Cheap Way To Control Beavers

Cheap Way To Control Beavers MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Pest Animals 21-6-41 "It's a long-term, inexpensive solution to beavers as compared to shooting or trapping, which only work for the short-term," says Skip Lisle about his new method for preventing beavers from damming culverts and washing out roads. Lisle uses a two-pronged approach to stop damming. One is to quiet the culvert because the sound of running water stimulates damming behavior. The other is to build a special fence, or "Beaver Deceiver", on the up-stream end of the culvert. The "Beaver Deceiver" is a trapezoid-shaped fenced-in area about 15 ft. long and 15 ft. wide. Treated cedar posts, 5 in. in dia., are placed every 5 ft. and sunk as deep as possible. Six ga. wire mesh in 5 by 10-ft. sheets with 6 in. sq. grids, is stapled to the posts. The mesh is small enough to exclude beaver, but not most other animals that travel in streams. The trapezoidal configuration of the structure prevents beavers from building dams at a right angle to the water flow, says Lisle, a wildlife biologist for the Penobscott Indian Nation in Argyle, Maine. Lisle has built more than 20 "Beaver Deceivers" in the last two years with great success. They can be built as big or small as necessary depending on the size of the culvert. The device can be set up in a day and ranges in price from $150 to $1,000. It should last for up to 20 years, Lisle says. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Skip Lisle, Department of Natural Resources, 6 River Road, Old Town, Maine 04468.

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