Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Trapping => Topic started by: seansfire on November 17, 2012, 01:43:35 PM

Title: Beaver Dams
Post by: seansfire on November 17, 2012, 01:43:35 PM: I live near a creek that has 2 huge beaver dams about a mile apart. Went down to the creek yesterday and noticed it was barely a trickle now. Wondering if it would be legal or not to go up the creek and bust a big hole in it or not so the creek will flow good again. It stinks to see what they have done to the creek. There was salmon in the creek up by our house 2 years ago even.

Both of the beaver dams are like levees. one is about 5 foot high and 60 or 70 feet across the creek. The other one is as best i can tell around 10 feet high on the water side and maybe 100 feet or so long.
Title: Re: Beaver Dams
Post by: sled on November 17, 2012, 02:47:52 PM: Cant touch them.
Title: Re: Beaver Dams
Post by: TheNoob on November 17, 2012, 03:19:17 PM: I would talk to DFW and let them know and salmon spawning grounds and maybe they can get them removed. Trap the beaver out of there as well. It will slow them down some. From what I understand they will keep moving up the waterway making new damms as the young grow up.
Title: Re: Beaver Dams
Post by: bob maier on November 17, 2012, 04:46:57 PM: If you don't remove the beaver they will keep building the dam back. Who says you can't bust up a beaver dam. I'd like to read that rule.
Title: Re: Beaver Dams
Post by: Machias on November 17, 2012, 05:58:38 PM: They will have it rebuilt before the sun comes up. I did a trapping job on a little creek near Cheney and the landowners were tearing the dam out and they were rebuilding it faster than he could rest up. They literally had a pile of brush they'd pulled out of the dam that was as big as a pickup truck.
Title: Re: Beaver Dams
Post by: seansfire on November 18, 2012, 12:37:59 PM: if you guys know someone in the kitsap area that wants to try to get the beavers there is a lake called fern lake which i am guessing is the water source. there is a very large swamp below the lake and the creek the beavers dammed up comes off that swamp and runs down to become rocky creek eventually. there is a road that will get you close to both dams but it will require some door knocking or walking up stream to the huge dam and downstream to the small one. shouldnt have any issues finding the area on google or bing maps.
Title: Re: Beaver Dams
Post by: JimmyHoffa on November 18, 2012, 01:09:08 PM: Quote from: bob maier on November 17, 2012, 04:46:57 PM
If you don't remove the beaver they will keep building the dam back. Who says you can't bust up a beaver dam. I'd like to read that rule.
Check the kitsap county code, titles 16 and 19 (I think). An old coworker got burned for 'altering' drainage in a salmon bearing area for grading where some bushes were. Also, might check with WDFW Hydraulic Project Approval. So many weird laws and interpretations for them.
Title: Re: Beaver Dams
Post by: Cylvertip on November 19, 2012, 09:26:27 AM: The only way for them to totally stop the flow in the creek is if it has been diverted to another drainage or is now seeping underground. They can't totally stop the flow, there has to be water getting out of the pond somewhere.

Is the creek on your property? WDFW ain't going to do much unless there is a safety or property damage concern. :twocents:
Title: Re: Beaver Dams
Post by: woodywsu on November 19, 2012, 01:22:27 PM: Remove the beavers then tear out the dams.
Title: Re: Beaver Dams
Post by: JakeLand on November 19, 2012, 05:24:12 PM: sometimes it is better to be quiet on some things than to be asking questions if you know what I mean
Title: Re: Beaver Dams
Post by: Button Nubbs on November 19, 2012, 05:39:57 PM: BOOM!

just sayin...
Title: Re: Beaver Dams
Post by: Stickerbush on November 19, 2012, 05:43:55 PM: I dont see why you cant take it down, I watched some city workers tear some down no problem in marysville. There are also structures you can put up to "trick" them etc
Title: Re: Beaver Dams
Post by: Humptulips on November 19, 2012, 10:14:38 PM: If you remove a dam by hand you're probably OK. If you want to bring in equipment you better have a hydraulic permit in hand.

Dynamite, lots of luck getting that and even more luck getting a permit to use it in a stream. Not going to happen.
Title: Re: Beaver Dams
Post by: Huntbear on November 19, 2012, 10:30:06 PM: Quote from: Humptulips on November 19, 2012, 10:14:38 PM
If you remove a dam by hand you're probably OK. If you want to bring in equipment you better have a hydraulic permit in hand.

Dynamite, lots of luck getting that and even more luck getting a permit to use it in a stream. Not going to happen.

blackpowder, a chunk of PVC with end caps, some cannon fuse... if it is on my property, ummmm I have no idea what anyone is talking about... :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: