What are the regulations regarding beaver damage control on my property?
If you have beavers on your property, you WILL have damage.
Beavers do one thing: they chew and fell trees. If located on a smaller stream, creek, or roadside ditch they will also work "like busy beavers" to dam the flow (including any bridges or culverts) to create a pond.
What is the solution? The ONLY solution is beaver nuisance control TRAPPING.
The following regulations are reprinted from the Beaver Control Guidelines, provided by the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources.
Am I allowed to remove a beaver dam on my land? Landowner, lessees, or occupants may remove beavers causing damage or a nuisance, including beaver dams on lands under their control without any sort of permit, permission, or authorization from the DNR. Removal activities can take place year-round. [Reference: NR12.10(1) (b)(3)].
Can I remove beaver from my land without a permit? Yes, landowners, lessees, occupants, and their designated agents are not required to have a DNR permit to remove beaver causing damage. For a land-owner, lessee, or occupant to receive assistance from an agent they must give such a person written authorization [Reference: NR 12.10 (3)(c)].
Do I need a permit to remove a dam from a neighbor’s land? No, you don’t need any DNR permits to remove a dam on neighboring land. State statutes s. 88.90(3) indicates that an occupant of lands damaged by flooding caused by “natural causes” on a “natural water course” on the property owned by another may enter upon those lands and remove the obstruction at the damage party’s own expense. This statute states that this is not trespass. The DNR maintains that it is always good practice to seek consent and permission from your neighbor to remove a beaver dam on their property. If you are considering entering the property of another according to provisions of s. 88.90(3) we suggest you first consult your attorney.
This means that you are within your rights to go downstream to remove a beaver dam that is flooding your property! The statute continues: Furthermore, you should be aware that this statute does not authorize removal of beaver, only the obstruction. Please keep in mind that removal of the dam will not solve the problem. We hope neighbors will cooperated in solving legitimate problems.
In other words, you can break or remove the dam - BUT the beavers will simply rebuild it! You must cooperate with your neighbors to obtain access for beaver trapping.
What if I don't "own" the land? The statute applies to landowners - including those purchasing the property on a "land contract". The statute ALSO applies to lessees, defined as follows:
“Lessee” means any person possessing a written lease for the use of land for the production of commercial seedlings, crops, orchard trees, Christmas trees, nursery stock, honey, and livestock. It doesn’t include a person who rents a home or lands for reasons other than commercial production of crops.
This means that you have the legal rights to remove beavers and dams that are flooding crop fields and livestock pastures (including beehives) on lands that you are renting or leasing.
Can I enlist other people to help me remove beaver dams, do they need any sort of permit? Yes, you can hire someone or have unpaid help to remove dams on your property. People who assist in removal activities don’t need any permits from the DNR but they must possess written authorization from you, the landowner, when conducting dam removal activities on your property. [Reference: NR 12.10(3)(c)].
Am I liable for damages a beaver dam on my property causes to the property of another? Yes. The law states “A person who owns, leases or occupies property on which a beaver structure is causing damage and who fails or refuses to give consent to the department to remove the beaver or the structure to public property or the property of others.” [Reference: s.29.885(6)].
Note: DNR staff do not provide beaver control trapping or remove the dam. It is the responsibility of the landowner to provide consent for beaver removal. It is then the responsibility of the neighbor to contract for beaver damage control.
The private property holder is not liable for an injury to a person engaging in a removal activity, or an injury caused by a person engaging in a removal activity. The landowner is only liable for injuries caused by malicious acts and malicious failure to warn against an unsafe condition on the property of which the owner has knowledge. [References: s. 29.885 (7)].
Are there any closed seasons or limitations on beaver damage control? NO! Removal activities can take place year-round. [Reference: NR12.10(1) (b)(3)].
Can I enlist the help of an outside person to remove the beavers and dam? YES! The land-owner, lessee, or occupant can receive assistance from an agent by providing such a person written authorization [Reference: NR 12.10 (3)(c)].
Can I charge this agent for access to my property? NO! The landowner, lessee, or occupant may not charge any form of a fee to a person providing removal assistance.
The necessity of beaver damage control including the waiver of many restrictive hunting and trapping regulations that apply to sportsmen. The landowner is not allowed to charge for beaver damage control, and should be prepared to PAY for the time and efforts of a licensed trapper.
What methods may be employed to remove beavers causing damage? Can I set traps on a dam? Yes. The landowner or his authorized agent may trap on or around a beaver dam.
Can I trap on a beaver lodge? The landowner or his authorized agent may trap on, in or around a beaver lodge.
Can I shoot beavers on my property? The landowner or his authorized agent may shoot beaver causing damage or a nuisance on their own property. There are no restrictions on the caliber of firearms that are allowed. However, you must comply with shooting hour restrictions. The use of artificial lights is not allowed. You can’t shoot beaver if your property is within a municipality where the discharge of firearms is illegal unless you obtain a permit from the local municipality.
Can I remove a beaver lodge? Yes. However, nobody can use explosives to remove an active beaver lodge. Written authorization from the DNR is required before a vacated beaver lodge may be removed. Written authorization can be provided by your local wildlife biologist. After receiving written authorization from the DNR, a licensed Wisconsin blaster may, at the landowner’s directive, use explosives to remove vacated beaver lodges. [Reference s. 29.088 (3) and 29.885 (2)(b) Stats.]. Note: explosives cannot be used to kill or remove beaver; however, explosives may be used to remove their structures.
Beavers are prolific and their numbers are steadily increasing. Beaver pelts have little value today. Consequently, the numbers of trappers pursuing beavers has diminished. If you are dealing with beaver damage on your property, Beaver Damage Control trapping is the only solution.
As the regulations above point out, beaver damage control is allowed by any means, with no time limits and few restrictions. The MAIN qualification is that the landowner or lessee must provide the Beaver Control Trapper with written permission to access the property.
Randy is licensed to remove nuisance beavers by the State of Wisconsin. There is NO CLOSED SEASON for the control of beaver causing damage. While serving as the agent of the landowner, Randy can both TRAP and SHOOT beaver that are causing damage per WI NR 12.10(1)(b)1(d).
Beaver damage control is an expensive, time-consuming process. Expensive traps must be properly set, then checked at least once daily. This means that there will be an initial set-up expense and ongoing operational charges. Some animal offenders may elude traps for many days. It is simply not cost-effective for Randy to travel beyond a short radius of Marshfield to trap nuisance beaver. You will begiven a cost estimate and REQUIRED to set an upper limit to the total expense. The cost estimate will NOT guarantee the full elimination of the animal problem.
Cost estimates: Beaver Damage Control means beaver trapping. There is a cost for set-up, trapping, daily checks, and animal removal. It is up to the landowner or resident to set the MAXIMUM budget in advance. Beaver damage control requires multiple days. Every day of trap checks and animal removal will add to the total expense. There is a PER ANIMAL charge. Most beaver damage control locations require the removal of at least two beaver. Seldom is one. lone beaver responsible for damage. Some colonies may require the removal of 4 to 6 beaver, or more!
A realistic minimum estimate is $300.00, and most beaver damage control projects will cost $500 or more. Randy offers nuisance beaver trapping only because he is an avid outdoorsman. This is not a profitable business, and furs have little value, especially outside of winter. The landowner or resident will be REQUIRED to sign both a service estimate AND a 100% release of all liability for these services. Please contact Randy for an estimate or to schedule an on-site visit to assess the problem.
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