Hi. I’m a pair of beavers that came up a river to a side creek to start a family. First, we built a dam, then a small house. All kinds of animals and birds came to join us and start a family: trout, coon, ducks, mink, muskrats, frogs, mosquitos, etc. The bear and deer brought their little ones down from the mountain to get a drink and look for frogs.
When a letter starts like that, you know you’re in for a treat. In seven years of reviewing beaver news I can honestly say this particular point of view is a first. I wish I could find the author and give him a hug and a t-shirt. He is obviously a beaver friend of the first order.
We could handle trappers fairly well if they were careful where they set their traps and only trapped a few of us. Then our homes could stay for many years and we supported all this other wildlife. We strengthened our dams, added to our family and expanded wildlife for many years.
Now this is getting good, he’s not just a beaver advocate, he’s a management advocate. Look what follows.
Then, in my opinion, the state Department of Environmental Conservation had too many deer killed, especially in the 1960s. The deer herd has never recovered to what it used to be. Coyotes and fisher, etc., that live on winter-kill deer – deer that die from natural causes, such as old age – are forced to find other ways to eat. They have come into towns to eat cats and deer that people are feeding in town.
Well, well, well, I guess he’s not a coyote advocate then but nothing is perfect. I guess he likes beavers more than songdogs. Apparently he thinks beaver kits got eaten. I wonder if he saw it? Or if he’s just assuming? Enos Mills saw a beaver fight off a bobcat on two occasions and WIN!
A starving coyote came to our pond and laid in the bush all day waiting for our little ones to come ashore for food, but big beavers can fight them off and make it back to the water.
To make a long story short: Our pond and wildlife was destroyed mostly from too many coyotes and lack of monitoring deer. I wish the DEC and state rangers would conduct a better wildlife count in West Canada and check on places that have fewer beaver and deer.
Maybe fish and game clubs could pass this around and see what they think.
LEWIS N. PAGE Sr.
I’ll say it again. Being a beaver defender is a HARD job. It takes all my patience and persuasive powers and is filled with inherent disappointment. But as challenging and frustrating as it is, it is still slightly easier than standing up for coyotes. (Or demanding to restore hetch hetchy for that matter). Those are worthy missions I do not envy in the slightest! I’m just glad whatever spirit tapped me to defend beavers didn’t demand I take on those jobs!
We have a few more donations to share. The first is an unexpected gift certificate for 75 dollars from ModCloth, an online retailer specializing in vintage, vintage-inspired and indie clothing, accessories and decor. The company is headquartered in San Francisco’s South of Market District. Its founder, Susan Gregg Koger, is one of those dorm room to 100 million dollar entrepreneurs you sometimes hear about. I saw a very cute beaver-designed purse they offered and realized that since they were local it was worth asking. I got back a very generous response with recognition that we were doing something really good for the environment. If you’ve never checked out ModCloth you really should. They offer amazing fashions and unique items for the home that you just won’t find anywhere else.
