Beaver Dam

[Tam]

Now I know this is a common accurance for so many of you but I have never seen one . Wayne shot a buck and it was across where a beaver damed up the stream . Now don’t you know we had to old school rope sling a backpack to haul it out of there . There were three and one had a waterfall which I know was a flaw for the beaver but relaxing for me.
BTW 1/2 bar got to go with what comes up lol

[SDhunter]

They are amazing animals! Thanks for sharing Tam.

[Scorpion68]

We have them at Dale Hollow Lake here in Tennessee Tam. Lots of trees down along the shoreline but I don't see any dams anywhere, unless they're using the limbs up the feeder creeks.

[sailorjoe]

Hi Chuck. Maybe you know what I'm gonna say already but in case you don't: Beavers don't build dams unless they need to. On larger rivers and lakes they typically build their houses along side the bank or in the shallows of a lake. When the young ones grow up they usually are forced out and have to find other quarters. If the population density is such that there isn't enough food to be produced to feed everyone then they will go into the upstream areas and build dams across small drainages and build dams to create ponds in which they can build houses. The ponds have to be deep enough so that they can enter the houses from underwater where the entrances usually are. The other advantage of the new ponds is that they increase available wetland habitat which favors the growth of willows which are some of their favorite foods. They harvest the willow branches all during the growing season and what they don't eat they store in underwater caches for use in the winter. Beavers have returned to your area in only recent years. There were never any beavers in that area when I was a kid growing up. I can imagine they might be having a hard time establishing populations in Dale Hollow Lake because the hugely fluctuating water levels between summer and winter would play havoc with their home building plans. Or maybe not. Perhaps they got another strategy for handling that problem. Beavers are notorious in some areas for damning up road culverts where highway departments have to deal with the problems caused by them like flooded roads, etc.

[Scorpion68]

Ya know Sailor - I never considered looking along the lake shore for beaver houses. I know there are a lot of trees down in this one section on Dale Hollow and when I went over to see what was going on, I noticed a lot of gnawing was going on that killed the trees and many were gnawed through. I didn't look much further for their houses but you're right about the water level. Right now they're lowering the lake almost daily to prepare for the winter rain and ice and snow melt off which causes quite a fluctuation in water level. Next time out, I'll take a closer look underwater to see if they have any houses along that part of the lake. Thanks for the lesson in beaverology.

[JoshinMO]

They are heck on Tree's and Bank's, but that bring's Point's out! Seen A Thing on TV about Yellowstone and It mentioned how They are actually beneficial though because of The type's of Tree's They chew up. They will kill Tree's as wide as telephone Pole's, but I think Their cool.

[Hoss]

Great article about my late uncle Jim on page 23 of the following link from Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine. Uncle Jim was my Dad's identical twin. He worked for State on Maine Inland Fisheries and wildlife for years. The article is about Beaver control. I have some find memories of staying in Maine as a Teen one summer and going out on the job with him a couple times. https://issuu.com/mainestatelibrary/..._wildlife_maga

[Scorpion68]

I liked the article Hoss. That flow control was ingenuous. Can you imagine the beavers continuing to build their dam but the water keeps flowing. They'll have to figure out a way to block the end of that pipe that has a cage on it. Neat. Thanks for posting it. Appreciate your Uncle for his dedicated service to our fish and wild life.

[Tam]

Wow I just received a National Geographic show of information . Thank you all seriously .
I did see on that show how they have a little home under
water. I’ll check out that link Hoss thanks !

[Hoss]

I used to fish the Farminton River in CT for trout the place is pretty famous among fly fishers. The looked down their noses at me. I was the guy with a pocket full of worms LOL No flies for me. ANyway the beaver Houses were great places to fish but the beaver are teritorial and did not like us near by. They would swim near us and chatter thier teeeth and slap the water with their tails. Those are some nice pictures Tam thanks they take me back to some good times out doors.

[p kurt]

We have them at Dale Hollow Lake here in Tennessee Tam. Lots of trees down along the shoreline but I don't see any dams anywhere, unless they're using the limbs up the feeder creeks.

Tam I have great respect for the beaver's work ethic. But they can be a major nuisance too.

Chuck, I noticed you mentioned Dale hollow lake. My wife follows the Dale Hollow eagle cams on Facebook. She keeps up with the eagles and we use it to know what our eagles are up to. We have local nesting eagles we watch here. Didn't mean to flip flop this thread but just wanted to mention the eagle cams since it is in your neck of the woods.

[Scorpion68]

We got past them when we take our pontoon out around Wolf River past Eagle Cove. I think that cam is along the river over there somewhere. W.e almost always see eagles when we're near Eagle Cove.

[Tam]

Post an Eagle , I only have seen one driving from Georgia to Fl . Let’s get this thread all over the place 😝

[Hoss]

This was a couple years ago right in Sevierville TN to the right side of Kroger Super Market. She is feeding chicks in her nest. Not the best picture.

[Hoss]

A few weeks after that picture a wind storm nocked the nest down.The eaglets were rescued and brought to a rehabilitator. It was in the paper they survived and grew to flledge successfully.

[Tam]

Hoss that’s an awesome pic and I can see the babies .
poor mama but great for the eaglets . Always like a happy ending

[Hoss]

There was a guy watching with me that day and he said he saw the eagle fly back with a turtle for the feast. I have been blessed to see as many as I have. I was standing up to my wasit in the West Branch of the Delaware river in Delhi NY one time and one flew aver my head about twenty feet away. When you do finally see one you will be amazed at the size of these magnificent birds. Once on the Farmington river in Barkhamstead CT I heard an eagle screech and I looked up just as the eagle bumped an osprey knocking a trout out of its grasp in flight. The eagle then dove down and caught the trout before it hit the river. It was a sight to behold. In winter months a good place to see eagle is at Dam tail waters in the Northern states when the rest of the river is frozen Eagles will tend to congregate at the dams to fish. Not sure in the south but I would bet near the rivers and lakes is the best chance of seeing them.

[Tam]

Very interesting . Wayne had a break in work once in his life and went up to work with some guys in Akutan . Saw all the ships from the Crab Show , Deadliest Catch . That place was loaded with Eagles .
I love the turtle Story . Let’s start MNIE .
mother nature is entertaining
Nothing better , calming or puts a smile on my face .