202 
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY 
the state was able to hire the trapper for $100 per month, and that the 
expense of the trip was about $100 in addition, which seems reasonable, 
the cost of trapping the beavers would be about $1.50 each. 
The trapping was not sufficiently thorough, on and in the immediate 
vicinity of the ranches, in that the beavers were not exterminated, and 
they may again become a source of damage.- However, if trapping 
can be done at frequent intervals on the stream, this will likely be 
obviated. 
Along the five-mile stretch vdthin the Forest, there is a noticeable 
reduction in the number of beavers, but this is not as marked as might 
be expected. Observations made the following fall indicate that with 
three or four exceptions all dams within the stretch are still inhabited. 
This would indicate that the trapping within the Forest has been 
sufficiently conservative; and if desired, the stream could be safely 
trapped again next spring without reducing the stock below normal; 
that is to say, probably not more than the normal annual increase fot 
the stream has been trapped. It is planned to make further observa- 
tions of the results next summer, and to defer recommendations for 
further trapping on this stream for the present. It is planned, if the 
state can be induced to send one, or preferably two trappers, next 
spring to undertake similar work on two other creeks, both of which 
are heavily stocked and along which some damage to ranches is 
occurring. 
It might be added further that the estimate of the number of 
beavers in Cochetopa Creek and tributaries was 1,200, and that the 
apparently small reduction in numbers following last spring’s trapping 
would indicate that this estimate is conservative. It is more Ukely 
under rather than over the actual number. It might also be added, 
that 20 beavers were trapped from this same locahty on the stream 
under permits to local ranchers, the fall before the state trapper under- 
took the work, making the total number trapped from the stream during 
the past year 152. 
The State trapper failed to take any of the beavers alive for planting, 
so a permit was issued by the state to the forest officers to do the live 
trapping. 
It was planned to use the woven-wire-corral method of trapping the 
beavers, but owing to the lateness of the season and probable length of 
time it would take to get them in this way, ordinary steel traps were 
resorted to and they were visited at short .intervals so that any animals 
caught would not injure themselves. It is realized that this was a very 
