Trapping needed to manage population in Beaver Creek

Beaver populations have been managed on Beaver Creek Park for decades using legal harvest methods, mainly trapping. I accompanied my dad when he trapped the park in the 1950s, harvesting as many as 88 beaver in one season. Beaver have continued to maintain a robust population with this type of wildlife management.

Beaver do help the environment in many ways, but when populations become more than the existing habitat can sustain problems become an issue. Tree loss and flooding are two of the main problem that arise.

We have a cabin in Beaver Creek Park. It is our “get-away” spot to relax and enjoy. There is a pond and old beaver dam near it that had been abandoned for many, many years. Two years ago a pair of beaver moved into the pond and began to rebuild the existing dam. First they plugged the culvert we installed to keep a consistent level in the pond. They then widened the dam by a foot, raised the height by two feet and extended the dam by 30 feet. This is when the serious flooding began. Our outhouse vault was filled to overflow into Beaver Creek, our horseshoe pit and volleyball poles were under water, over 30 trees had been cut down around the area, up the side of the mountain and water was already half way to the road leading to the head of Mount Otis trail.

Trying to discourage the beaver from living in the pond we breached the dam numerous time only to have them repair it overnight. We unplugged the culvert, removing sticks, branches, logs, mud and grass. It was plugged again in the morning. We put in a “beaver deceiver” which is supposed to discourage beaver from plugging culverts, they just plugged the “deceiver” causing a bigger mess.

With over 30 trees down and cutting activity getting closer to our cabin, the constant flooding of the outhouse contaminating the creek, we knew the beaver had to be removed.

On page 6 of the 2018 Trapping Regulations put out by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks it states “Wild furbearers captured alive must be immediately killed or released. It is unlawful for a person to possess or transport wild furbearers per Montana law.” This means the beaver could not be trapped for relocation.

Ours is just one instance of many of the problems beaver cause in the park. Proper management through legal harvest is why the park board uses trapping as a tool to do that and uses the expertise of a qualified trapper to do the job.

Thank you to the park board and the park superintendent for doing what is right to maintain sustainable populations of beaver in Beaver Creek Park so those who use it can be safe and enjoy the wildlife and surroundings that this park provides.

Fran Buell

Gildford, MT