Beaver trapping/ People don't get it

The last two jobs i have done (1 is finished and the other I'm down to the last one) have involved dogs, kids , people fishing, people in jon boats, people shooting at them, people placing cameras in buckets on slides, four wheel drives, tractors, pvc pipe.

Both jobs have involved ponds of about 3 acres in size. I have asked both owners to keep pets, kids, adults, no extra activity, no shooting,excessive noises. But they don't want to listen. Today, the last owner told me he tripped every trap so he can allow his dog to run freely. I'm down to the last beaver and it is wise, it's been harassed and is avoiding coni's, all scents. So i have gone to blind sets, snares, footholds. But with this beaver, there is no set pattern right now. It's cutting branches everywhere and has avoided old slides and not creating new ones
I caught the male the first night, but, i'm thinking the female is left and she's not stupid.I have explained to the owner to let her be and let the traps work, she will make a mistake. But with dogs, kids fishing, rowing around in boats, setting cameras in buckets on the slides, riding tractors and four wheel drives around the pond, and then setting off or fouling up snares with pvc pipe. And now his neighbor (the bucket/ camera man) has decided he will try and shoot it, he has a special light he said. It is frustrating. best part i guess is that I've been paid already, but i still have equipment and traps to get or re-set if no luck with shooting it.

The first pond (it's finished) i caught all with floats and all the way in the back of the pond where the dogs couldn't get to and it took 2 extra weeks for the last beaver to commit. Could have wrapped it up in a few days, found the bank den , but the owners dogs like swimming in the den area and the owners would not kennel the dogs.

I'm about ready to quit doing these type of jobs if people want to be stupid and make it 10 times harder. It pays well, but the liability and worry isn't worth it. Sarge

Sounds like you might have to set up all night with a dim red light and a 12 gauge

I’d personally tell the landowner, if you don’t let me do my job I’m outta here

Sarge, I feel your pain. I turned down several Beaver jobs ,where potential customers couldn't or wouldn't do what I asked of them. If allowing their dogs access to the trappingarea,was that important to them,they could learn to put up with the beaver.
Tom

I hear what your saying , I just started Charging enough that it make it worth my time and frustration ,

Sometimes, to quote Han Solo, "No reward is worth this"

If Someone, especially the client tripped my traps, that would be it for me.

Agreed. Never seem to get around to it but I've often thought about creating a little pamphlet that includes the "dos" and "don'ts".

I agree with you Scott, do this once and I wouldn't be able to get out fast enough!
Crit, nice idea but people can't even read traffic signs. What makes you think they'll read your pamphlet? As frustrating as it may be, I would pull everything the moment they showed signs of becoming a problem. You are in a no win situation, of course they will speak bad of you so maybe they deserve a problem beaver or two. Frustrating but suggest you take their money and move on.

I guess the owners don't want them gone bad enough, I'd tell him, call me when your serious, then block his number.

Most of the nuisance guys I know it's part of the contract before the job even starts about the trap tampering.

You aint charging enough. $$ make folks get serious.

I run into the same thing when I make K-9 sets. Farmers want the fox and yotes caught but want to let their dogs run loose. Then they get peeved if you catch their dogs. It's so bad in my area with dogs running around I have pretty much given up K-9 trapping. It's just not worth it.

This

I've had two cases that really were frustrating.

One was where beaver had built a dam and flooded the guy's hunting land. I set above the dam and told him not to disturb the dam. He forgot to tell his son who tore a big hole in the dam causing my traps to be high and dry. Since the beaver were new to the area, I knew there were probably only two. I caught one before the water dropped too much. But, the second one took over a week.

Another one was a township road with a plugged culvert caused by beaver. The first night I caught one beaver. After that I spent a week trying to catch the second one until a guy stopped and asked if I was trapping beaver? I told him I caught one the first day, but couldn't seem to get the second one. He said, "By Golly! I bet I did hit that one I shot at about two weeks ago!"

I just turned down a beaver job in an upscale subdivision. About 4 colonies in 5 ponds. Half to 3/4 million $$ houses stacked tight around the lakes and golf course. Wealthy residents. Castor mounds, lodges, and dams in back yards within 30 yds of houses. "Karens" walking dogs on leashes on every street. Residents and their kids riding golf carts everywhere. Golfers on every green within close view of every pond. Guy showing me around had to knock on doors to get us permission to walk thru yards to view the beaver sign. Says homeowner's association has notified all residents that a beaver trapper was about to remove beavers.

Sorry, but not this beaver trapper.

Major conflict and liability potential on this one. No amount of $$ would get me in there.

"Karens" hahaha^^^

Wow! You aren’t kidding about the conflict that would occur.

Manager said if I had any problems with any resident to notify homeowner's association manager......YEAH, RIGHT!

Also said I should use air rifle to dispatch any live beavers. Not legal in Ga, must use .22 rimfire I explained. Can you imagine shooting a gun in these folks backyards? Good grief!!!

This type of job is mostly problem solving, people. management, preventing a public relations nightmare, and a bit of beaver trapping.

This sounds harsh and it is. I do not mean harsh to you - but harsh to the people meddling in your way. You need to charge MUCH more money and make very specific rules. When I do a job like that, the pond is closed to all other people and activities. I put up temporary fencing with 3-4” tape closing off the area. You need to control the situation. Take many photos. Use trail cameras everywhere. It can be done.

I'd take that job and go out at 3 in the morning with a 12 gauge and a jack light.

You were hired to remove beaver, not follow the owner around and reset traps. I believe I would add a clause to my contract... "Every intentionally tripped trap will incur a resetting fee of $1000 each, non-refundable."

They can pay you to remove beaver or reset traps, either way you will make money.

Mike

Been through this with raccoons, in upscale areas, it's a nightmare, and I was using cage traps to prevent people and loose animals messing around with them.

After coming up on several adults poking and showing kids the coons in the traps I told the owner that I was done and not liable for any hospital bills or emergency calls because he would not keep the area clear as agreed to. He felt he could handle them now after seeing my work.

Fine enough, loaded up the gear and left, 3 weeks later found out he got bit by a coon trying to release it some where else, another illegal deal here, it got away and he had to go thru rabies shots at his cost.

Wanted me back I said sorry all full up, I'd not tackle any kind of public ADC ever again, just as soon let them big boys handle it with that fancy stuff called insurance instead of a contract signed and honored only by the trapper and not the owner of the area !

Your lucky some one has not filed a complaint directly on you, what for you might ask, anything they want to that may have to do with getting them harmed or animal hurt where your working, HOA's are a joke to take any responsibility on any thing not professionally guarded with insurance !

I had similar issues as you described when I started doing ADC. Mostly when coyote trapping, but have had some problems while beaver trapping. When I changed from charging by the job or per animal and went to charging by the trip those problems stopped for the most part. By charging by the trip the land owner becomes invested in my success.

x2
More than likely this client could drive his precious pet to a dog park, let it run, and get home in less time than it takes you to set up again.

No Bueno!

Not an option. You miss the part about homes built all around every lake. Not safe at any angle. Also, gunfire=residents freaking out...amd rightly so.

This aint the Canadian bush.

Rate that rite up there with landowners checking your traps when fur trapping also.

Good post, but I do like when it’s priced by the job. Just haven’t done it that way in a while.

The best view is the rear view of that job, they trip trap's it's oztalavista baby.
The best one I have heard is there is still beaver " because there is still a beaver dam"

I charge for my time. In the contract they sign before I start it is clearly stated no body messes with the traps. If they do I pull the immediately. if I know this is a situation I'll have to deal with I'm VERY careful about the sets I make. Good communication with the client is important also.

Sounds like the price of beaver control is going up.

Very good, A signed contract x2 is important

Thanks guys for the comments. Have not spoken with him in the last 3 days. I will call this weekend and see what direction i will take. I have already been paid in full, so, no sweat off my brow if he doesn't want to cooperate.

Just did a skunk job for a long time client and made more money in less time then i have in this beaver job. Sometimes the small job are where the moneys at per hour / trip. Sarge