BEAVER HABITS, BEAVER CONTROL, AND BEAVER FARMING. 13 



walking many rods back from the water, and of the fact that they 

 will explore every possible stream and waterway, no matter how 

 small, and even follow the bed of a tiny streamlet when dry in places 

 in quest of new waters and a fresh food supply. 



If a fence is constructed across small streams and out 15 or 20 

 rods on each side, the beavers will probably not go beyond it, al- 

 though as yet this method has not been fully tested. By placing 

 fences across strategic points in streams and valley bottoms, such as 

 between high ridges or impassable banks, it will be possible in many 

 cases to restrict the animals to certain areas, sometimes to a single 

 drainage system or to a lake basin, so that generally, on large areas 

 involving a complete stream system, fencing beavers should be far 

 less expensive than fencing dry-land stock. On small areas of 

 private property, however, it will usually be well to have the whole 



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Fig. 4. — Beaver fence across creek. A beaver fence across a small stream should extend 

 out 15 or 20 rods on each side and be securely laid on the bottom and along the sides 

 of the banks of the stream. If desired, a passage-way or swing- door in the bottom 

 of the fence under water can be arranged to allow the beavers to pass in but not out 

 of the inclosure. 



area inclosed, and in some cases even to inclose the beavers with a 

 fence which is proof against both dogs and men. 



Types of beaver fence. — Ordinary poultry netting of 1-inch mesh 

 will hold young beavers perfectly, but old beavers will cut it with 

 their teeth and go through. The small young will climb up 2 or 3. feet 

 on the inside of the wire and fall back ; on one occasion a young one 

 was known to climb to the top of a vertical 4- foot fence and tumble 

 down outside. 



To hold both young and old beavers, a 2-inch mesh fence of wires 

 not smaller than No. 16 should be used. It should be 4 feet high, 

 the top having a 6-inch overhang on the inside and the bottom being 

 sunk 2 inches below the surface of the ground. I have never known 

 an old beaver to climb over a fence or to dig under it unless there was 

 a visible opening beneath it. Many of the woven- wire stock- fences 

 would hold beavers perfectly, and if 5 feet high no overhang would 

 be required. 



