2 years ago I was helping clear trees on some state land along a river. Beavers had been in there in years past and cut down a lot of cottonwoods mostly in the 6”-12” range. Pointy rotten stumps everywhere. They had also attacked one that was more in the 24”+ range, but didn’t finish the job and didn’t kill it either. Just gave it a big scar and a notch. It was a bit of an intimidating tree to fall. About 6 feet up the trunk divided into twin stems that arced or bowed out and then back over the center quite a ways. But was severely top weighted 90degrees to the sweeping arc of the two stems. There was nothing around to damage except me even if it went terribly wrong. I would study it for a while, go drop a couple others, come back and study it some more. Did really matter which way I tried to drop it, I just wanted it to go well and safely. And my ego wanted it to go exactly where I thought it should. After much consideration I decided that the beavers had it pretty well figured. I put my face cut right on top of the beavers notch and the back cut directly opposite. I often put some sort of “target” on the ground to check my aim. Well, I nailed it! The beavers had it figured perfectly, just gave up too soon. That experience has always left me wondering if and how, and how long do beavers spend figuring how to take down a tree
Well it’s finally over (fell over) Wednesday evening we had a stormy night and pretty severe winds. I figured there was no way it would be standing in the morning. First thing after I left the house in the morning I drove out for a look. Strong northwest wind put it on the ground pretty much exactly where it was notched. Picture #6 has my black cap on the hinge for some size reference. Tried a selfie kneeling right next to it but arms are too short. Probably a 48” tree at gnawed part
Exactly as Mr Beaver had planned! Now, what exactly they are going to do with a log that size is what I wanna know! And how to they move it...for a monster tree like that do beavers get a whole clan together the way the Amish do a barn raising?! Or maybe wait for a flood to float it into position?
Pretty sure most of it will go to rot right where it fell. But they will probably take all the the stuff under two to three inches if it is not too dry.
The big branch on the mostly chewed side is keeping it up. We see that a lot around here. The neighbor lost many huge white oaks to beavers this way. He started waiting with his rifle and got em.
Thats great. They do the clean up. Leave all the limb wood for them and you take the rest. You sure your Huskies can handle cottonwood that big?
I gots no interest in no cottonwood. Getting kinda picky in my old age. But yes, experience shows my huskies can handle that much cottonwood and more.
There was a cottonwood along a local pond the beavers started working on. It was about 20" at the base. They worked a whole summer and into Fall on it and the DFG came in and trapped them and took the beavers away. It was a year before more beavers showed up again and they got to work on the same tree. It took half the summer but they dropped it right into the pond. They sure are hard workers. Thanks for sharing. It is crazy how that tree stayed upright with the big notch taken out of it.
I’ve heard that Beavers know to gnaw on the tree trunk in order to fall (fell?) it in the direction of the water. Or towards where they were using it for their dam. Anyone know if this is true? We’ve had to trap two that took up residence at our pond several years ago and they did just that but the bank slopes towards the pond so I just figured it was gravity doing what gravity does
A tree will fall where it leans, generally. I don’t know if beavers can control the fall, and I know I have seen plenty of trees that fell the wrong way.
