Beaver Dam breaking tips

[Big Tuna]

Make sure it's either on your private property or on your registered line if it's on crown (you're the 01 trapper for the land). Could cost you a pile of money in court if it isn't !

Luckily I am the head/only registered trapper for this land. I also am a partial landowner of this lot which means I need to trap in season.
Wish I could drive ATV to this one dam rather than canoe or do forest trec to get to it.
Usually I leave the dams so I can trap again two years later when new beavers return.
Now that their work is effecting our ATV trail, it will be a full out war to finish the job at this one area.

[hockeymjt]

TANNERITE

[old outdoorsman]

Don't use the chainsaw - just my recommendation.
The beavers add a lot of rocks to the dam, at least in my experience.
I've torn them apart - at least a hole big enough for the water to drain - by hand, sometimes using a heavy stone rake, sometimes a log peavey helps.
Good luck.

[bdog]

My vote is tannerite also, Ive seen it work

[Big Tuna]

Tannerite was fun to play with on the range but may work too well for a beaver dam in known wet land.
I can't confirm yet, but I was told of two stories in our area with dynamite use in the past.
It worked too well and created wash out sending massive amount of sand down land and causing significant drainage to the wet land which caught the attention of the ministry.
Ministry gave warning in one case and a fine for the other, so I am told. Not sure if it was MOE or MNR.
Planning to head up this weekend to lower the dam using a cultivator rake, long handle branch cutter and pulling apart by hand. Then see what I can trap as rebuild starts.

[ninepointer]

This:

well i have broken out hundreds and if you can get low at the back of them, start pulling out all the supporting structure from the back before you get water flowing. Its just easier and you will get less wet. Chest waders and good gloves and get in there. You can start from the top, but its more work than necessary if you can get at it from the back.

and this (or any kind of heavy grub hoe):

get yourself a muck scoop, these work great on beaver dams.
Attachment 42479

[ninepointer]

I was told of two stories in our area with dynamite use in the past.
It worked too well...

The ol' timers had many such stories. Like the time in the 1960s they blew a dam and which ended up unintentionally taking out a cascading series of dams downstream and almost washing away the camp

[C.F.]

As some have said , chest waders, neoprene gloves and a pick axe.
If you go the tannerite route be prepared to take a long shot and have something to hide behind.
If it’s a constant issue and a big enough dam.. you can use a long culvert with chain link over the ends and sink it threw the dam.

[ninepointer]

I could write book on making and installing beaver bafflers. If its your home property where you can check on and maintain the inlet regularly, you stand a chance. But if its a recreational property and you are not there all the time, the beavers will win. They will find a way to plug the inlet of your baffler, no matter how large or elaborate your inlet cage is. Or if you happen build the most amazing, infallible beaver baffler ever, they might just simply build a whole new dam upstream (don't ask me how I know).

Beavers are like the Taliban; you can control the situation as long you are present and maintain active operations. But once you pull out, it doesn't take them long to undo all your hard work.

[johnjyb]

Love that line: Beaver are like the Taliban.
John