Beaver Fever

[Fish Sticks]

I think their populations are way below carrying capacity, because of over harvest. I've done a great deal of fishing on small streams, especially in the "Big Woods" of NC PA, but also a fair bit in NE and NW PA. And as you explore these streams, you also drive along many miles of stream.

The amount of beaver ponds and other signs of beaver activity that I see seems very low in comparison to the vast mileage of small forested streams that beavers could inhabit.

For those who fish small, forested streams, just ask yourself as you explore these streams: Why are there no beaver ponds here?

Of course I do see SOME beaver ponds on the small forested streams. It just seems like the ratio of beaver ponds/miles of small forested streams seems very low.

There are places where you can walk 9 miles along a small, forested stream on public forest land and there are ZERO beaver ponds. Go back in time to 1700. Would there have been beaver ponds there? I think the answer is yes.

Agree’d I don’t think anyone here is saying lets put them in the 5th order stream running behind giant or costco but these above mentioned situations are where we are leaving alot on the table

 

[troutbert]

There has been a lot of discussion in recent years about the role of beavers in stream/floodplain restoration, but this isn't something new. The paper below was published in 1988, and it references many publications earlier than that.

Wayback Machine

These concepts EVENTUALLY reach PA, but there is often a long time lag. It was similar with large woody debris. A major paper came out on that in 1979. Usually this stuff reaches PA a few years after West Virginia. ;-)