Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines
The Regular Stuff: Chat, Buy, Sell, Off Topic, etc. => Off Topic => Topic started by: Stoker on June 27, 2025, 04:36:01 pm
-
Bonjour
I understand that beavers actually cause a lot of damage. What's the situation exactly?
Are they protected animals?
Bonjour Raphael
I suppose that viewing beavers as being destructive depends entirely on your point of view. In a wholly natural world, I do not believe that the natural processes which they set in motion, cause, create and live by, should qualify as destruction of any kind. Their dams do much to naturally minimize flooding downsteam, though locally they do cause intentional flooding. Those ponds naturally create meadows over time, which in most if not all situations may be considered a good thing!?!?
However, when it comes to the works of modern man, such as canals, irrigation channels, hydro-power infrastructure and the like, then yes, beavers can be a rather serious problem. I could go on at great lengths about these things!
As for being protected, I am unsure how they are treated in the various Provinces of Canada, where these photos were taken. However, in the USA their level of protection varies State by State and even in various locals within some States. Here in California (Kaliphoney) there is currently limited trapping licenses available, and only in strictly identified areas. On the other hand, there are also "Predation Permits" that may be (but not necessarily) issued to farmers, water and power companies, or other water infrastructure managers to help them get rid of problems being caused with their systems.
Several decades ago, during my "Mountain Man" period, I had a trapping license specifically to learn how to trap the beaver, and found it was an interesting challenge and experience. During the first season, I did not do very well, though I did get two minks along with a few beavers but learned a whole lot. The first night of the second season I caught 7 beavers, out of eleven sets, totaling a bit over 350 pounds with the largest animal just at 70 pounds! I have not trapped since that night, figuring I'd learned the lessons well enough that should I ever need to, I would be able to be successful again. I should add that here where I live the beaver is not a native species, but rather has been an introduced population, and thus is something of a problem to the local environment!
So much more that I could add here, but perhaps have said more than there is any interest already.
One other thing I should perhaps add however ...... Beaver is fine eating in my opinion, and the fur is truly amazing!!!
-
Bonjour
I understand that beavers actually cause a lot of damage. What's the situation exactly?
Are they protected animals?
-
On this day, I found the architect of the prior lodgings:
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
.... and some more of his architectural wonders ... a Beaver Dam:
[attachimg=3]
-
Here's a really "Hard and well Bronzed" Klondike Miner, working his Rocker Box in search of riches!
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
Here's just what that miner is waiting for to help "loosen" him up a bit.
[attachimg=3]
Here's a pair of Dwellings, often seen up in the Klondike, the form of which were seen from time immemorial.
[attachimg=4]
As long as we are "touring" the Land of the Midnight Sun ... here is a Sunset/Sunrise from high on the headwaters of the Blackstone River, looking North over the Arctic Slope from just south of the Arctic Circle:
[attachimg=5]
-
Here's a couple of "Hit or Miss" single stroke "engines" (of war) of the WW I era that were also on display near the Tractors!
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
-
Neat photos. I always thought I would like to search for Gold. 😊
Thanks Bruce, @ St Paul Steam ... I've actually done quite a bit of that in my time, and found quite a bit too, though I've never really fully paid for gas and beer, but it is the fun that is worth far more than the gold!
Here's some of my experiences in the Klondike gold fields on this day 6-29-2010, fifteen years ago!
[attachimg=1]
Fresh Bear Sign
[attachimg=2]
A Fresh Bear
[attachimg=3]
Old abandoned Dredge-Line Buckets in the wilderness
[attachimg=4]
A little bit of the Real Deal, panned from Bonanza Creek
Sorry for the out of focus shots. One was just a grab shot on a moving bear, and the other I just tried to get too close to make the gold look bigger!
[attachimg=5]
Here's a little bit more of the Yellow Stuff, from the Forty Mile River, not too far from the Klondike, in Eastern Alaska.
-
Neat photos. I always thought I would like to search for Gold. 😊
-
2 thumbs up..!!
-
Really enjoyed studying those pics in detail Daniel.......man is an ingenious beast!
-
I was in a sort of Heaven ... at least to me .... as I was in the town of Dawson in the Canadian Northwest Territories, visiting the Klondike Gold Fields for the second time in three weeks after spending a couple of weeks dredging (only a couple of days really) on the Forty Mile River in nearby far eastern Alaska.
Seen in a "Park" in Dawson, were many things of true wonderment, but among them were these tractors, one labeled as a Monarch, and the other that I suppose to be an early Caterpillar, possibly even a Hoyt Cletrac machine.
For your enjoyment and interest ... here ya go:
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=3]