So I have now used this tactic several times. It is a simple tactic and seems to work well for hunting beavers. Simply put, you break open their dam so that it releases a goodly amount of water and lowers the pool level. The beaver will take note of this and attempt to repair it that evening. You wait for the beaver to come in to the damaged area and when they are on the dam is when they are moving the slowest or may even be stationary. The beaver is there to either inspect what has gone wrong with the dam or is working to repair it. That makes for the optimal time to shoot.

Here is a video of this evening's hunt. The shot was just under 50 yards.

I just give them lots of Booze !!

These are beginning to feel like hunter training videos. LOL...

This tactic was proven in the early 1800's in the great shining moutains.

Actually, it was one of many approaches being used by the Hudson Bay Co. "trappers" in the 1700s and possibly before that in Europe. What is old is new again, right? People have been hunting for a very long time.

I have no idea how many I have killed that way on a couple creeks in Mississippi. Didn't have the night vision or thermal advantage so would wait for a full moon night or close to it and hunt them then usually from a climbing stand near the creel with a shotgun and buckshot.

Tannerite works great on their dams.

Tannerite would work well, but you see that fence in the video? There is a house about 100 yards behind it with large plate glass windows facing down toward the beaver dam. So Tannerite isn't an option in this case, I am afraid. If the dam was farther up stream, it would not be a problem.

Definitely not an option around houses. What size are your beaver? Our trapper took a nice 50 pounder off the Wyoming ranch we manage. He passed last winter and will be sorely missed. Good beaver trappers up here are hard to find. Cold and snow make for tough conditions. Dam manipulation works well up here too.

32.6 lbs

Nice size. Moyle Mink will tan for about $28 or less. They turn out nice.