Last beaver I saw was shaved, but that was on another site...
Speaking of beavers - when I 1st moved here, I was kinda uninformed about what kinds of animals lived here, & I'd convinced myself that beavers had gone the way of the buffalo in these parts. This was back in '85, & I was working 2nd shift at a dead end job. I'd gone fishing & got a big hit from a huge cat that broke my line, so I decided to go back after work to catch it in the dark.
I got there around 1 AM, & waded 1/4 mile upstream & set up on the shore at the end of this lil animal trail. As I was fishing, I heard these big footsteps coming toward me. They were shuffling sounds, & it sounded like something very very big was coming at me. I shouted, thinking it might be a farmer coming to see what or who was messing on his property, but got no answer. Just those footsteps. My mind started going a little goofy, thinking it might be a (gasp) bear or something. I grabbed my flashlight & shone it on myself, jumped up & down & made a lot of noise in hopes of scaring off the bear, but the steps just kept getting closer. It seemed like a horror movie to me at the time.
Then I saw this black spot. I shined my light on it to see a beaver, dragging a big branch. Every time it lunged forward, it made big footstep sounds. Damned thing had to be every bit of 40 lbs, & I'm not exaggerating. It kept coming, & all I knew was that if a wild animal has no fear of ppl, there must be something wrong with it. So I was a lil panicked when it walked right up to me with that damned sapling in its mouth. I was kinda stuck between it & the water, & I wasn't gonna go in the water with it, so I kicked it in its head.
It gave me a really dirty look & dropped the branch at my feet, & waddled into the water. Now I really WAS stuck, cuz a PO'd 40 lb beaver ain't nothing I wanna mess with, esp when I can't see them in the water. Never know what they might bite in there! EEEeeek!
I sat there until 6 AM, with that damned beaver slapping its tail on the water, scaring my fish away, while I swear I could hear another one about 30 feet away chomping on another tree, & I was petrified of an animal attack.
I gave up at that point, & gathered up my tackle, & got in the water, which was up to my chest. I slowly made my way back to my truck, watching every ripple in the stream for the rabid ball-biting angry-as-hell beaver with a death wish for me. The water level dropped, & I could see the bottom, but I was still scared as I waded my way back. As I passed this patch of grass sticking up from the water, a duck quacked & flew up & scared me so badly I peed myself!
It wasn't until last Sept that I tried night fishing again, & that was in the safety of my canoe!
I've heard lotsa ppl telling me that beavers aren't scared of much, & some ppl have actually scratched their heads without getting tail-slapped or bitten, as they come right up to ppl sitting by the water. I dunno. I don't think I'll be scratching any wild critter's head anytime soon.
Speaking of beavers - when I 1st moved here, I was kinda uninformed about what kinds of animals lived here, & I'd convinced myself that beavers had gone the way of the buffalo in these parts. This was back in '85, & I was working 2nd shift at a dead end job. I'd gone fishing & got a big hit from a huge cat that broke my line, so I decided to go back after work to catch it in the dark.
I got there around 1 AM, & waded 1/4 mile upstream & set up on the shore at the end of this lil animal trail. As I was fishing, I heard these big footsteps coming toward me. They were shuffling sounds, & it sounded like something very very big was coming at me. I shouted, thinking it might be a farmer coming to see what or who was messing on his property, but got no answer. Just those footsteps. My mind started going a little goofy, thinking it might be a (gasp) bear or something. I grabbed my flashlight & shone it on myself, jumped up & down & made a lot of noise in hopes of scaring off the bear, but the steps just kept getting closer. It seemed like a horror movie to me at the time.
Then I saw this black spot. I shined my light on it to see a beaver, dragging a big branch. Every time it lunged forward, it made big footstep sounds. Damned thing had to be every bit of 40 lbs, & I'm not exaggerating. It kept coming, & all I knew was that if a wild animal has no fear of ppl, there must be something wrong with it. So I was a lil panicked when it walked right up to me with that damned sapling in its mouth. I was kinda stuck between it & the water, & I wasn't gonna go in the water with it, so I kicked it in its head.
It gave me a really dirty look & dropped the branch at my feet, & waddled into the water. Now I really WAS stuck, cuz a PO'd 40 lb beaver ain't nothing I wanna mess with, esp when I can't see them in the water. Never know what they might bite in there! EEEeeek!
I sat there until 6 AM, with that damned beaver slapping its tail on the water, scaring my fish away, while I swear I could hear another one about 30 feet away chomping on another tree, & I was petrified of an animal attack.
I gave up at that point, & gathered up my tackle, & got in the water, which was up to my chest. I slowly made my way back to my truck, watching every ripple in the stream for the rabid ball-biting angry-as-hell beaver with a death wish for me. The water level dropped, & I could see the bottom, but I was still scared as I waded my way back. As I passed this patch of grass sticking up from the water, a duck quacked & flew up & scared me so badly I peed myself!
It wasn't until last Sept that I tried night fishing again, & that was in the safety of my canoe!
I've heard lotsa ppl telling me that beavers aren't scared of much, & some ppl have actually scratched their heads without getting tail-slapped or bitten, as they come right up to ppl sitting by the water. I dunno. I don't think I'll be scratching any wild critter's head anytime soon.
