Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conferences
Date of this Version
October 1987
Abstract
Beaver populations in North Miss, and West Tenn. have increased rapidly, Pelt trapping has been the major control method in the past. With low demand and poor prices for southern pelts, this activity is almost nonexistent today. Landowners, both private and industrial, have tried several control methods with limited success. Few landowners have the expertise or the time to perform their own control work. What is needed is an agency with the expertise and the supervisory capacity to administer the program for the landowner. The Animal Damage Control Unit of USDA entered into a cooperative agreement with an industrial landowner and some of the adjacent private landowners to control the beaver population on those properties. ADC hired, trained, equipped and supervised the trapper. The landowners provided cost-share payments each quarter as the work was completed and documented by ADC supervisory personnel. The amount of maintenance needed to maintain control of the beaver on these areas is yet to be determined. More data and experience is expected to be gained from the second year of the agreement.