Beaver Control in Michigan for Trapping and Removal

Live trapping of Beavers in Michigan

 

Domelike beaver homes, called lodges, are constructed of branches and mud. They are often strategically located in the middle of ponds and can only be reached by underwater entrances. These dwellings are home to extended families of monogamous parents, young kits, and the yearlings born the previous spring. Beavers prefer to dam streams in shallow valleys, where the flooded area becomes productive wetlands. These cradles of life support biodiversity that rivals tropical rain forests. Almost half of endangered and threatened species in North America rely upon wetlands. Freshwater wetlands have been rated as the world’s most valuable land-based ecosystem.

Beavers are among the largest of rodents. They are herbivores and prefer to eat leaves, bark, twigs, roots, and aquatic plants. Beavers rarely overpopulate because they breed only once a year, defend large streamside territories from strangers, and the two-year-olds leave home each spring to find mates. They are limited to a small fraction of the landscape that is close to waterways. Kits have many predators including hawks, owls and otters. Bears, wolves, dogs and coyotes will also take older beavers that are especially vulnerable when seeking new territories. Accidents are another frequent cause of mortality, including falls into abandoned wells, and especially traffic accidents.

Beavers have fewer kits when occupancy reaches a certain level and food becomes scarce. In vast areas without trapping, beaver populations will peak, and then slowly drift down to a sustainable level. Removing beavers stimulates larger litters from survivors in the area.

These large rodents move with an ungainly waddle on land but are graceful in the water, where they use their large, webbed rear feet like swimming fins, and their paddle-shaped tails like rudders. These attributes allow beavers to swim at speeds of up to five miles (eight kilometers) an hour. They can remain underwater for 15 minutes without surfacing, and have a set of transparent eyelids that function much like goggles. Their fur is naturally oily and waterproof.

What is the cost to get rid of beavers, to trap and remove beavers?

Beaver trapping is the best method to guarantee their removal and prevention of damage due to their dam construction. We charge a trap set up fee/inspection to come out to your home to survey the property and strategically set traps. Depending on the location of your home you may expect to pay an set up fee of $125-$195 depending on the number of traps that are set. Typically we charge a relocation fee per animal due to repeated trips and resetting of traps. For animals trapped other than beavers we may charge a per trip charge. per animal cost could be anywhere from $60-$100 depending on the placement of the traps and location of the traps on your property.  Once the beavers are trapped and removed we can also destroy the damn so no more flooding will occur and no more beavers will join the den.

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