free access. No more beavers. Too bad they are so industrious and make such a mess. I would trap and/or shoot them, dig/blast/burn a hole big enough to lower the water level and then burn the whole dam when the water level goes down.
 
US fish and wildlife They will remove it and the beaver or pay for damage. At least they do here in S.D.
 
I had the same problem on some good bottom ground until I cut every tree down along the creek banks. No trees = No beavers.
 
20 years ago they were plugging the tube in the crossing to get to half of my farm. They would plug the tube every night and I'd unplug it every morning. One evening at twilight I took the 12 gauge and unplugged the tube with that and then stood on the crossing and shot the rest of the box of shells mostly out of frustation. The next morning the tube was not plugged and they didn't bother it again until this year. Lee
 
Make sure you're not anywhere near home when you do it. If asked by anyone afterwards what you knew about it, deny, deny, deny everything especially to the game warden. And leave out any tractors that you'd like to repaint because this will surely strip them down to the metal at least. Oh yeah, one last thing Old, don't tell anyone I gave you the idea if asked...deny, deny, deny it was Mark's idea. You won't have a beaver problem again for years.

Honestly Old, I've never had to deal with beavers, so can't help much.

Mark
This will certainly get rid of them
 
When the drainage engineers came in and told us they're cleaning my creek and i have to pay for their 60 years of gross negligence (only one in the county that hasn't been cleaned since 1950) they also informed me that beaver dams are to be removed by them. You call them, they hire a contractor to remove them at a price of $300/dam. But you will wait a month with the ponds in your fields. But that's what they want you to do. Yet another example of where arrogant bureaucrats show they have no sense whatever.
 
Beavers are an important part of the wildlife picture. Of course you guys can't stand to see any water so you blow them up. The dams provide water for all kinds of animals and fish. But all you guys see is an extra pickup load of corn.

They were here long before you came along to screw up the land.
 
If you get a young one, say 25 pounds or so, they are great roasted with potatoes and carrots, like a beef roast.

I invited my girlfriend, now wife, over for dinner one time and had a beaver roasting. She brought some chicken patties. After her third helping of beaver, I asked her if she was going to eat her chicken patties. I used to run a trapline, but with high gas prices, it'll be tough to make any money now.

IaGary;

A great response to Roberto. People forget hunting and trapping are part of the ecosystem too.

Larry in Michigan
 
Here in Germany, Joe Blow can't just get a hunting license and go shoot something. You've got to take classes and tests that most American conservation officers would flunk out on. Then, once you get your license, you have to find a revier (hunting area) and register in it and pay some dues and upkeep. Now, you are responsible for the wildlife in that area. If there were beaver, you'd have to keep them in control or take care of damages they do. Our area has plenty of deer, but the damage is done by hogs that have learned to operate in complete darkness (can only hunt from dawn to dusk). I've had horses cut and beat up because a sow wandered into the pasture with her babies. Can't prove anything because they are smarter than turkeys. We've decided that the next time something happens, we'll have a DNA test done. If it turns out to be hogs, the hunters in the area will be in bad shape. Not really fair, but the way it is. I would never claim anything against them, but there are plenty that do. If a deer or hog gets hit by a car, in most cases, the hunter/s registered in that area gets the bill. Etc. Etc.
I remember when I was a kid, the Corp Of Engineers took care of beaver stuff.

Dave
 
Hunting and trapping are part of the ecosystem you say. Swell. Is blowing up a beaver dam included in that statement? By doing so you are changing the course of nature so I would say you are wrong.
 
When privately owned farm land is destroyed by a beaver the dam is removed by the DNR here in Iowa.

So if the DNR removes them they must feel the land is worth more that the beaver.

I have seen one dam flood 20 to 30 acres before. At $5000 per acre for land no beaver is worth that much.

Beavers have there place but not where they destroy farm land.

Gary
 
Can't tell you what to do with the dam but as for the beavers themselves, I've found that my .243 works pretty well when they get out of control.
 
Can't tell you what to do with the dam but as for the beavers themselves, I've found that my .243 works pretty well when they get out of control.
 
No,
We're supposed to just leave them there until their dams cause houses and property to be flooded.
Keep the moonbat environmental stuff out of this. Look it as a "real world" issue.
 
So then if I just leave it there are you going to pay for the damage they cause and the $$ I will loose. I don't think you would. Plus this stream and pond for the most part is man made so again its not nature made but man made so again they have to go before they destroy my field and driveway
 

Roberto, If we can't remove(blowup) a beaver dam because it changes the ecosystem. Then you need to get off the computer, get rid of your car, and move into a teepee or cave. Because according to your reasoning your changing the ecosystem by living in a house, burning fuel, driving on paved roads, and causing coal mining to run your computer.
 
Since it will be hand work, just dig a trench through the center of the dam, down to the level of the bottom of the creek. As a couple others have mentioned, lay enough black pipe so the ends are at least 20-30 feet above and below the dam. Cover it back up a little with sticks and mud, so it won't be obvious. Beavers will rebuild the dam that night, but won't be able to figure out why it won't hold water. Eventually, they'll bring in an SEB (Structural Engineer Beaver) who will figure it out, and fix your little red wagon, but hopefully you can get your hay off in the meantime.
 

If you have access to dynamite, use it. Also shoot them if you can see them.

Just make sure there are no eyewitnesses. Simple.
 
The beavers were on that land long before you were. YOU are screwing up THEIR habitat. You are changing the course of nature by draining all the ponds and streams so you can make an extra few bucks off their land.
 
Maybe you could just set out poison and kill everything that wiggles or flies. That way you can become king of the jungle and you don't have to worry about them encroaching on your land.
 
Humans are also stewards of the land. We won't be here forever and we must keep it as natural as possible. By killing off all the animals that annoy us we are upsetting the delicate natural environment of others. Beavers play an important role in the survival of other species. You want to destroy that to grow a few more ears of corn. Do you set out poison to kill all the deer and coons that touch your precious corn?
 
It is quite apparent that you are a kook. No one said anything about killing off all of anything.

You think we are a freak of nature, don't you? That mother nature, or whomever you pray to, didn't see us coming. That we are an aberration? Isn't that in conflict with your notion of the perfection of the natural world?

What if a couple of wolves came along and ate those beavers? That would be ok, wouldn't it? Because they have learned over thousands of years and generations that beavers taste good and are good for them. So would it then be ok with you if a couple of humans came along and ate them too? Because they had learned the same thing, and because natural selection and had made us strong and smart enough to trap them, skin them to warm oursleves, and eat them to nourish ourselves?

Your argument will be that the farmer will not eat them, and does not need to eat them nor use their pelts to keep warm. That, again, belies the truth that nature has taught us how to best care for ourselves. That includes how to cultivate and grow food for our sustenance, and how to keep other animals from keeping us from doing do so. I suppose you would have us all go back to living in pre-industrialized times in order to be in harmony with the rest of the world?

You are a fool, and your thinking and logic is wrong-headed. What about the other animals that are adversely affected by the dam the beavers build? And the plants that are now under water and cannot grow that would feed naturally grazing animals. Do you think that there are none? Incorrect again. There are many if both.

You, and those like you, are quick to blame humans first, and I would guess America too. As though we, and it, are the cause of all evil in the world. It must be hell to live inside your head.

Good day, Sir Kook. Go hug a tree! :)
 
I don't know why you are so agitated unless feelings of guilt are at work here.

You cannot compare your wolf analogy with humans. You are not so concerned about the beavers as you are the dams that flood your precious corn. In your analogy, do the wolves blow up the dam?
 
Dude, I'm not even the one that started this thread. Just on unbiased obsever. I feel no guilt about anything, other than that we, as a society, have produced a lost soul such as yourself. Your foolish thoughts and ideals imperil that which has made us great.

The one that started this thread is a life-long farmer, one who has worked much harder than most to feed his family, this nation, and the world. You demean his sacrifice and life's work with your condensating words. I take offense on his behalf at your thoughtless attempt to make an invalid point. He, I'm certain, takes no pleasure in having to deal with this problem in the best way he sees fit. You, on the other hand, would take great pleasure in being able to dictate to him how you think best for him to tend to his own business on his own land. That rather than remove common pests that threaten his crops, you would mandate that he let them be, and lose the investment he has made. Sounds rather Marxist to me. But then that's been apparent from your first posting.
 
So you disagree with me therefore you call me a kook and a Marxist. You will notice I haven't made any disparaging personal remarks against you.

You are looking at this from only one perspective. Money. The beavers do what comes natural to them and what they have always done as part of a sensitive ecosystem. You want to remove them from the equation so you can make more money.
I harvest a few deer every year as it is part of good wildlife management. There are far more deer here than the habitat can support. I never kill or destroy anything I don't eat. You simply want to kill beaver because the water they dam up, which provides habitat for many other species, costs you some money.
 
How do you know beavers were here before man? I'm sure they were before white man, but how long were native Americans here? Maybe the beaver and man was on the land at the same time. This would make us both part of the ecosystem.
 
Roberto,

If money is no concern to you, please spend some of yours and buy a beaver heaven. Those of us who depend on the land to feed our selves and others will trap and bring you all our un-wanted beavers. Then we will all be happy and we won't have to fight on the internet.

(Never thought I would use the term "un-wanted beavers" hehe!)

Dave
 
Get real back in 1980 when I moved here there was no stream or pond and NO beavers either. They have moved in to what I built and its either them or me and they will go not me
 
Get real you stupid SOB. I built the pond for wild life but it has to also be controlled or it will take over more then just that area and cause no place for the wild life like deer etc. If the beavers build in some places I leave them alone but not here. So then guess you need to look at what you do and think about things. Do you drive a car?? Do you use eletic power?? If you do then your as big a part of the problem or worse then I am I try to manage my farm to promote wild life but it has to be a give take and these beavers are taking to much
 
#1 did I say I plained to kill the beaver?? H$ll no I didn't just get rid of the dam that is causing a big flood problem. And that flood problem is causing problems with my hay field which is planted to provide hay for my live stock and also other wild life life the deer that was grazing the other day when I was out cutting hay. Theres many area on my land that beavers live and are ok but this place isn't. Walk in my shoes before you start to complain how I do what I do. Conservation has been called about this and they will kill the beavers because they do cause so many problems and are getting as common as rats in this area
 
My advice, is shave them and lick them. Some prefer to shave them bald before licking, I"d suggest just a little stip of hair left.
By the way Roberto.....where we are you don"t harvest corn by the "pickup load" You must be referring to an old pickup box converted into a trailer and pulled behind a burro?
 
Roberto,

Are you any relation to a Marie Zuber? Just wonder'n if she told you how much fun this site is.

Have a good day.

Dave
 
(The beavers do what comes natural to them)

So do rats, termites, roaches, etc. Remind me to never to set foot in your house.
 
Just kill everything that isn't corn or hay and you'll be just fine. Do you have a good recipe for bald eagle?
 
(quoted from post at 06:47:54 07/02/08) Just kill everything that isn't corn or hay and you'll be just fine. Do you have a good recipe for bald eagle?
Click to expand...

Tastes like chicken :shock:

Who said anything of killing everything? [b:0c1aa07811]You said yourself humans are to be stewards of the land.[/b:0c1aa07811] Part of that is letting a beaver build a dam AND removing one [b:0c1aa07811]when[/b:0c1aa07811] necessary. Humans created things like the DNR not to stop all hunting but to control the animal population. I don't think there is anyone who wants to kill every animal but we do believe in maintaining them. Old said he built the water way and pond this dam is on. So I think this uniquely entitles him to do what he needs to maintain it, including removing the dam
 
Corn is precious to me.It feeds my family, my cattle,my hens.Racoons and skunks destroy more corn that they eat.Beavers cut small trees when the ground is snow covered and leave sharpened stakes sticking out of the ground.Ive seen large tree cut partly through beside highways that could fall and kill people that pass by.I have had my best cow come in with a front leg broken in two places because of a woodchuck hole.She had a new calf to feed.The vet said the breaks were too high to cast.He said to confine her and the calf on a small lot.I fed and watered her.The leg swelled badly and seemed to splint the leg.She did survive.Woodchucks are fair game.Stepping into a chucks back door hole while picking up hay can break your ankle.Crows that pull corn I have planted will be shot,if they leave me alone,I leave them alone.Beavers are nasty up close ,hope one bites you..
 
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