Trapping Part 2: A Beaver Interruption (GRAPHIC)

*GRAPHIC IMAGES* 

Before you read on: If you object to seeing skinned or killed animals, please do not read further. While I'm passionate about the outdoors and eating wild fare, I respect and acknowledge that not everyone who  loves nature shares my perspective on how to use wild creatures. The below articles may contain dead animals and their carcasses. 

I'm making a set on a beaver dam. Notice the beaver slide to the right. 

Cold had settled over Kansas City, which meant that fur was coming into its prime. It was a strange feeling having time on my side. The longer I went, though the conditions become harsher, the result of my work became sweeter. As winter comes, furbearers gain their undercoats and quickly become the soft pelts that trappers covet. I was hoping to continue the American tradition of trapping.

If you've been following the blog, I've been trying to catch muskrat. One location didn't pan out. There were plenty of dens, but they'd been abandoned. The muskrats had hit the road. So, to mitigate my losses, I put my feelers out to a ton of land owners. At first, I didn't have much luck, but in the end, I was contacted by a friend of a friend who is the groundskeeper at a chain of private ponds near my house. 

Over text he mentioned that the lakes also had beavers. That was good to know, but at the time I didn't have any traps big enough for them. So, I set out and did a walk around of the lake. Much to my disappointment, there was little in the way of muskrat sign. To my glee, however, there weren't just a few beavers. I don't have a number guess, but there were enough to be active on almost every stretch of shore that I surveyed. There were two easily visible lodges. Well, black Friday was upon us, so I sold some ammunition that I hadn't used in years, bought two beaver traps and made some sets. 

I was very excited to trap beaver not only because they have more sought after pelts, but also because they are good eating. Yes, you read correctly. Beaver is delicious. It's my practice to use as much of an animal as possible, whether that be fish, furbearers, or otherwise.

The venerable beaver!

You might be wondering, isn't trapping beaver illegal? Weren't they almost wiped out by trapping? 

The answers are no and yes. The American fur trade, through unregulated harvesting nearly decimated the beaver population. In fact, they don't exist in parts of the U.S. where they once thrived. So, why is it legal to trap them? It comes down to population control. While beavers are amazing animals, they can cause serious damage to ponds, streams, and lakes. This is mostly caused by their habit of building dams, which they do because they like live in large pools of water. They are remarkable, in fact, in their ability to build dams. A section of a creek that I cleared from a small beaver blockage (not really big enough to be called a dam), was filled back up with sticks, rocks, and mud the next day!

The other important reason to trap beavers is population control. Thankfully, Missouri has enough beavers to where this is possible. With the right amount of protection, a wild species can be kept within a healthy population. Too little population and you risk extinction. Too much population and you get too much competition for space and food, as well as disease. Ethical trapping hits that middle mark of maintaining the presence of the animal, but limiting its population growth. It's about symbiosis. 

Anyways, let me run down the basics of setting. For beaver, you need #3 coil springs or another large diameter trap. It's ideal to try and catch a beaver by the back foot and they have large, flipper-like rear feet. The bigger trap size will help you catch and hold the animal. You also need to stake for an animal that is a powerful swimmer and who can weigh up into the sixty to seventy pound range. I was using two sets. One was a set on the crossing over a dam. The other was what's called a castor mound. Both are effective if you have the right conditions. 

When scouting for places to set traps, you need to look for two things, entrance and exit points and beaver building/habitat activity. Slides are indentations along the bank where beavers enter and exit the water. They usually have a few preferred paths, so if you identify them, there's a good chance you'll be able to catch one. Look for little patches of mud with claw marks or flattened reeds. Also, if it's been dry, look for areas where the mud is wet. The second thing to look for is building and habitat. Beavers will hang around cattails and other aquatic vegetation. Look for chewed logs and trees, especially those with wood chips lying around their base. Beavers are anything but subtle, so if they are active, it will be obvious.

Well, I set a foothold trap near a hut and went out one morning to check it. I had not expected much and even preemptively told myself that the trap was still there before I could see it. Except, it wasn't. Then, I saw a little beaver tail under the ice. What surprised me most was how heavy the little sucker was. I'd used a cinder block for the drown set and she was easily as heavy as it. From the size and body shape, it looked like a pretty average age animal. Not a big alpha male, but not a pup either.

I've brushed out the fur here. The pelts are gorgeous. 

The whole process of skinning took me three hours. There are guys who can do that in half an hour or forty five, but if you plan on catching a beaver, block out an afternoon for the project. The first time always takes the longest. For equipment, I suggest a retractable razor to make the initial cuts, a fillet knife for skinning, and plastic gloves. They are wild animals, so you don't want their blood mixing with yours.

Pardon the low quality image. This is about a third through the process. Skinning a beaver is a big job!

To skin them, set them on their back and start at the chin. Make a cut with the razor until you see the skin separated. Beavers have a thick layer of fat, so you should see that when you're cutting. When you get to the belly be very careful not to cut into the gut pouch. That will make a nasty mess of both the meat and the fur. When you get down to the vent (the anus), cut around it on both sides. Here you should also be careful to not cut into the castor glands. They will ruin the meat. If you want to sell them, check out Youtube for how to remove them. I didn't keep them this time.

Pulled beaver! I plan on using this on a hearty sandwich with plenty of cheese and some bbq sauce. There was also some squirrel thrown in the pot.

The meat that I kept were the front and hind legs, the rib cage, the backstraps, and the tail. I'm hoping to tan the leather on the tail, but we'll see. Beaver is a dark meat and when cooked is very similar in flavor to beef. Check out these links for some interesting beaver recipes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3xStu7sgsI&t=730s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3xStu7sgsI&t=730s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7LcuU7mM1E

This was one of my most exciting and rewarding outdoors adventures to date. If you have access to them, you should definitely try your hand at it. Just don't over harvest and make sure you're trapping as humanely as possible. Use the whole animal, treat these amazing creatures with respect, and you'll have a load of fun. Not to mention, lots of free food! Next blog will feature some culinary uses or beaver as well as a squirrel recipe to spice up your next wild meal.

The stock that I made from the ribs and front legs. A taste of what's to come...