Beaver Swamp Dilema

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
I've got three separate beaver swamps on our farm that we hunt alot throughout the year. Good ones too, full of lily pads and SAV. And all are fed by the same creek. One of the big rain events we had about a month ago caused the dams to wash out and now the water is almost complete gone in all of them and apparently the beavers have migrated elsewhere because they've made no attempt to repair them.

The dams washed out in a section about 6 ft wide and 6 inches deep. Is there any solutions yall know of to patch the washout? I know I cant just shovel mud back in because the creek is constantly running and would just wash it away instantly. Would sandbags do the trick?

Cant understand why the beavers disappeared either. I know some have taken up shop further upstream but it's not a huntable spot.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
I have a ton of sand bags in Charlotte you can have I mean a few hundred.
I appreciate the offer, I'm in the same boat at work we have several hundred left over from the hurricane this year we stacked them on pallets for quicker deployment. Now they're just taking up space.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

Troutbum82

Twelve Pointer
I have a ton of sand bags in Charlotte you can have I mean a few hundred.
I appreciate the offer, I'm in the same boat at work we have several hundred left over from the hurricane this year we stacked them on pallets for quicker deployment. Now they're just taking up space.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Hahahaha same here I thought I was going to be the hero who got rid of them.
 

CountryRN

Twelve Pointer
While you are working at patching the dam - you may as well put a valve in so you can control the water level. It may help you protect the dam from future washouts if you lower the level before monsoons like we have had lately.
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
While you are working at patching the dam - you may as well put a valve in so you can control the water level. It may help you protect the dam from future washouts if you lower the level before monsoons like we have had lately.
At one time I had a Clemson leveler lined up to install but I never went through with it. I have busted the dams with an excavator and planted food sources before and the beavers never wasted any time building them back. This year is weird they have completely abandoned them.

It was always interesting first thing in the morning having beavers swim between our legs in pitch dark. We never bothered them and they never tried to bite our nipples off (poor Jeff Foxworthy reference). It was always a good relationship.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

Steelshot

Eight Pointer
beavers prolly rolled out with the water. Kinda like the interstate opening up for them. Had a beaver job in a pond that has never had beavers in it until after the storms this year. Shallow water summer storm run offs became 2-3foot deep creeks and the nearest water source to that pond is almost 2 miles away. Also, a property that for the past 3 years I’ve always caught a few from has bamboo growing from the lodge. No beavers there anymore.
 

Soilman

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Ahh, just a word of warning. Filling in with sand bags can (and probably would) be considered as "filling in a wetland" by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Not telling you what to do, but if you go that route, you best keep it quiet. Yep, it's ok if beavers do it, but the COE frowns on humans doing it without going through them. I know, it doesn't make sense, but how often does "government" make sense? BTW, the beavers will eventually come back and do the job for you, it just may take a year or two.
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
Ahh, just a word of warning. Filling in with sand bags can (and probably would) be considered as "filling in a wetland" by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Not telling you what to do, but if you go that route, you best keep it quiet. Yep, it's ok if beavers do it, but the COE frowns on humans doing it without going through them. I know, it doesn't make sense, but how often does "government" make sense? BTW, the beavers will eventually come back and do the job for you, it just may take a year or two.
That was one of my concerns. I know those regulations can be tricky when it comes to wetlands. That was my thinking behind this thread, mainly to get input in what my options were.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

Wood Duck Hunter

Six Pointer
Stretch 1/4 " Hardware cloth zip tied to silt fence post across the opening. Will allow water to flow as it collects debris for you. It is an artificial replacement for the beavers.
 

Papa_Smurf

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Stretch 1/4 " Hardware cloth zip tied to silt fence post across the opening. Will allow water to flow as it collects debris for you. It is an artificial replacement for the beavers.

I was thinking something similar...drive some vertical posts in the opening a foot or so apart, and gradually the debris floating downstream will fill it in for you.
 

Dead Eye-NC

Eight Pointer
Steel pipe and X mas trees will back it up enough to have some water to hunt. Eventually beavers will come back. Pull the pipe out after season if you are worried abt COE. I have done it before and it worked well enough to have some huntable water.
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
We had some time to kill with the schools on a delay so the boys an I took a stroll to kick up a deer or squirrel so i walked down to the swamp. The rain over the weekend raised the water up some, but each one was about 3 inches lower in depth than normal. Which is huntable as of today but a week or two without more rain and theyll be drained back down to just the creek channel.

I may just leave it be for this year. I hate it though, theres rarely a time between now and the end of january annualy that there isnt atleast a few ducks hanging out. Its been a barren wasteland the last month. We had two good hunts earlier this year and then bam, as soon as the water left, nothing. Just sucks, its a great place to take the kids because theyre easy to get to and they always get to watch birds work consistently. First thing my boys said this morning is are the ducks coming back. My oldest has started to get the itch like his dad.
 
Top