Should all that happen in the li'l ol' UK things could get interesting.
Beavers - Rewilding
- Thread starter Foxyboy43
- Start date
If we can shift the conifers up the list then there are some parts of Scotland where that would be of considerable benefit!
I greatly appreciate your informed comments, unlike a lot of the romanticised twaddle we read in the papers over here. However I doubt it will make any difference.
As I mentioned above, everything is a compromise, and in this case those wanting to see beavers back will quite willingly accept the collateral damage as a price worth paying to see beavers roaming the UK countryside. They will just point to the red deer herds and talk about the impact those have had on efforts to re-establish the Caledonian forests. If we can’t manage the size of the deer population, we are not in a great position to criticise others.
Scandially
Well-Known Member
Anyone tried cooking them. I've heard Beaver tastes great?
Prefer mine raw.
I like mine with red saucePrefer mine raw.
Hayduke
Well-Known Member
That’s another problem, Derek Gow and the beaver evangelists claim beaver cause little harm and should be on all our rivers, but underplay the fact that many of our river banks are devoid of trees and the last thing we need is another herbivore.
It would seem simple enough to solve the problems.
Any adjacent landowner within 1/4 mile of the river with beavers should have a 'right of refusal' following introduction. If damage becomes a problem and no-one will pay for it from Government then he should have the right to remove all of the introduced species. The damage should be repaid at 200% of the commodity value and include re-instatement.
Who is re-wilding for, if not for all riparian owners, as well as other interests ?
Anyone for waterproof winter gloves ?
Any adjacent landowner within 1/4 mile of the river with beavers should have a 'right of refusal' following introduction. If damage becomes a problem and no-one will pay for it from Government then he should have the right to remove all of the introduced species. The damage should be repaid at 200% of the commodity value and include re-instatement.
Who is re-wilding for, if not for all riparian owners, as well as other interests ?
Anyone for waterproof winter gloves ?
Err I think it's dead
kettle on so watching Smart arse meter
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Yep and post no. 49 introduces the “beaver evangelist”! 10, 9, 8………This thread has strayed somewhat
Pete1774
Well-Known Member
I wish someone would re-wild CwisP
foxdropper
Well-Known Member
Trouble is with rewinding is that no form of control is ever permitted until said introduced creature becomes a serious pest .Surely better to let those on the ground decide what’s best for the land rather than a pencil pusher .
There are escaped beavers on the lake at Longleat being monitored as we type .So far no real-time problems but there’s only three at present .
There are escaped beavers on the lake at Longleat being monitored as we type .So far no real-time problems but there’s only three at present .
Baked tail I believe. Or have I misunderstood?
S
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
There are a lot of recipes for Beaver . I've found it similiar to pork in some ways , but with a slightly gamier taste . The tail has always been popular among first nations people ( along with Moose Nose ) . Most of the occasions I've had it was while visiting Cree friends of mine or on trap lines , you eat what you trap , which is how I ate Lynx a few times , but that's another story . I'm not a fan of Beaver tail , it's far too fatty for my tastes , which is why it's always been popular in the bush , fat is hard to come by . Personally , I prefer Porcupine , delicious , especially smoked .
As to the OP , as long as their numbers are kept under control , they won't be a problem . Left to their own devises , they will cause a lot of damage . There are a lot of Beavers around me , but we also have a lot of carnivores that are really good at preying on them . The UK doesn't , therein lies the problem . I seriously doubt the rewilding crowd will be happy if people start killing Beavers to keep them under control . Someone brought up concerns about Beaver dams on fish populations . We have native Rainbow , Bull and Cut-Throat Trout here , they have no trouble getting over the dams . In fact , the Beaver ponds are an important refuge for our fish species during times of drought , a common occurrence in these parts . A large percentage of our trout species live in small streams , they are very vulnerable to variations in rainfall or snow melt run off . They will hole up in the ponds until rainfall brings the creek levels up to a point that they can move around in . That being said , I live in a region with intact wild ecosystems where these conditions still exist , there isn't much of the UK where these conditions can be found . An average Beaver Lodge has about 5 to 10 animals in it , they will clear a lot of trees very quickly , I can't see this going on for long before someone gets really upset . The majority of Beaver in my area don't build dams , they build lodges on River banks with access to deeper water or on the shores of our many lakes . They will strip an area clean of their preferred tree species and then move on , sometimes considerable distances .
I understand and empathise with anyone who wants to improve the natural world around them , especially when it comes to restoring biological diversity . It can be done , but it must be done with sober thought . It would be ironic if rewilding would lead to a situation that required more human intervention . How is that wild ? It can be done , but there will be a lot of hurt feelings and controversy . Good luck .
AB
Cootmeurer
Well-Known Member
As to the eating - they can be quite tasty but it is all about selection. A young, 25# or smaller one can taste fabulous smoked on a grill, or baked (as long as the castor glands and oil sacs are removed without touching any meat)
Larger than that - the get tough and rank quickly, and positively stenchful in the spring mating season. A beaver acts like an alley cat with 4 things on its mind - F’ing, feeding, fighting and damming. I’ve yet to trap or kill one in the 40# or up range that doesn’t have healed wounds/scars as well as fresh.
But hey - please rewild them all over the UK, but start with the Thames so that all the clueless city folks ca enjoy them and their activities firsthand.
I can wait to hear of the exclamations of glee when some famous 400 year old oak is girdled
Larger than that - the get tough and rank quickly, and positively stenchful in the spring mating season. A beaver acts like an alley cat with 4 things on its mind - F’ing, feeding, fighting and damming. I’ve yet to trap or kill one in the 40# or up range that doesn’t have healed wounds/scars as well as fresh.
But hey - please rewild them all over the UK, but start with the Thames so that all the clueless city folks ca enjoy them and their activities firsthand.
I can wait to hear of the exclamations of glee when some famous 400 year old oak is girdled
Hayduke
Well-Known Member
If you think roe bucks can batter each other they have nothing on the sustained aggression of a beaver. I reckon I nailed the first beaver in England for over 400 years (coup de grâce). They might look cute and cuddly to some but their fighting gear is formidable. Keep well back.
Coddy
Well-Known Member
Moist and slightly pink.Prefer mine raw.
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