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Leave It To Beaver

beaver damage beaver damage beaver damage

Property damage caused by beavers at a northern Michigan client’s home.

 

In recent years, beaver populations have been relatively high. This is due to a lack of extensive trapping and an abundance of food. These animals can cause considerable problems for county road commissions, private landowners, and waterfront landowners. They create these problems by tree cutting, building dams, flooding property, and blocking culverts. We most often receive calls from property owners experiencing issues due to beaver damage of trees and flooding of waterways, which interferes with land uses. This can cause devastating structural and landscaping damage if untreated.

Beaver Trapping and Removal

Beaver are especially aggressive in the late summer and fall, but do not hibernate in the winter months so a problem may persist. There is one overwhelming fact of dealing with them – you must remove all of the beaver to solve the problem. Any attempt to control these problems without removing the beaver is futile. It is possible to unplug a culvert and draw the water down with them still in place; however, in most cases, the dam will be rebuilt, and the water will flood the next day again.

Ideally, if the problems are not too extreme, an experienced trapper can remove all the beaver in the area during the licensed trapping season. Unfortunately, beaver problems often crop up well before the late fall trapping season. If the problem is pressing, a free Beaver Damage Control Permit can be obtained from the DNR. This allows the landowner to remove the beaver outside of the trapping season if there is proven damage (road washout, flooding, etc.).

Catching these animals during the offseason is more difficult; this is due to their behavior being somewhat different from what many trappers most commonly deal with. Inexperienced trappers will often create more of a problem for you in the long run. They can sometimes only catch one or two of the young beaver; this results in the rest of the colony with adults becoming much warier.

Removal Mistakes

A common mistake we hear of is landowners stating their intention to remove the beaver by shooting them. Research indicates the average colony is about five animals. Anyone trying to shoot all the beaver in a colony one time will quickly find that is impossible. The most likely scenario is that one or two of the young may be vulnerable to shooting; the rest of the colony will become completely nocturnal. Shooting these animals is not easy since there is very little visible when they are swimming. Shooting should only be a last resort for wildlife professionals.

In years past, conservation officers and fire officers would blast beaver dams out with dynamite. Times have changed, and dams are not blasted anymore. Another danger of blasting the dams is the likelihood of washing out downstream roads, culverts, and stream crossings. When a large dam (some up over six feet high) is suddenly breached, a large head of water rushes downstream.  Anyone who intends to breach a beaver dam should keep in mind that it can do considerable damage downstream; it is important to scout out any potential crossings downstream ahead of time. The danger of washout is even greater if there is a significant gradient downstream.

Successful Removal

As stated, if downstream stream crossings are a concern for removing a large head of water, the dam can typically be removed gradually. The best practice is to remove a section of the upper portion of the dam and then let the water flow out down to the level cleared overnight. The next day another part of the dam can be removed, which allows the entire impoundment of water behind the dam to drain more gradually, hopefully avoiding any downstream water damage. If the impoundment behind the dam is vast, greater care needs to be taken breaching the dam. When removing a large dam, great care should be taken only to remove just enough of the dam. This will relieve some of the water pressure over several days.

One thing to remember is the easiest way to minimize beaver problems in Northern Michigan is not to create an ideal habitat next to stream crossings. Of course, beaver are in the rodent family, and they are incredibly prolific. If a suitable food habitat is present near water, landowners will likely have decades of reoccurring problems. The only long-term solution to minimize beaver problems outside of trapping is converting nearshore stream habitat to conifer that beaver don’t utilize for food.

We specialize in the trapping and removal of these animals, so call us to set up an inspection today!

V(Ermine)

The stoat, also known as the ermine (or the short-tailed weasel) is a mammal native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the weasel by its more substantial body and longer tail with a noticeable black tip. Originally from Eurasia, ermine crossed into North America some 500,000 years ago, where they naturalized and joined the closely related, native long-tailed weasel.

The name ermine is for any species in the genus Mustela, most notably the stoat, identified by its pure white coat in the winter months. In the late 19th century, stoats were first introduced into New Zealand to control rabbits, where they have since had a devastating effect on native bird populations.

Appearance

At its full adult size, an ermine’s total body length from crown to rump will be about 6.5 inches to 13 inches. Males are typically twice as large as their female counterparts. The tail length is, in most cases, about 35% of an ermine’s total body length, ranging from 2 inches to 5 inches. They have the classic weasel form: lengthy body, squat legs, long neck supporting a triangular head, slightly protruding round ears, bright black eyes, and long whiskers. Their short, moderately fine fur is white in the winter, and the tip of the tail is black. In the summer, the fur on the back is chocolate brown, while the fur on the belly extending to the upper lip is yellowish-white.

Where do they live?

Ermine are distributed around the northern part of the world. They are found in the temperate regions of Eurasia and North America and are absent from the Great Plains.

They prefer woodlands near marshes, rivers, shrubby fences, and open areas adjacent to forests. Although ermine reside primarily on the ground, they swim well and can climb trees.

Ermine make their dens in hollow logs, tree roots, rodent burrows, and holes stone walls. Most commonly, these dens are nearly a foot below ground. Ermine will line their nests with fur and feathers from their prey, and dry plant material. Burrows will have side cavities that are used for storing food and as bathrooms.

Reproduction

Both male and female ermine will have many different mates throughout their lives. They will mate in the late spring to early summer months, with females producing only one litter each year. Their young are born in April to May, after an average pregnancy of 280 days; this includes an 8 to 9 month time period in which the offspring are dormant More hours of daylight beginning in March trigger the young to start their development. Litter size will range anywhere from 3 to 18 offspring but averages 4 to 9. The young are born blind and helpless, and are covered with fine white hair; a prominent, dense mane of dark fur develops around the neck by their third week (the function of which is unknown).

The young grow quickly and can hunt with their mothers within eight weeks. Although females do not reach their full adult size until a least six weeks after birth, they can mate when they are only 60 to 70 days old, which is often before they are even weaned, whereas males do not breed or grow to adult size until their second summer. Only the female ermine care for the young— they nurse and protect them until they can achieve independence.

Females may survive for two or more breeding seasons in nature, while males generally do not survive that long. The total number of offspring that each ermine has in its life ultimately depends on the amount of food that is available.

Behavior

The slender, agile bodies of the ermine allow them to move swiftly both above ground and through their burrows. Females hunt in the tunnels more than males, which may explain the higher number of males that end up being trapped. Ermine can also run smoothly and quickly across the snow. They are ideal predators, hunting in zig-zag patterns, moving by a series of leaps, each of up to one-half inch. Ermine are curious creatures, investigating every hole and crevice, often stopping to survey surroundings by raising their heads and standing upright on their hind legs. They may travel up to 9 miles in one night!

Adult males dominate females and young. Females tend to remain in their birthplace throughout their lives. Males ermine spread out and claim vast territories that usually contain or overlap subsequent females’ territories; however, interestingly enough males females only associate with one another during the breeding season.

Range

Ermine territories change size with prey abundance. The maximum home range size is about 50 acres. When food is abundant, they can live in smaller areas of only around 25 acres. The ranges of males are usually twice the size of female ranges. These are solitary mammals, keeping others out by patrolling their territory boundaries and marking them with scent.

Communication

Ermine have a keen sense of smell, vision, hearing, and touch that help them to locate prey. Most members of the weasel family are relatively quiet mammals, but some vocalizations may be used for communication. Ermine likely use a specific odor to let other ermine know they are ready to mate.

Diet and Predators

Ermine are mostly nocturnal carnivores. They prey on small, warm-blooded vertebrates, preferably mammals rabbit-sized and under. When mammalian prey is scarce, ermine eat insects, frogs, fish, birds, and eggs. In more severe climates, ermine often hunt underneath the snow and survive entirely on small rodents. It is a requirement that ermine eat every day to meet their extremely high energy demands. They will store leftover meals as a way of managing these demands.

When an ermine senses prey, it will approach as closely as possible. With incredible speed, it will grasp the back of the victim’s head and neck with their sharp teeth and wrap itself around the victim. The victim will die from repeated bites to the base of their skull. Ermine have very keen senses that help them locate prey. Rabbits and rodents are mainly followed by their scent, insects by sound, and fish by sight.

Ermine are aggressive and fierce, although small animals. However, potential predators are larger carnivores, including red fox, gray fox, fishers,  martens, badgers, raptors, and occasionally, domestic cats.

Role in the ecosystem

Ermine are essential predators on the small mammal communities in the ecosystems in which they live.

Unfortunately, many ermine die from a parasitic worm that infects them through their noses. Eventually, the worm causes holes in the skull, putting pressure on the brain, which causes death. Shrews are believed to carry this parasite.

Associated Problems

Ermine can take domestic poultry when they can gain access to them, which can become a problem for farmers. The primary damage they cause is raiding chicken coops and injuring or killing other domestic birds.  However, ermine are excellent at catching mice, which makes them valuable to humans.

How do they interact with us?

Humans have trapped thousands of ermine each season for centuries, but the demand for their pelts has decreased in recent years. They are not considered endangered or even threatened, although hunting in some areas may impact populations severely.

Ermine can become a nuisance pest to farmers and domestic bird owners. We will determine the severity of the problem by inspecting the damage, taking note of how any poultry has been killed, and by droppings. Since ermine pose the most significant problem to domestic fowl, we will concentrate on the exclusion of coops, barns, and any other enclosures by sealing up any access points. Ermine may also be trapped and removed from the area. If you believe to be experiencing problems associated with ermine on your property, do not hesitate to give us a call today!

Eager Beavers

Beavers or Castor Canadensis are giant, primarily nocturnal mammals. They are brown and have a long, leathery flattened tail that acts as a rudder in the water. Their teeth are yellow and curved, which they use to gnaw through wood. If they do not chew, their teeth will continue to grow until they break through their skulls. Chewing is imperative to their survival! Beavers played a significant role in Michigan’s early history. The beaver and the coureur des bois who traded their pelts and helped the Great Lakes region grow. Since the decline of the fur trade in Michigan, property owners have experienced an uptick in beaver related damage to homes and bodies of water.

Beaver Anatomy

They are the largest rodent in North America and can weigh over 60 pounds. They are America’s largest rodent and the third-largest in the world, often reaching lengths of 3.5 ft! Their body is well adapted to their aquatic world but also allows them the ability to waddle about a forest habitat in search of trees to fell. Their tails are flat, broad, flexible, and very muscular; serving as a prop when gnawing down trees. Their tails also function as a four-way rudder, and their large hind feet are completely webbed, which helps to propel them along, as well as adds strength to their ability to pull logs underwater. Their delicate forepaws are incredibly dexterous and function so well as ‘hands’ that they can carry small branches, mud, and even stones. Beavers have amazing construction abilities, using their incisors to fell trees, and their forepaws to construct dams.

Habitat

Beavers spend most of their time foraging along the banks of rivers and streams, and this is where people most often spot them. However, if there are no rivers readily available, beavers have no issue taking up residence in any body of water with banks suitable for their survival. Beavers burrow into th3e banks to make their dens; the entrances to these burrows are in a portion of the bank that submerges and angles, so the living quarters can be deep inside the bank while still above the water level.

If a beaver builds its dam too close to the ground’s surface, it may not have enough overhead support and can collapse.  In the winter, when food is scarce, predators such as bears and wolf can dig into the den if it is not far enough underground. The problem is that many banks are not suitable for this type of excavation. Beavers will address this problem by mounding sticks over the den and piling mud on top of the sticks. During winter, the mud freezes, creating a rugged and durable barrier that protects the den.

Dams and Lodges

They construct dams and lodges out of sticks, mud, and logs on the banks of rivers and other bodies of water. The primary function of a beaver dam is to provide deep, still water to protect against any predators as well as to float building materials and sustenance. They may build multiple in the same river! Beaver lodges serve as their shelter, and they fashion them out of the same materials as the dams. Each summer, mature beavers will mud the exterior of the lodge so that it will freeze providing warmth and protection. Throughout the years, their population has declined severely due to hunting for their fur and glands (which is where castor oil comes from).  Their hunting season is in the fall, but special permits can be granted in the off-season.

We most often receive calls from property owners experiencing issues due to beaver damage of trees and flooding of waterways, which interferes with land uses. This can cause devastating structural and landscaping damage if untreated. We specialize in the trapping and removal of these animals, so call us to set up an inspection today!