# Who Wants To Trap Some Beaver?



## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

For the third time in the last five years, beavers have invaded one of the wetland watersheds of my farm.

Would like to have an experienced guy come in and trap every one of these varmints.

PM me if interested.


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

farmlegend said:


> For the third time in the last five years, beavers have invaded one of the wetland watersheds of my farm.
> 
> Would like to have an experienced guy come in and trap every one of these varmints.
> 
> PM me if interested.


 At first when I saw this post I thought it said Tap not trap. I thought of course!


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## Rounder (Nov 11, 2015)

I got full bottle of hai karate aftershave ready for use.


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## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

These beavers have flooded several acres of timber (swamp white oak, bur oak) which may well be destroyed if I don't eradicate them this year. Previous years' floodings stressed them, and this year could finish them off. 

Been fighting a war against these beasts since 2012. And been losing.


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Too bad you're too far. I'd be all over that.


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## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

Firefighter said:


> Too bad you're too far. I'd be all over that.


Too bad is right. I need 'em gone. And it's a gorgeous setting to trap in.


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## CaptainNorthwood (Jan 3, 2006)

So are you looking for someone to trap them or are you HIRING someone to trap them?


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## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

CaptainNorthwood said:


> So are you looking for someone to trap them or are you HIRING someone to trap them?


Bofh.

If I can't get someone by midnight tonight who'd like to do it for the fur and the adventure, I'll have to sweeten the pot. I'll listen to any proposal.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

A nice beaver can be expensive.

L & O


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## CaptainNorthwood (Jan 3, 2006)

farmlegend said:


> Bofh.
> 
> If I can't get someone by midnight tonight who'd like to do it for the fur and the adventure, I'll have to sweeten the pot. I'll listen to any proposal.


The fur is worth almost nothing right now. So anyone willing to do it for free most likely will be a new trapper who just wants to "try and catch a beaver" and they probably won't have the knowledge to get all of them if they educate one. You need them all gone and quickly it sounds like so your best bet is to get an ace beaver trapper out there quickly. That won't be cheap but it will be cheaper than losing all your hardwoods.


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## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

CaptainNorthwood said:


> The fur is worth almost nothing right now. So anyone willing to do it for free most likely will be a new trapper who just wants to "try and catch a beaver" and they probably won't have the knowledge to get all of them if they educate one. You need them all gone and quickly it sounds like so your best bet is to get an ace beaver trapper out there quickly. That won't be cheap but it will be cheaper than losing all your hardwoods.


Whatever it takes, I want them gone.

Three years ago, I interviewed a guy for hire who claimed experience, but he didn't pass my smell test. I had another guy volunteer; he was not an expert and only succeeded in educating the beaver mob; took him several sprung sets to catch one adult male.

Other than here, I am open to suggestions as to where to advertise. Other than "try the drain commissioner, post something at the USDA-FSA office".


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## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

Question for our experts - what would be a good price per beaver to be paid to a skilled trapper to get this done?


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

Nuisance control type rates ,due to poor quality pelts.
For some one who traps for furs it's kinda like killing deer midsummer to a fall early winter hunter..
Travel expenses ,time ,and the usual skills,tools and knowledge apply.
Estimates might be solicited from a control outfit to get an idea of a per beaver rate?
They have multiple charges for a situation like yours ,so research carefully to estimate costs.
Otherwise ,it depends on the trapper if one is willing to harvest non prime pelts.
I'm out of trapping now ,and out of range but the going rate for large sized pelts this past season would be a start for a per beaver rate. Maybe a bonus for leaving none and an invite to put some sets out next season if any sign exists with no fee from either party..
http://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/professional-trapper/cost.html
http://www.mianimal-control.com/rates.html
http://www.michiganwildlifesolutions.com/Beaver_Removal.html


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## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

Waif said:


> Nuisance control type rates ,due to poor quality pelts.
> For some one who traps for furs it's kinda like killing deer midsummer to a fall early winter hunter..
> Travel expenses ,time ,and the usual skills,tools and knowledge apply.
> Estimates might be solicited from a control outfit to get an idea of a per beaver rate?
> ...



Excellent comment waif.


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## rz6x59 (Nov 9, 2008)

FL - Sorry to hear about recent issue with the beavers. I have been dealing with them for about 10 years now. A good trapping seems to get me about 3 years of peace before I have to put out a full assault on them again. You might want to just get good at trapping them yourself. I started out missing many but you get the hang of it after a while and start taking them out. 
I have also recently started taking on a new species, the coyote. Between coyote and beaver my spring and winter have been very busy. Fawns are getting munched and beavers flooding me out. I have footholds, conibears and snares. I set what I call the napalm set where I break a hole in their damn and set every trap I can in every place they travel.
Get ready for a long term control plan. They cannot be eradicated unless all your neighbors in a 100 mile radius put the same pressure on them.


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## Tron322 (Oct 29, 2011)

Someone should be able to show you how to get them...just oversized muskrats.

I got a book thru Minnesota brand trapping, or something like that ran by the Cavens. In their catalog is a book about beaver and otter trapping, don't know the author off the top of my head.

I have attempted beaver and otter trapping maybe 14 days my whole life. Caught 5 beaver including two for damage control...just from that book, some castor two 330 conibears, 1 MB 750 beaver trap and four #3 conibears.

Beaver runs or bank sets for the #330... Mounds of mud and river bottom tipped with castor near the den with footholds.

Hopefully someone can show these sets and probly more if u have time to trap, save the Castor's for sale and hope your day trees make it.


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## sourdough44 (Mar 2, 2008)

Yeah, getting schooled up yourself a good idea. You don't even have to skin them if true pest beavers. You could give them away or sell them in the rough. As posted, little value right now.


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## Patrickr (May 2, 2016)

rz6x59 said:


> FL - Sorry to hear about recent issue with the beavers. I have been dealing with them for about 10 years now. A good trapping seems to get me about 3 years of peace before I have to put out a full assault on them again. You might want to just get good at trapping them yourself. I started out missing many but you get the hang of it after a while and start taking them out.
> I have also recently started taking on a new species, the coyote. Between coyote and beaver my spring and winter have been very busy. Fawns are getting munched and beavers flooding me out. I have footholds, conibears and snares. I set what I call the napalm set where I break a hole in their damn and set every trap I can in every place they travel.
> Get ready for a long term control plan. They cannot be eradicated unless all your neighbors in a 100 mile radius put the same pressure on them.


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## Patrickr (May 2, 2016)

If I am not mistaken it is illegal to damage a beaver dam or lodge without a permit from the MDNR. And I agree with the previous poster that beaver will migrate in about every two to three years if you have good habitat and a good beaver population up and down stream from your property. I spent 15 years providing professional nuisance wildlife management services for the public.

As for pricing it depends on who you hire/how much experience they have, how far they have to travel, their operational costs, whether or not they are insured, whether or not anybody has been in trying to eradicate the beaver previously, etc., etc.. But rest assured, it will not be cheap and it will not be based on what a pelt would bring during the open season. Real professionals don't price jobs that way. Staying until you are sure you have taken the last beaver is time consuming, especially if somebody has been in ahead of you and educated them. And speaking of time consuming, how many other service calls could you do and solve while you are out doing one beaver job? Opportunity costs come into play then. Since every market is different and no to experts have the same overhead/operational costs, it is difficult to give a ball park figure as to what they might charge. Some will charge a service fee/set up fee and a per head fee, whereas others will charge a service fee/set up fee and so much per day to work the job. Others might charge a flat rate for the job and specify a length of time for the job. And that is just to trap the beaver. It doesn't include dam removal if permitted, installation of beaver grates, or water depth controls, etc., etc., if desired by you the landowner. Another factor to consider is the size of your property and if the beaver are all residing on your property or are they on another landowner's property who likes the beaver and doesn't want them touched. All issue when pricing a beaver job.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Huh, I didn't see this earlier. I was down in Hanover-Horton trapping beaver again this spring.

If you have habitat that the beaver want, you can bank on the fact that you will have a continuous influx of new-comers every year, if not more often. 

Pest control prices that I've seen are $50-100 setup fee plus $50+ per animal. If staying until the last one is gone, there most likely would be some $ for that also because an educated beaver will rival the smartest animal known to man. The unfortunate thing is, after the last one is gone, a new one or pair can move in, in no time. There are many full time trappers in the south that work on paper company land and I've listened to their many adventures.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

FYI, just got a check for some beaver.

5 @ $5
4 @ $8

Skinning takes about 15 minutes, fleshing takes 20 minutes and boarding takes 15 minutes each.
Lots of work, gas and time for very little return.
I will do it again next year though 

I averaged just under $2 for **** this year. Those were all on the carcass.


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## Patrickr (May 2, 2016)

FREEPOP said:


> FYI, just got a check for some beaver.
> 
> 5 @ $5
> 4 @ $8
> ...


Freepop, to each their own. After years of doing beaver work for high pay, I just can't bring myself to kill one an process it just to give it away for those types of prices. I could do it for self consumption though. As much as I like the smell of castor, I'd rather smell rat musk. Matter of fact, I like everything about muskrats better than beaver or coyotes other than the thrill factor.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Patrickr said:


> Freepop, to each their own. After years of doing beaver work for high pay, I just can't bring myself to kill one an process it just to give it away for those types of prices. I could do it for self consumption though. As much as I like the smell of castor, I'd rather smell rat musk. Matter of fact, I like everything about muskrats better than beaver or coyotes other than the thrill factor.


Rats
7 @ $1
2 @ $2
2 @ $3

Mink
2 @ $6
2 @ $10

BTW, I kept 10 blanket beaver to finish the boss lady's comforter.

A couple of years ago I was averaging around $12 for my rats.
I'm always behind the ball as far as the market is concerned, never set a coyote trap the last couple years.

I wish I could play catch and release with the animals but since I can't, I either take what I can get, ditch them or quit trapping.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Another thought I had was that taking animals off these properties, though many times is not profitable for me does come with the reward of rabbit hunting and/or deer hunting. One of them gives me access to a few thousand acres. They are good friends and I try to help them all I can.

I figured out Farmlegend's fee: 2 yearling bucks


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## Patrickr (May 2, 2016)

FREEPOP said:


> Another thought I had was that taking animals off these properties, though many times is not profitable for me does come with the reward of rabbit hunting and/or deer hunting. One of them gives me access to a few thousand acres. They are good friends and I try to help them all I can.
> 
> I figured out Farmlegend's fee: 2 yearling bucks


LOL, so you're leasing some hunting rights. It's all good. Helping family and friends is in a realm all its own. I'm a canine junky myself. Ran an experiment the past two years and gave all my fur away to family and friends who wanted it. Even gave some to a couple of fur buyers I know. Just wanted to see what real recreational trapping does cost me. My boss lady was none to happy with me when she saw the figures.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

I love playing chess with the canines but they require a huge amount of time, travel, land and traps.
Never tell your partner the true cost of your traps or how much Trapping costs you.

Still a much better deal spending your free time Trapping than a million other things.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Btw, I make a lot more money winter Trapping than summer woodchuck Trapping and shooting.


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## Patrickr (May 2, 2016)

FREEPOP said:


> Btw, I make a lot more money winter Trapping than summer woodchuck Trapping and shooting.


LOL, mine never blinked an eye when I started aggressively purchasing brand new Sterling MJ 600s a few years ago. She made a stand when I had hit the 12 dozen mark. She didn't know it but that was my choking point as well. She did question my sanity though when I was giving fur away.

Freepop, if I was still in the ADC biz, and I was offering a service fee and per head fee, I would be charging a $149 - $169 service fee and a minimum of $50 - $60 per woodchuck, ****, squirrel, chipmunk, etc., etc.. Skunks, beaver, and canines would be the exception to that price structure. Of course there are other fee structures a person could utilize but the bottom line is they all pay so well a trapper can afford to go chase coyotes (or all low priced fur) around in Michigan all fall and winter.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

They might pay well if you're good and gas is reasonable.

I'm not that good though, I always end up in the red.

Thank you for sharing some numbers. Initially when I shared my sale prices, it was to inform. I don't remember if it was this thread or another but there was a discussion of how trappers make so much money (I think that there's a general consensus on this) that he should be leasing the land to trap. To that, I say good luck. The best trappers I know and or have talked to have a lot of experience and have done it for a living (more time = more experience). They are not going to do it for free, let alone pay you to do it.


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## 270 Hunter (Nov 10, 2016)

farmlegend said:


> For the third time in the last five years, beavers have invaded one of the wetland watersheds of my farm.
> 
> Would like to have an experienced guy come in and trap every one of these varmints.
> 
> PM me if interested.


 Just saw your post. Do you still have problem ? If you want them removed ( not relocated ) give me a shout. I am local experianced trapper of 20 yrs, trapping 10 beavers last year for Oakland County residences and offering outdoor control solutions ( adc ), plus run my northern trap line. Your zone is open now for trapping. I charge $50 per kill, and keep the rodent. Minimal one time travel fee since you are in Oakland county. Let me know if you are interested in talking.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

270 Hunter said:


> Just saw your post. Do you still have problem ? If you want them removed ( not relocated ) give me a shout. I am local experianced trapper of 20 yrs, trapping 10 beavers last year for Oakland County residences and offering outdoor control solutions ( adc ), plus run my northern trap line. Your zone is open now for trapping. I charge $50 per kill, and keep the rodent. Minimal one time travel fee since you are in Oakland county. Let me know if you are interested in talking.


His farm, where the beaver are, is in Hillsdale


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## 270 Hunter (Nov 10, 2016)

FREEPOP said:


> His farm, where the beaver are, is in Hillsdale





FREEPOP said:


> His farm, where the beaver are, is in Hillsdale


Think that's 2 hrs from me. Usually can clean house if set traps Thurs, Fri , Sat and Sunday. How many beavers do you think he has?


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

270 Hunter said:


> Think that's 2 hrs from me. Usually can clean house if set traps Thurs, Fri , Sat and Sunday. How many beavers do you think he has?


Don't know. Maybe he'll check in.


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