Wet Beaver Love

jeffsssmith · Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 59 Location: Co West Slope

Went backcountry skiing yesterday. A very large avalanche ran about 2000' and at the end of its path struck a beaver pond. The ice and the beaver lodge were blown out by the force of the slide but the beaver was left unscathed, however a little naked, or lets say he was not house proud any more.

This beaver was cute but a little cold for my taste. He (She) was shivering and covered in ice. There was baseball sized ice chunks frozen to his nose, feet and tail. I had to use my ski pole like an ice pick to chip these ice balls from him.

Striking on my ski pole on his face was hard to do and he was hurting from it. After about half an hour I was able to free him of most of the ice but his whole coat was still iced over.

We went off to ski another lap but returned to see if we could maybe haul this beaver back home to thaw him out and save his life. Its hard to fit a full grown beaver into a small backcountry ski pack and since the day was turning to dusk and we were wet and getting cold, we had to leave him to let nature take its course. Either the beaver will live on or become another Colorado avalanche fatality. Hope he makes it.
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DistantFellow · Joined: 06 May 2006 Posts: 520 Location: Fort Fun CO

Hope he (or she) makes it!
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XXX_er · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 5599 Location: central B.C.

he is probably done without a lodge,stored food & pond to see him thru the winter

that is actualy the way to get rid of beavers ... blow up the dam just before freezeup when they don't have a chance to rebuild

Kerstin · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 1475 Location: South Vail Tahoe

Sad.

jeffsssmith · Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 59 Location: Co West Slope

Yes, I'm afraid that he'll not make it too. That's why I went back to try to bring him to a warm place and then contact Division of Wildlife. Unfortunately it was very cold and windy and too late in the day to do anything more than we did for him.
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geekthegreek · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 262 Location: Calgary, Alberta

Although it is sad to see a noble animal be thus stricken, there is nothing unnatural about a beaver dying from an avalanche. Beaver populations are healthy these days...be happy for the poplar, birch and aspen trees that will live for a little longer as a result. Nature is not always (not often) the friendly place that we would like it to be.

Tracks · Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 3:52 am Post subject:

Don't worry kids, the beaver isn't dead, he's just sleeping...

XXX_er · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 5599 Location: central B.C.

hey we got the beaver on our nickle but one mans noble animal is another mans rodent/pest and an acepted way to get rid of them before they flood your land or take out an expensive road is to sink a pipe into the dam so you can get a good charge into it ,and blow up the dam

unfortunatley it sounds like this one was minding his own business

pin!head · Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 3:57 am Post subject:

...thought this was some other thread...

of the Oregon State kind...
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Brenda · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 3438 Location: Ice Coast

Wow. What an incredibly sad, yet incredibly sweet post. Good for you for trying. Sad

dirtbag · Joined: 13 Jan 2007 Posts: 1250 Location: South Lake Tahoe

Sorry for the drift, but how do beavers know which way the tree will fall? When I check out our local beaver dam on Cold Creek, the trees all seem to fall in the direction of the creek.

jeffsssmith · Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 59 Location: Co West Slope

Thanks Brenda. I also found a Parakeet plastered in the snow at 12000' on a windy snowy day and still feel bad for not taking it home, which clearly would be easier than taking home the beaver.
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Brenda · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 3438 Location: Ice Coast

A parakeet!?!?!?! Shocked

I must add that your subject line was masterful. Laughing

Paul Lutes · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2446

POTD!!! Amazing!!

axebiker · Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Posts: 793 Location: Saint Paul, MN

Losing one beaver will save half a forest. The term "busy beaver" didn't come from outta nowhere. Those little bastards (while kinda cute) can really screw stuff up...

Good on ya for thinking of our furry friends though.