What do yall think about it? Its legal in Ga don't know if I could find some one who would want them.Should I even make it a option in your opinion.And if so could I catch and release with snares?

30577:
It is legal here in PA also, esp in the lower tier of counties and to appease clients.
Yes, took my first with snares some years ago and everything turned out ok.

pick65

Not legal to relocate in Georgia unless they are dead.

Lol no it is legal you just have to have permission to release them on somone elses land

Thanks 65 was it hard to find somone that would take them?

not really I just call the PGC and they gave me the options as where to relocate.

pick65

Actually it is illegal to have a live beaver in possession. Relocate all you want with written permission but it sure as [Please excuse my language... I'm an idiot] better not be alive between point A and B.

Look it up.

David,

You are no fun.


I was hoping for a video of the relocation.

I have looked on the dnr website but I havent talked to a game warden.I dont understand why it says you can relocate them but you cant transport them alive?

Because the Federations and I looked into it when the city of John's Creek insisted on relocation. I knew it had always been illegal to relocate but the city insisted it was legal a former contractor had done so.
A call to Social Circle found no law on the books specifically prohibiting relocation so the initial call was it was indeed legal. I questioned that and asked Brooke to look harder and she found the rule about live beaver in possession. It's been so long ago I can not cite the specific chapter and verse but I'm sure if you dig you'll find it.

BTW, the former contractor was USDA WS and I know of several other relocations they have done.

FYI..... Caught a 2-year old beaver in a large cage under a main stoplight (drainage culvert) under Old Route 66 in Litchfield (IL) about 20 years ago. A guy saw us dragging the trap with beaver in it up to the truck, and "wanted" the beaver in his pond. He had just purchased a home on 20 acres with a 2-acre pond. The pond was surrounded by a thick cover of small willows, and he thought the beaver might take them down.

Fast-forward 3 months. The beaver ate ZERO willows, but instead walked 200 feet from the pond and took down about 50 oak and hickory trees. Shortly after, it burrowed all the way through the dam and drained the pond. The guy spent 15 grand to have the pond rebuilt. That was the first and LAST beaver I ever translocated. I'm sure if a person has a huge bottomland with a creek they "might" stay, but in talking with guys who have tried "planting" them in a desired location, typically they leave the area as soon as released.

That is a sad story above, but does underscore potential problems with relocation. After moving lots of beaver twenty years ago the other issue is, will they stay put? Yes and no. There are certainly no guarantees. I did like to offer it as an option in summer when the beaver had no value as I would get payed to catch and then payed again to just dump them out, which saved me from disposal, a symbiotic relationship, everyone was happy. Had one guy that wanted beaver to rebuild a dam that essentially had given him "waterfront property" to make it attractive for selling a camp. It appeared that the beaver had eaten most of the feed and left, but they could have been trapped. Eight beaver later, one or two stayed and plugged up the dam, perhaps long enough for him to sell the place. No idea where the others went. After issuing thousands of kill permits relocation is now a thing of the past in NY too.

Thanks warrior and Ron I personally dont think its a good idea.But I really want to take the call I need the business

30557,
If it is illegal then it is great as it takes the relocation question off the table and puts everyone one a level field. I believe most beaver relocations are unfair yo your fellow man.

It is legal.I spoke with the dnr today.The biologist said it would be ok if I could find some one to take them.

Thanks for yall giving advice and experience pertaining to the question.

You might want to check again. Just to be sure.

Get it in writing, preferably on letterhead stationary.

Sounds to me like you're considering letting some bleeding heart and soft headed notions get you some jobs you're better off walking away from. Every time I've taken a job from a "you don't kill them do you" type it has lead to nothing but grief. Now if I get that question they get one opportunity to keep me on the job. I hit them hard and fast with reality and if they accept it I will do the work otherwise they keep their critters.