# DNR and beaver dams



## drallam (Dec 31, 2019)

I'm not sure if anyone with the DNR monitors this site or not, but I'm looking for an answer so point where to go if you know. When I was young, the DNR would dynamite beaver dams. I recognize that for a few years after being built, they create some wonderful trout action. But after 3 years or so they only make homes for chubs. Does the DNR still remove dams? What is the process to make it happen, if they do?


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

I doubt DNR will remove them for you and it is against the law to damage them without out a permit from them. The only possibility of getting someone else to do it is the road commission, if it was causing flooding/damage to roads.


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## drallam (Dec 31, 2019)

The water I'm referring to is on state land. This creek as historically a wonderful brook trout creek. Now, well I guess the creek chubs make good bait!


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## SVbowhunter80 (Nov 13, 2012)

https://www.mlive.com/news/2020/05/...ho-tore-apart-beaver-dam-shot-at-beavers.html

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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Contact the DNR, give Gps locations and road locations. They may do something or they may not.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

I’ve contacted my local fishery’s biologist about several. Some they take action on but many they don’t. I feel your pain however. Several of my streams are in very poor shape because of them. I’ve done my part by befriending local trappers and give them the locations to trap during the season. 


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## M. Tonello (Sep 20, 2002)

drallam said:


> The water I'm referring to is on state land. This creek as historically a wonderful brook trout creek. Now, well I guess the creek chubs make good bait!


Drallam- email me at [email protected]


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## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

DNR dynamited a dam near here some yrs ago. Water was flooding the snowmobile trail.
The dumb part is they blew it after most everything was frozen up ad the beavers had no place to go.


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## drallam (Dec 31, 2019)

Boardman Brookies said:


> I’ve contacted my local fishery’s biologist about several. Some they take action on but many they don’t. I feel your pain however. Several of my streams are in very poor shape because of them. I’ve done my part by befriending local trappers and give them the locations to trap during the season.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


The Anderson is my concern.


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## BMARKS (Nov 6, 2017)

Tear that **** out. unless your gonna leave a sign that says "______ removed this dam" then i think you will be just fine. i clear beaver dams that flood trails all the DAM time haha! stupid critters anyways.


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## Matt3ddsteel (Jan 10, 2002)

Check out 330 Maniac on youtube. He is out of Minnesota and has loads of beaver trapping vids on his channel where he is called in to trap properties that are destroyed by beaver dams and flooding. A lot of good fishing videos on there too.


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## drallam (Dec 31, 2019)

I just want to report that I have been in contact with two DNR Fish Biologists. They have been very good to work with. It doesn't mean that the dams will be removed, but they are listening and investigating. Thank you to them.


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## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

Just cause someone traps the beaver dont mean the water will flow again. 

Also the next spring young beaver being kicked out by mama may well reinhabit the lodge(s) on your section of the waterway.


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## riverbob (Jan 11, 2011)

drallam said:


> I just want to report that I have been in contact with two DNR Fish Biologists. They have been very good to work with. It doesn't mean that the dams will be removed, but they are listening and investigating. Thank you to them.


 what the hell does that mean (contact) they give ya no answer, check your s### u mite of been fed some bull, or should I say da, da, da or wishie washie, ,,,, that green out fit, they wear don't mean s%%% if they can't answer your question ,,,,,,, i'm sorry if I,m out of line, but i'm not, to happy with our DNR, at this time


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## CrankyThunder (Feb 11, 2012)

I have never heard of the DNR removing a beaver dam on private or public property. 

When I worked for the Road Commission I hired a trapper to go after the beavers that were flooding the roads and paid for him by the pelt. Course it was 20 years ago but he got 40 bucks a pelt and I am sure that he ate them for dinner. If a private property owner approached me for assistance, if it was flooding the roads, I would ask our trapper to go in and get the beavers with the property owners authority for access. If the dam was located on the property of the complainer, and it was causing a road problem, and there was good access for our equipment, I would remove the dam if the property owner granted me access. At that time, it could have changed now, the road commission could remove beaver dams if it was causing a threat or danger to the general public. 

Most of the times the dams were on private property so I had no authority to remove them. If the dam were on a public drain, the drain commissioner would go in a dig em out with his back hoe. The worst were the private drains and tiles that were long forgotten that snaked through low flat lands and they were generally undersized and forgotten until I removed a dam in a culvert and flooded out a house where the water came up through the basement floor drain. House was on a hill and about 12 foot higher then its neighbor 60 foot away but for some reason that house flooded. 

You got a place that is conductive to beavers, you can remove the beavers but more beavers are going to move in. Lil guys can plug up a 10 foot culvert over night and flood basements for a mile upstream. Might be a year, might be ten years, but if you got good beaver habitat they are coming. 

Regards, 
Crankster


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## drallam (Dec 31, 2019)

There could be a problem because of the size of the water that is now backed up. It could easily take out a couple roads if done wrong. But a couple more rains like we've had in the area, it may happen with no control. The tough thing is that these men and women aren't allowed to do the work they would like to right now. Because of Covid.


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