10 dollars a tail. That’s what you you earn in Cleveland County Arkansas when you kill yerself a beaver and bring the proof. The county judge speaking in this video is the Hon. Gary Spears. As you can see, he doesn’t know why “these beavers are building dams” but he knows that capital punishment is the only solution. He reports that there are 100 of these criminals in the county, which is about 600 square miles, only one of which is made up of water. It is possible that someone is exaggerating on the numbers, but if the county spends only 1000 dollars to solve its problem and ends up killing some neighboring county beavers too, who’s going to complain?
I’m not exactly sure why the Hon. Spears appears in this interview or why his role as county judge requires him to be involved in the bounty hunt. He also is apparently using a track hole, not typical activity around the court house. Beaver killin’ is usually left for public works, or the highway commission. Bring in the scales of justice to deal with the scales of the beaver tail! Maybe its because Arkansas takes great pride in its forests, and the timber industry is their primary economic base. The Arkansas Forestry Commission provides sound, environmental advice for land-owners about the value of keeping their trees. The website says:
Manage Your Forest Your forest provides wildlife habitat, wood products, clean air and water, and a place to relax. Trees improve the quality of life in your community.The AFC provides landowners information, advice, and services to manage their forests.
Some unexpected wisdom from the AFC. I don’t disagree. There is, of course, an implication from the video that beavers threaten the lumber industry and will ruin all those good forests everyone loves. But what if it weren’t true? What if beaver taking of trees produced a natural coppice cutting that encouraged new growth? What if the denser new growth produced better habitat for migratory songbirds, and beloved game birds like woodduck? What if blocked culverts could be easily and cheaply controlled by the judicious use of a beaver deceiver? What if dams that caused road flooding could be controlled by the simple installation of a pipe? What if the habitat around a beaver lodge supported vastly more kinds of wildlife than similar habitat without a lodge? What if the AFC helped property owners manage their beaver population instead of just their trees?
Manage Your Beavers Your Beavers provide wildlife habitat, fishing, clean water, and raise the water table to recharge the aquifer. Beavers improve the quality of life in your community. The AFC provides landowners information, advice, and services to help landowners manage their beavers.
Gosh. A girl can dream, can’t she?
