OP
Creating a Lake
- Thread starter EddieWalker
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
patrick_g
Elite Member
Eddie, Mysterious are the ways of the beaver. They come, they devastate trees, and sometimes they go. I know of no way to predict when they will return but rest assured they will. If they have paths (slides) it is likely they will repeat their behavior when they return, i.e. use the same slides again. Not saying they won't make more but it is likely they will reuse the same spots too. if you make a converging/diverging "nozzle" of branches and logs (it is OK to use wire fencing, chicken wire or similar) and set a trap at the choke point. The trap will wait patiently for their return but... there is a downside potential for collateral damage regarding other wildlife, children and pets. Similarly traps can be set underwater near where the slide enters the water but there is still a risk of collateral damage.
I have had pretty good luck trapping and shooting them. I trapped 5-6 of them and my collateral damage was two armadillos and two turtles. I shot a few, some at close range with a .22. I was getting ready to get the "7:30 express" when the schedule changed or service stopped. We have multiple smaller ponds in our extended back yard. One of the beaver crossed the dam several mornings at about 7:30 but I didn't take time to stake out the site from my back porch. When finally I prepped a scoped rifle and got serious, the beaver quit making his timely trips. After returning a flawed scope and rescoping the new 6.5 Creedmoor, zeroing it, noting the range to the crossing point and such the beaver just went away. Oh well, next time.
One of my friends has shot bunches of beaver and uses a 12 gauge with #4 and larger as it is very effective and not a big danger like bouncing a rifle bullet off the water to somewhere you don't want it to go.
Pat
jinman
Rest in Peace
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Eddie, my neighbors put chicken wire around their trees to discourage beavers. It seems to work. You can't do it with all your trees, but you might do it to a few of the most prized trees. I have it on a couple of nice trees around our lake and they have not been disturbed.
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
I shot a beaver last month and have been looking for more. It was pretty big, and I'm guessing in the 50 to 60 pound range. Since then, I haven't seen any more damage to the trees, or even any more evidence of them climbing up from the creek and crossing over my dam. I find it hard to believe that there was only one, but there's no sign of any more, so I'm in a waiting game.
Eddie
Eddie
Attachments
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
On Sunday, Steph went down to the lake by herself on the fourwheeler. She brought her camera and her rifle. With those two items, she was comfortable enough to stay there by herself for 4 hours!!!! I was at a clients house, so it was a suprise to me that she had done this. She's a city girl and before we met, she never shot a gun, never killed anything and would never consider going off into the woods by herself. I was shocked, but also very PROUD of her.
Here's a few pictures that she took.
Eddie
Here's a few pictures that she took.
Eddie
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gemini5362
Veteran Member
You forgot no legged trouble as in snakes
jinman
Rest in Peace
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2001
- Messages
- 21,059
- Location
- Texas - Wise County - Sunset
- Tractor
- NHTC45D, NH LB75B, Ford Jubilee
Eddie, nobody who has ever met Steph would think she can't do anything she puts her mind to. My impression of her is that during her days in the city, she was suppressed from what she wanted to do and who she really is. Meeting you and living in the country has given her "wings" of freedom. It's easy to see she loves her life. Tell her that her pictures are a lovely study of life around your lake, and we thank her for sharing them with us.
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Jim,
Thank you, that was very kind of you to say.
Eddie
Thank you, that was very kind of you to say.
Eddie
Eddie, I'm new here, so I'm just skimming through the thread looking at the pics from start to finish. I gotta say, I'm thouroughly jealous, you have done an excellent job on this project. Keep it up. Maybe someday I can realize my dream of having a pond (much smaller than yours) on my land.
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
coreshot,
Thank you. When I bought the land, I didn't think there was a place for a pond. It was the one thing that I was disapointed about, but the rest of the place was just what I wanted, so that was my big compromise. Then like these things happen, I got a wild thought that I could build a levy instead of a dam and create a pond this way. Just getting that idea took a few years, but when it hit me, it stuck, and I kept working it around my brain until I thought it was possible.
Eddie
Thank you. When I bought the land, I didn't think there was a place for a pond. It was the one thing that I was disapointed about, but the rest of the place was just what I wanted, so that was my big compromise. Then like these things happen, I got a wild thought that I could build a levy instead of a dam and create a pond this way. Just getting that idea took a few years, but when it hit me, it stuck, and I kept working it around my brain until I thought it was possible.
Eddie
patrick_g
Elite Member
Beaver, like rust, never sleep (so to speak.) They come and go, walking fair distances over land. Sometimes they just leave and sometimes come in force. I have shot several, trapped 5-6, and know only one thing about them for certain...like General Mac, they shall return.
Oh, and Eddie, they do come even bigger. Aren't those chisels they have for teeth really something?
Pat
czechsonofagun
Elite Member
Yes, I see a road killed beaver at least once a year and sometimes in amazing distances from ponds here in Virginia.
We had beavers on the pond down the stream from us and they would always build a dam and flood our land. And I would always walk there with a shovel and brake the dam. We kept at this game for few month, interesting they never ever reused the mud and sticks I removed from the old dam; it was always untouched and new dam was in place. Eventually some neighbor trapped them I heard.
As far as the teeth - story I heard somewhere: this guy was trying to get rid of beavers and once he got a brilliant idea to stick his head in the beaver castle. Well, beaver was at home and bit him in the forehead. Must been quite a story for the ER
We had beavers on the pond down the stream from us and they would always build a dam and flood our land. And I would always walk there with a shovel and brake the dam. We kept at this game for few month, interesting they never ever reused the mud and sticks I removed from the old dam; it was always untouched and new dam was in place. Eventually some neighbor trapped them I heard.
As far as the teeth - story I heard somewhere: this guy was trying to get rid of beavers and once he got a brilliant idea to stick his head in the beaver castle. Well, beaver was at home and bit him in the forehead. Must been quite a story for the ER
rtdiggr
Platinum Member
Eddie,Eddie,Eddie you killed one of our beavers eh! I will never look at OUR nickel the same way. LOL
just kidding i know they can be a PITA.
Shane
hankus
Bronze Member
Just out of curiosity, does anyone know much about Mountain Beavers? From what I've read they only exist in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, and are NOT related to beavers but rather a close relative to squirrels.
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
I've been mowing around the lake and this is when I noticed all the original beaver sign. So far, there's nothing new. The big tree with all the bark removed around it seems to be still alive, so it's just a waiting game to see if it survives. One of the smaller one that it took down has started sending up new shoots, so that's another bit of good news.
I never heard of a Mountain Beaver, or even that there was different sub-species of beavers.
Eddie
I never heard of a Mountain Beaver, or even that there was different sub-species of beavers.
Eddie
rox
Veteran Member
I could make a joke here about your beavers but into deference of Britney Spears I'll hol back
RobS
Super Member
Some beaver humor for the day, taken from my archives of funnies:
The following is a genuine hoot. This was an
actual letter sent to Ryan De Vries from The Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality, State of
Michigan. Wait till you read this guy's response -
but read the entire letter before you get to the
response. Mr. Ryan De Vries
2088 Dagget
Pierson, MI 49339
Dear Mr. De Vries:
SUBJECT: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W,
Sec. 20; Montcalm County
It has come to the attention of the Department of
environmental Quality that there has been recent
unauthorized activity on the above referenced
parcel of property. You have been certified as the
legal
landowner and/or contractor who did the following
unauthorized activity: Construction and
maintenance of
two wood debris dams across the outlet stream of
Spring Pond. A permit must be issued prior to the
start of
this type of activity.
A review of the Department's files shows that no
permits have been issued.
Therefore, the Department has determined that this
activity is in violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes
and
Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental
Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994,
being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the
Michigan Compiled Laws,annotated. The Department has
been informed that one or both of the dams
partially failed during a recent rain event,
causing debris and
flooding at downstream locations. We find that
dams of this nature are inherently hazardous and
cannot be
permitted. The Department therefore orders
you to cease and desist all activities at this
location, and to restore the stream to a free-flow
condition by
removing all wood and brush forming the dams from
the stream channel. All restoration work shall be
completed no later than January 31, 1998.
Please notify this office when the restoration has
been completed so that a follow-up site inspection
may be
scheduled by our staff. Failure to comply with
this request or any further unauthorized activity
on the site
may result in this case being referred for
elevated enforcement action. We anticipate and
would appreciate
your full cooperation
in this matter.
Please feel free to contact me at this office if
you have any questions.
Sincerely,
David L. Price
District Representative
Land and Water Management Division
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RESPONSE
Dear Mr. Price:
Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec.
20; Montcalm County
Your certified letter dated 12/17/97 has been
handed to me to respond to. First of all, Mr. Ryan
De Vries is
not the
legal landowner and/or contractor at 2088 Dagget,
Pierson, Michigan. I am the legal owner and a
couple of
beavers are in the (State unauthorized) process of
constructing and maintaining two wood "debris" dams
across the outlet stream of my Spring Pond. While
I did not pay for, authorize, nor supervise their dam
project, I think they would be highly offended
that you call their skillful use of natural
building materials
"debris."
I would like to challenge your department to
attempt to emulate their dam project any time
and/or any place
you choose. I believe I can safely state there is
no way you could ever match their dam skills,
their dam
resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam
persistence, their dam determination and/or their
dam work ethic. My first
dam question to you is:
1) Are you trying to discriminate against my
Spring Pond Beavers or
(2)do you require all beavers throughout this
State to conform to said dam request?
If you are not discriminating against these
particular beavers, through the Freedom of
Information Act I
request completed copies of all those issued.
Perhaps we will see if there really is a dam
violation of Part
301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural
Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451
of the
Public Acts of 1994, being
sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Michigan
Compiled Laws, annotated.
I have several concerns. My first concern is -
aren't the beavers entitled to legal
representation? The Spring
Pond Beavers are financially destitute and are
unable to pay for said representation - so the
State will have to
provide them with a dam lawyer. The Department's
dam concern that either one or both of the dams
failed
during a recent rain event causing flooding is
proof that this is a natural occurrence, which the
Department is
required to protect.
In other words, we should leave the Spring Pond
Beavers alone rather than harassing them and
calling their
dam names. If you want the stream "restored" to a
dam free-flow condition - please contact the
beavers - but
if you are going to arrest them (they obviously
did not pay any attention to your dam letter being
unable to
read English) --be sure they are read the Miranda
rights first. As for me, I am not going to cause more
flooding or dam debris jams
by interfering with these dam builders. If you
want to hurt these dam beavers - be aware I am
sending a copy
of your dam letter and this response to PETA. If
your dam department seriously finds all dams of
this nature
inherently hazardous and truly will not permit
their existence in this State, I seriously hope
you are not
selectively enforcing this dam policy or once
again both the Spring Pond Beavers and I will scream
prejudice! In my humble opinion,
the Spring Pond Beavers have a right to build
their unauthorized dams as long as the sky is
blue, the grass is
green and water flows downstream. They have more
dam right than I do to live and enjoy Spring Pond. If
the Department of Natural Resources and
Environmental Protection lives up to its name, it
should protect
the natural resources (Beavers) and the
environment (Beavers' Dams). So, as far as the
beavers and I are
concerned, this dam case can be referred for more
elevated enforcement action right now. Why wait
until
1/31/98? The Spring Pond Beavers may be under the
dam ice then and there will be no way for you or your
dam staff to contact/harass them then. In
conclusion, I would like to bring to your
attention a real
environmental quality (health) problem in the
area. It is the bears. Bears are actually
defecating in our
woods. I definitely believe you should be
persecuting the defecating bears and leave the
beavers alone. If you
are going to investigate the beaver dam, watch
your step! (The
bears are not careful where they dump!) Being
unable to comply with your dam request, and being
unable to
contact you on your dam answering machine, I am
sending this response to your day office via another
government organization - the dam USPS. Maybe,
someday, it will get there.
Sincerely,
Stephen L. Tvedten
The following is a genuine hoot. This was an
actual letter sent to Ryan De Vries from The Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality, State of
Michigan. Wait till you read this guy's response -
but read the entire letter before you get to the
response. Mr. Ryan De Vries
2088 Dagget
Pierson, MI 49339
Dear Mr. De Vries:
SUBJECT: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W,
Sec. 20; Montcalm County
It has come to the attention of the Department of
environmental Quality that there has been recent
unauthorized activity on the above referenced
parcel of property. You have been certified as the
legal
landowner and/or contractor who did the following
unauthorized activity: Construction and
maintenance of
two wood debris dams across the outlet stream of
Spring Pond. A permit must be issued prior to the
start of
this type of activity.
A review of the Department's files shows that no
permits have been issued.
Therefore, the Department has determined that this
activity is in violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes
and
Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental
Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994,
being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the
Michigan Compiled Laws,annotated. The Department has
been informed that one or both of the dams
partially failed during a recent rain event,
causing debris and
flooding at downstream locations. We find that
dams of this nature are inherently hazardous and
cannot be
permitted. The Department therefore orders
you to cease and desist all activities at this
location, and to restore the stream to a free-flow
condition by
removing all wood and brush forming the dams from
the stream channel. All restoration work shall be
completed no later than January 31, 1998.
Please notify this office when the restoration has
been completed so that a follow-up site inspection
may be
scheduled by our staff. Failure to comply with
this request or any further unauthorized activity
on the site
may result in this case being referred for
elevated enforcement action. We anticipate and
would appreciate
your full cooperation
in this matter.
Please feel free to contact me at this office if
you have any questions.
Sincerely,
David L. Price
District Representative
Land and Water Management Division
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RESPONSE
Dear Mr. Price:
Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec.
20; Montcalm County
Your certified letter dated 12/17/97 has been
handed to me to respond to. First of all, Mr. Ryan
De Vries is
not the
legal landowner and/or contractor at 2088 Dagget,
Pierson, Michigan. I am the legal owner and a
couple of
beavers are in the (State unauthorized) process of
constructing and maintaining two wood "debris" dams
across the outlet stream of my Spring Pond. While
I did not pay for, authorize, nor supervise their dam
project, I think they would be highly offended
that you call their skillful use of natural
building materials
"debris."
I would like to challenge your department to
attempt to emulate their dam project any time
and/or any place
you choose. I believe I can safely state there is
no way you could ever match their dam skills,
their dam
resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam
persistence, their dam determination and/or their
dam work ethic. My first
dam question to you is:
1) Are you trying to discriminate against my
Spring Pond Beavers or
(2)do you require all beavers throughout this
State to conform to said dam request?
If you are not discriminating against these
particular beavers, through the Freedom of
Information Act I
request completed copies of all those issued.
Perhaps we will see if there really is a dam
violation of Part
301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural
Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451
of the
Public Acts of 1994, being
sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Michigan
Compiled Laws, annotated.
I have several concerns. My first concern is -
aren't the beavers entitled to legal
representation? The Spring
Pond Beavers are financially destitute and are
unable to pay for said representation - so the
State will have to
provide them with a dam lawyer. The Department's
dam concern that either one or both of the dams
failed
during a recent rain event causing flooding is
proof that this is a natural occurrence, which the
Department is
required to protect.
In other words, we should leave the Spring Pond
Beavers alone rather than harassing them and
calling their
dam names. If you want the stream "restored" to a
dam free-flow condition - please contact the
beavers - but
if you are going to arrest them (they obviously
did not pay any attention to your dam letter being
unable to
read English) --be sure they are read the Miranda
rights first. As for me, I am not going to cause more
flooding or dam debris jams
by interfering with these dam builders. If you
want to hurt these dam beavers - be aware I am
sending a copy
of your dam letter and this response to PETA. If
your dam department seriously finds all dams of
this nature
inherently hazardous and truly will not permit
their existence in this State, I seriously hope
you are not
selectively enforcing this dam policy or once
again both the Spring Pond Beavers and I will scream
prejudice! In my humble opinion,
the Spring Pond Beavers have a right to build
their unauthorized dams as long as the sky is
blue, the grass is
green and water flows downstream. They have more
dam right than I do to live and enjoy Spring Pond. If
the Department of Natural Resources and
Environmental Protection lives up to its name, it
should protect
the natural resources (Beavers) and the
environment (Beavers' Dams). So, as far as the
beavers and I are
concerned, this dam case can be referred for more
elevated enforcement action right now. Why wait
until
1/31/98? The Spring Pond Beavers may be under the
dam ice then and there will be no way for you or your
dam staff to contact/harass them then. In
conclusion, I would like to bring to your
attention a real
environmental quality (health) problem in the
area. It is the bears. Bears are actually
defecating in our
woods. I definitely believe you should be
persecuting the defecating bears and leave the
beavers alone. If you
are going to investigate the beaver dam, watch
your step! (The
bears are not careful where they dump!) Being
unable to comply with your dam request, and being
unable to
contact you on your dam answering machine, I am
sending this response to your day office via another
government organization - the dam USPS. Maybe,
someday, it will get there.
Sincerely,
Stephen L. Tvedten
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Hey Rob,
That's a classic. Thanks for posting it, I haven't seen it in years and had forgotten about it. Now it's part of this thread and will be part of my beaver saga for all time. LOL
Did Snopes have something on this?
Eddie
That's a classic. Thanks for posting it, I haven't seen it in years and had forgotten about it. Now it's part of this thread and will be part of my beaver saga for all time. LOL
Did Snopes have something on this?
Eddie
