Tag Archives: beavers in stream

Beaver Problems

You farmers think you have beaver problems, try being a trout.  I mean, here I am, not bothering anyone, and all of a sudden some beavers come along, build their dam or lodge, and I’m stuck.  I’m supposed to be able to swim my normal route, along this cute little stream with a nice rocky bottom and lots of cover so I can hide from predators from above.  But, as soon as it’s time to move, I notice the water temperature’s different and I’m suddenly blocked by a huge pile of twigs and logs.  Beaver problems! My precious running water that’s supposed to take me to my spawning grounds is now diverted into little pools and ponds.  That’s just great for some other fish, but it’s a death trap for me!  The shallow ponds don’t give me much cover or depth to hide from fish-eating birds or other animals like raccoons.  I can’t get to my spawning grounds, then I can’t spawn, and I’ll probably be caught and eaten by something.  Just an awful situation for me.

Yes, other animals love it.  Beavers come in, create new ponds or divert waterways, and all of a sudden new plants are springing up, all kinds of other water creatures move in, and birds and animals are attracted.  I’ll be honest, beavers even help trout sometimes when they make larger rearing grounds.  But, I have to be able to get there first!  Right now, I’m stuck and there’s nothing I can do about it.

So, you farmers can moan about your beaver problems.  Sure, they take down swaths of your corn fields, or take down your precious willow trees or cottonwoods.  Maybe they destroy one of your fences in search of some pretty young tree in your yard. Perhaps you don’t have as much land as you used to, now that so much more of it is under water.  Or, maybe it’s gotten so bad that your basement’s flooded.  Beavers can contaminate your drinking water, you could get giardiasis.

And the animals attracted to those pretty new ponds the beavers made could also get onto your property.  Sure, they won’t kill you like they’d kill me, but you’re still going to have a problem.  How about more birds raiding your fields?  How about raccoons nesting in your home because they’ve got a nice new pond to play in just filled with fish like me?

Hey, maybe you like that sort of thing – more birds and wild animals hanging around on your property, destroying your crops, getting into your home or out buildings.  I’m just saying, maybe we have a mutual interest here.  What do you say?  Get a professional in here who knows how to get rid of our beaver problem, and my life cycle goes back to normal and your property stays the way you like it.