A little fun removing a pesky beaver dam with my Bobcat 334

[CM1995]

Had fun today removing two beaver dams for a good client of mine. The beavers had built two dams, backing water up into his development and causing all sorts of issues. This was the first time I have taken a beaver dam out and it was fun.


My right hand man took a video on his fancy new Iphone 4s (I just have the plain 'ol 4) and with help from my better 1/2 posted it to Youtube. It's my first video operating so take it easy on me. It's a little grainy and not full screen but as with all new experiments there is a learning curve. I am running the mini-ex and no that is not my voice, I have a little more Southern 'Twang....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TSfveEHslg

i wanted to go the Duck Dynasty route and use dynamite but that was a no-go from the top brass..:beatsme

 

[maddog]

good job, thanks for sharin

 

[mitch504]

I love doing that, just because it's so satisfying watching the water gush through.

On a side note, I noticed one of the suggested videos in the sidebar was "5 yr old operating a Cat 303", I wonder if Youtube was commenting on your skill level?

 

[Tinkerer]

Thanks for sharing CM. I was watching Duck Dynasty last night and almost fell off my couch laughing at them BURNING out a beaver lodge in the middle of the night.

 

[CM1995]

On a side note, I noticed one of the suggested videos in the sidebar was "5 yr old operating a Cat 303", I wonder if Youtube was commenting on your skill level?

Hey that kid's pretty good!

I think there is another one between the two we took out. I'll be heading back over there in the next couple of weeks to bushhog so there'll probably be another video. Next time we'll see if my camera man can get a widescreen shot.

I am still working on the dynamite angle but the rate of success for that mode of operation is a long shot...:tong

The owner also wants some silt fencing removed in the area of the beaver dam. It's a marshy mess so I am looking at options to keep the mini ex (Bobcat 334) on top of the mud. Impossible to do it by hand and the wire backing in the silt fence is not strong enough to hook a winch to and pull it out, it breaks apart. I have found a few places that make mud mats but they are for full size ex's. I am thinking about building my own mats out of 4x6's, any thoughts?

 

[245dlc]

Hey CM1995 I come from an area that is plagued with beaver dams, you'll probably make a few return visits unless you trap or shoot the beavers in question. I'd say that your idea of making mats with 4x6's is a sound idea even 4x4's might be an option if 4x6's end up being to heavy for your mini. Some places use weeping tile pipe if the beavers are too persistent or if they just wanna maintain a particular water level in the pond, but I have also heard the little buggers will plug up the pipe with mud too. Anyway hope your able to get a better camera love to see some more video of doing that. Last time I did it was with a 215 Cat excavator and just about got stuck in that stinky mess. lol

 

[CM1995]

The developer/owner had Critter Control come out and set traps the same day we wrecked the two dams. We'll see if they are successful. I suspect I will be tearing this dam out again..

I am thinking PT pine 4x6's for the mats with 3-4 runs of 1/2" all-thread with the bolted ends counter sunk. These mats would be fairly easy and cheap to make. I don't need heavy duty mats for the mini and probably won't use them again for a while. The client would pick up the cost of the mats and I would have them for future use.

 

[grandpa]

I got paid to dig out a huge beaver dam by the local game warden........ got paid for embankment repair and shouldering by the county highway dept. when the rush down stream took out the county road...... I LOVE BEAVERS.

 

[joispoi]

I got paid to dig out a huge beaver dam by the local game warden........ got paid for embankment repair and shouldering by the county highway dept. when the rush down stream took out the county road...... I LOVE BEAVERS.

lol

 

[millercross3]

Nothing like messin' with a beaver. I bet the client was all smiles with no more water troubles....side note..I wonder what the downstream neighbors thought

 

[CM1995]

Nothing like messin' with a beaver. I bet the client was all smiles with no more water troubles....side note..I wonder what the downstream neighbors thought

Yeah the Clients were happy. Actually went back out and removed three more. The last one they were just starting to build, the branches were still green. I didn't get any pictures or video of those three because I was by myself. However I did get a pic of the largest tadpole I have ever seen.

There were probably a 100 or so of them that went swooshing by in the water when I breached a small dam flooding a hardwood bottom.



In a few months watch for the man-eating frogs report from Central Alabama...

 

[245dlc]

That's probably a bullfrog tadpole by the looks of it.

 

[R Queberg]

Hmm, coat those little delights with a heavy layer of breading, after a cold snap in the freezer. Then it's off to Long John's as farm raised shrimp. $$$$$$$$$$ Lotsa garlic and cayenne!! They taste like chicken.??
Regards,
Bob

 

[mitch504]

lol, Bob

 

[R Queberg]

Does everything down there, grow bigger? That tadpole does not appear to be getting legs, but does seem to be getting horns, and is 3" long! Mitch, I do like your guide for life at the bottom of your reply. About forty years ago, a friend told me, "A good monkey doesn't monkey, with another monkey's monkey."
Work safe,
Bob

 

[R Queberg]

I am not sure how large a machine you are running on these mats, but since they are basically floating on the muck, a mat of 2x s bolted to two 2x runners running at each end, and one diagonal across the center, with carriage bolts down through larger flat washers. A short length of chain bolted to the first/last plank for laying, retrieval, loading etc. You may want to consider doubling the edge runners, (one top, one bottom) with the top pieces acting as a skid rail, if your raft tips. The diagonal piece should prevent any racking. Has the mayor of New Orleans been informed of the impending flood, and invasion of dog eating frogs? Make a recording of the morning's coffee hitting a puddle. It will either trigger their instinct to build or head for higher ground.
Work safe,
Bob

 

[CM1995]

LOL R Queberg. Honestly that's the biggest tadpole I have ran across and I grew up in the country on a dirt road, rummaging around creeks my whole life.

Has the mayor of New Orleans been informed of the impending flood, and invasion of dog eating frogs?

Ahh their used to flooding and the cajuns will eat all of them before they reach Nola anyway - they'll sain them out of the river way north of Nola.:tong Come to think of it I love frog legs, hmmm I need to head over there with a flash light and a gig in about 5-6 months...:drinkup

I ended up not needing any mats although I did stick the mini pretty good in one section. It's a very sandy bottom with a hard crust and quick sand underneath. Took a couple of hours to get it out. I hope we are done with this for a while. Went back out last Monday to take some silt fence up in the same area as the video and the beavers haven't been back yet. I think the developer hired someone to catch them but I don't know if they had any luck.

 

[Dickjr.]

What do you southern guys have against beavers ? We love beavers! Some beavers around these parts have a genetic problem , they are bald as a babies butt. Then we have the traditional fury beavers. These are more plentiful. The bald versions seem to be more near the cities. Must be chemical run off from factories causing them to go bald. A good beaver is hard to come by though.

 

[CM1995]

What do you southern guys have against beavers ? We love beavers! Some beavers around these parts have a genetic problem , they are bald as a babies butt. Then we have the traditional fury beavers. These are more plentiful. The bald versions seem to be more near the cities. Must be chemical run off from factories causing them to go bald. A good beaver is hard to come by though.

That's funny right there, borderline but funny!:laugh

 

[Dickjr.]

That's funny right there, borderline but funny!:laugh

Just like doing taxes , you have to bend or interperate rules from your own point of view.