Scotish beaver.

[Nath]

Yep, they've released beaver in Scotland.

Is this a good thing or not?

If not will the 22 be enough or should I use a shotgun?

Whats the meat like?

Can I resole my boots with that tail?

Nath.

[FLINT]

depends. are beaver native to scotland?

beaver are super important in some ecosystems, as they create wetlands which are important for many species including for example moose in the north, which eat a lot of aquatic plants in wetlands created by beaver. so beaver increase wildlife diversity by creating habitat diversity. when the beavers move on, succession will take place and the area will return to deciduous forest or whatever was there before.

now sometimes, beavers will dam streams where people don't want them to and that can be a problem.

my first instinct certainly wouldn't be to kill them. having seen them in person up close, they are really quite big and impressive critters!! and very impressive in their ability to alter the landscape, and in that regard they are eclipsed only by humans.

[Nath]

Ok, I'll stand down then.

I was just wondering what beaver burgers would be like

Oh well,,,,

N.

[FLINT]

i'm sure you'll find plenty of people to advocate their slaughter

I'm an ecologist so I've got to put in a good word for them.

[KirkD]

Well I like Beavers just so long as they don't cut down my trees. For those that did, I found both the .22 and the 32-20 to be sufficient to take care of the problem, with the nod going to the 32-20. As long as they can keep from cutting down my trees, they can make some pretty nice ponds, which can be good for a variety of wildlife like Flint has pointed out. Beavers are the kind of animal that is good to have around as long as they don't flood too much agricultural land and keep away from my dadgummed trees. More recently, I've given up trying to keep the beavers away from my trees and have opted to surround the ones down at the river with wire mesh. That keeps them from cutting them down.

[Rusty]

Nath during the westward expansion of our country in the 1830's and '40's there were a group of independent fellows that we refer to as mountain men today. They were the ones that trapped for beaver when hide were at a premium. They talk in their journals of eating roasted beaver tail.

[madman4570]

I think it depends on the water sources and how they flow. Some cases they can do good,many others they can be bad little buggers???????

Probably taste like woodchuck???? which actually is not that bad(grandfather used to eat it somtimes)I tried it!

[Terry Murbach]

AND THEN I THOUGHT.....SCOTCH BEAVER....Hmmmmmmm......[ just shutup merbatch right now....]
OKAY...

[rjohns94]

Terry, I thought the very same thing.

[Warhawk]

I wonder if the folks that dreamed this up are the same ones that "re-introduced" the wolves to Yellowstone?

That one hasn't worked out quite like the "experts" said it would.

[Doc Hudson]

AND THEN I THOUGHT.....SCOTCH BEAVER....Hmmmmmmm......[ just shutup merbatch right now....]
OKAY...

Apparently we dirty old men think alike.

That was my first thought as well.

[Doc Hudson]

Before anyone starts giving the beaver-kissers (keep yer minds out of the gutter boys!) too much grief, you should bear in mind. Before the Western Fur Trade began, and even before the Hudson Bay Company started trading for beaver pelts, Scotland was a major source of beaver peltry.

IIRC, the native beaver were trapped out sometime between The '45 and the America Revolution.

If the population can be kept from flooding too many places that are better off dry, these reintroduced beaver might be a new source for sport and profit for Scottish outdoorsmen.

I've often heard mention of eating beaver tail, but not the rest of the animal. Unfortunately I don't have any beaver recipes. if you try cooking one and it turns out well, please share the recipe.

[Blaine]

Here in the lala land of Greeners, people bought, many moons ago, acreage to log off to have a nice retirement. Having beavers on that land could and often does result in losing most of your land to wetland setbacks, and to protect the beaver.

[Gobblerforge]

MMMmmm. Beavers good eating. [easy boys] Vegitarians you know. 22 in the head is fine provided you can get to 'em before they sink. Can't speak for the tail.
Gobbler

[bigbore442001]

The introduction of the beaver to Scotland will probably be a mixed blessing. As with many things there will be some troubles and benefits. Here in Massachusetts we never really had a beaver problem until the anti trapping people succeeded in passing a conventional trapping ban. It was amended to allow beaver trapping using conibear traps no larger than a 220. That is a 7 x 7 inch opening. In addition you need a special permit to trap beaver. It is free but some town officials don't like to give them out. This change occured because soon after the trapping ban was enacted many towns ran into beaver trouble. The town of Rutland lost a portion of Rte 122 and it cost a huge sum of money to replace when the beaver dam let go and washed out the road.

As long as people will be able to control them in the future it should be a good thing. If they are given a blanket protection such as Massachusetts did in the early 1990's then it will bite people in the rear end.

I did eat beaver tail one time. It is very greasy and gelatinous. I figured that a meal of beaver tail would be very life sustaining and provide a great deal of energy.

[Hobie]

AND THEN I THOUGHT.....SCOTCH BEAVER....Hmmmmmmm......[ just shutup merbatch right now....]
OKAY...

Apparently we dirty old men think alike.

That was my first thought as well.

I wondered... You guys drive me nuts sometimes!

[KirkD]

I am assuming that the beaver in question are European Beaver (Castor fiber), a different species than what we have in North America (Castor canadensis).

[Blaine]

AND THEN I THOUGHT.....SCOTCH BEAVER....Hmmmmmmm......[ just shutup merbatch right now....]
OKAY...

Apparently we dirty old men think alike.

That was my first thought as well.

I wondered... You guys drive me nuts sometimes!

Luckly, they can ask themselves: What Would Tubby Do?

[Jayhawker]

Yeah, I thought the same thing as a lot of you.

[Bridger]

The introduction of the beaver to Scotland will probably be a mixed blessing. As with many things there will be some troubles and benefits. Here in Massachusetts we never really had a beaver problem until the anti trapping people succeeded in passing a conventional trapping ban. It was amended to allow beaver trapping using conibear traps no larger than a 220. That is a 7 x 7 inch opening. In addition you need a special permit to trap beaver. It is free but some town officials don't like to give them out. This change occured because soon after the trapping ban was enacted many towns ran into beaver trouble. The town of Rutland lost a portion of Rte 122 and it cost a huge sum of money to replace when the beaver dam let go and washed out the road.

As long as people will be able to control them in the future it should be a good thing. If they are given a blanket protection such as Massachusetts did in the early 1990's then it will bite people in the rear end.

I did eat beaver tail one time. It is very greasy and gelatinous. I figured that a meal of beaver tail would be very life sustaining and provide a great deal of energy.

220 is just really to small to trap beaver. A 280 or 330 is preferable. Problem with a 220 is you may just educate rather than kill them. But they may be smaller than the ones I trap.

[gundownunder]

I read the title and immediately came in here looking for the pictures

Hey waddaya expect, Oz is a dry continent, so we don't have beavers

[bigbore442001]

The introduction of the beaver to Scotland will probably be a mixed blessing. As with many things there will be some troubles and benefits. Here in Massachusetts we never really had a beaver problem until the anti trapping people succeeded in passing a conventional trapping ban. It was amended to allow beaver trapping using conibear traps no larger than a 220. That is a 7 x 7 inch opening. In addition you need a special permit to trap beaver. It is free but some town officials don't like to give them out. This change occured because soon after the trapping ban was enacted many towns ran into beaver trouble. The town of Rutland lost a portion of Rte 122 and it cost a huge sum of money to replace when the beaver dam let go and washed out the road.

As long as people will be able to control them in the future it should be a good thing. If they are given a blanket protection such as Massachusetts did in the early 1990's then it will bite people in the rear end.

I did eat beaver tail one time. It is very greasy and gelatinous. I figured that a meal of beaver tail would be very life sustaining and provide a great deal of energy.

220 is just really to small to trap beaver. A 280 or 330 is preferable. Problem with a 220 is you may just educate rather than kill them. But they may be smaller than the ones I trap.

Yes it is too small but the ninnies at Fish and Game mandated that size as the only legal trap for beaver outside of the man killing Hancock trap. A number of trappers are using the 220 Belisle trap. It has extra strong springs and no gaps so even a tail caught beaver is yours.

[Bogie35]

AND THEN I THOUGHT.....SCOTCH BEAVER....Hmmmmmmm......[ just shutup merbatch right now....]
OKAY...

+1!


bogie

[2571]

Tail should be skinnned and flesh cooked slowly -- slow cooker is appropriate if you have them over there. As a stew it can be ok.

Carcass flesh is a lot like our muskrat. Nasty, I think. Sometimes it tastes fishy although I don't think beavers eat a lot of fish.

I'm guesssing you'll eat it once and brag about it but it won't become a favorite.

You might try currying the carcass flesh. My wife done that but I think it still tastes like cheap, fatty pork. We tried to make tacos one time but gave most of it to the dog. He ate it but without gusto and certainly without a wag.

Beaver is a food for hard times and po' folk.

Good luck.

[Bridger]

The introduction of the beaver to Scotland will probably be a mixed blessing. As with many things there will be some troubles and benefits. Here in Massachusetts we never really had a beaver problem until the anti trapping people succeeded in passing a conventional trapping ban. It was amended to allow beaver trapping using conibear traps no larger than a 220. That is a 7 x 7 inch opening. In addition you need a special permit to trap beaver. It is free but some town officials don't like to give them out. This change occured because soon after the trapping ban was enacted many towns ran into beaver trouble. The town of Rutland lost a portion of Rte 122 and it cost a huge sum of money to replace when the beaver dam let go and washed out the road.

As long as people will be able to control them in the future it should be a good thing. If they are given a blanket protection such as Massachusetts did in the early 1990's then it will bite people in the rear end.

I did eat beaver tail one time. It is very greasy and gelatinous. I figured that a meal of beaver tail would be very life sustaining and provide a great deal of energy.

220 is just really to small to trap beaver. A 280 or 330 is preferable. Problem with a 220 is you may just educate rather than kill them. But they may be smaller than the ones I trap.

Yes it is too small but the ninnies at Fish and Game mandated that size as the only legal trap for beaver outside of the man killing Hancock trap. A number of trappers are using the 220 Belisle trap. It has extra strong springs and no gaps so even a tail caught beaver is yours.

Never messed with a Belisle, expensive, but a lot of people love them I know. I also know those spring catches are of a first rate design.

Could you tell me a little more about those Hancocks, I haven't even seen one except in pictures. (No use for something like that here where real traps are legal lol) I have heard as you indicated that they are dangerous. Why?

[NonPCnraRN]

Yeah, I thought the same thing as a lot of you.

I though of a few lanscape analogies but they would have been booted by the moderator.

[DBW]

For sixteen years I had Oklahoman beaver. After she moved onto someone elses pond I was beaverless a few years before finding Canadian beaver which I've had five years this coming December.

[fordwannabe]

When I lived in Maine we had a big beaver issue. You are not allowed to kill them and they were flooding my horse pasture. I called the game commish and they were like nope you can't do anything. here in PA if you have a beaver issue the game commish comes and traps the little buggers and relocates them, but in Maine I guess your suppose to live with it. I was talking to a local friend and he asked me a little question that shed new light on the matter." How far do you think the closest game warden is right now?" Apparently a new version of the plague developed in the beaver population over the next week, I think it must have been from mining run off or something cause they all showed signs of acute lead poisoning. Never did figure out what happened though. Tom

[mescalero1]

Jayhawker,
I hate to travel, but after seeing that picture, I am wondering about visiting Scotland.

[Bill in Oregon]

I have Conibeared a few beavers here in Oregon, the Beaver State by the way ...
Had some beaver meat in the freezer but never got around to eating it. The beaver is an odd creature. It's bones are fragile and easily broken during the skinning process. The fat and cracklins, when rendered slowly over a Coleman stove, yield a very useful oil that is liquid at room temperature, and a great temptation for your dogs. If you let a cat get a taste for the meat scraps, it will not leave your beaver alone, and acts as though on catnip when it has a tummyful.The tail, skinned and tanned, is sought after for wrapping the handles on traditional bows.
And of course, the hides make all sorts of great projects, including trad. quivers.
Neat critters.
I have caught many trout in the ponds created by beavers.

[TWHBC]

Classic funny story regarding a man with beaver troubles and his correspondance with the State of Michigan.

http://www.snopes.com/humor/letters/dammed.asp

[KirkD]

When I lived in Maine we had a big beaver issue. You are not allowed to kill them and they were flooding my horse pasture. I called the game commish and they were like nope you can't do anything.

Well, back when I was a kid, we'd call the conservation officer to take care of the problem, but when the demand for furs dropped due to the beaver huggers in Europe, trapping stopped and the beaver population exploded. There were so many beavers the Natural Resources people couldn't keep up live trapping them and there was no place to move them if they did. The shoot-shovel-and shut-up practice went into effect big time, to such an extent that the Winnipeg newspaper wrote that beavers by the thousands were being left to rot in streams all over Manitoba. I doubt the beaver huggers in Europe ever found out about that. Anyway, the 3-S procedure has continued to this day. Franky, the bureaucrats can pass whatever laws they want until the cows come home, but if beavers start cutting down my trees, business gets taken care of.

[nemhed]

Nath, I didn't know what to expect when opening this thread.... Personally I don't have any issues with returning native wildlife to their former habitat, within reason. My issue this year is with a species known as the Cooper's Hawk, aka the chicken hawk. They seem to have returned to my neck of the woods with a vengeance. I don't recall seeing one until about 3 years ago. Now I've had to pen up my chickens in order to stop the predation, and these hawks seem to be everywhere. They are fascinating birds, just not when they are pouncing on my chickens.

[Buck Elliott]

Jayhawker,
I hate to travel, but after seeing that picture, I am wondering about visiting Scotland.

She's most-likely Irish...

[DBW]

Classic funny story regarding a man with beaver troubles and his correspondance with the State of Michigan.

http://www.snopes.com/humor/letters/dammed.asp

Funny dam story.

[Nath]

Well you guys crack me up with your wise cracks
I will say though that, that bonnie lassie is a cracker and for sure would gladden the heart of any red blooded man on a sunny day

I say let the little wood noring flat tails flood everywhere! That will produce more duck n' geese and help limit where nosing meddling bunny huggers can git'.

Oh and stop trying to get me in trouble by lowering my threads to gutter levels dang it!

Nath.

[bigbore442001]

Bridger:

The Hancock trap basically is a steel suitcase. In order to set the trigger you have to stoop over the open clamshell of a cage. I was told by my trapping instructor that people have cied using it. It is a touchy thing. They are expensive, heavy and dangerous. As part of the class I took I had to set one. You need some good upper body strength and some balance to set it. As you set the jaws you are hovering over the trigger mechanism. I can see that if the trigger slipped it could concievably break your neck.

[BAGTIC]

I am assuming that the beaver in question are European Beaver (Castor fiber), a different species than what we have in North America (Castor canadensis).

European beaver are reputedly not as prone to dam building as American beaver. They also seem more likely to use streamside tunnels as dens.

I wonder which species of beaver is being released in Scotland.

[Bogie35]

Jayhawker,
I hate to travel, but after seeing that picture, I am wondering about visiting Scotland.

She's most-likely Irish...

Come to think of it, you don't see a lot of Scottish beauty queens.

bogie

[KirkD]

Come to think of it, you don't see a lot of Scottish beauty queens.

Well, by gum! You must never have been to Scotland, then! ..... and when they start talking with that accent of theirs .... Come to think of it, my wife is Scottish.

[Ysabel Kid]

Terry, I thought the very same thing.

guilty...

[Wes]

I have to trap them out of my irrigation ditches quite a little (the four legged ones for you dirty old men). As a kid I had a trap line and we made a little money trapping beaver, muskrats, and mink. Lot's of fun for sure.
We did eat beaver tail and some meat...once. I thought it was nasty myself and this is coming from a gut-eating ranch kid (remember RM oysters are a cowboys 'sack lunch').
I used Connibears whenever I could and later on snares. Leg hold flat traps were good if you knew what you were doing but I sure caught a lot of beaver feet in them.
Another good way to get them is to tear a good sized hole in the dam and sit and wait. When that pond goes down they'll be out to fix it and I'll be waiting with my 218 Bee.
I hope it never comes to the point that I have to call some official about a pest problem like that. You guys back east have it tough.

[Cliff]

I seem to remember when beavers were reintroduced in England everyone thought it was great until they began doing what beavers do best. Building dams. Seems they were flooding out some pretty fancy housing developements and similar areas. Gotta love them.

[Doc Hudson]

Something that has troubled me ever since I first saw the title of this thread.

I believe the term 'Scotch" was misused and should have been Scottish instead.

As a lady from Dundee once told me:

We only use the term Scotch for things you can buy with money, like whisky, eggs, and politicians.

Now if the beavers are for sale, I withdraw my objection.