Beaver Biology Question

[martyb]

Just about every book I read says that when the Ice goes out there is a lot of beaver movement in the spring.

I assume this movement takes place with or without Ice.

Is there a research source out there that Identifies the time frames when this movement should take place at different latitudes.

In simple terms: Would spring break (mid march) in northern Nebraska hit the beaver movement? Miss it early? Or miss it late?

[frenchman]

Here is a long story made short

spring dispersal occurs at ice out.

Beavers do not travel long distances (outside of their territory)under ice in mid-winter

Spring break?

If the ice is recently off, then you hit prime time beaver dispersal.

If things still frozen, set near lodges and feedpiles.

No research details bevare movements with latitudes, it is simply a function of ice melting.

[Griz]

Then when do the beavers move in the south where there is no ice?

[martyb]

yes, I was wanting to ask the same thing but I was afraid I would sound like a smartash or ungrateful.

[Steve Gappa]

ttt- Im curious on this as well.....

[kevinupp]

Just an idea to throw out.

In most normal years, winter is considered the "dry" time for the south. So I would imagine that beavers would move when the rains of spring come in.

[frenchman]

Humm - good one. I would think it would be a Feb-March deal, when the kits are old enough to go on their own. I assume when breeding season arrives, every beaver is looking for a mate and a new family, thus less tolerant to offspring old enough to breed.

[limbhanger]

Our beaver in Arkansas have already breed. It seems the offspring are run off before the next litter arrives.
I am still catching 1 1/2 old beaver with the family now.
I do notice a movement of what seems like the whole family when the water comes up which this year seems to be every 4 to 5 days! lol
I have caught out familes and had new ones move in in a week or 2. Of course this is where we have a large creek coming right by the swamps.

[martyb]

If anyone knows any biologist types from other forums invite them over here.

[possumblaster]

I haven't noticed a concentration of movement at any point during our trapping season here in southern Indiana.Ice is sporadic at best, and it seems that when we do have ice,it takes our beaver several days to acclimate theirselves to it,by that time ice is typically starting to melt.I would imagine that the given latitude and regional weather patterns would dictate breeding times though. Deer come into heat almost exclusively dependent on hours of daylight.The receding amount of daylight each day causes a hormonal reaction in does causing them to ovulate. Bucks as well as most males of any given species(yours truly included)typically are ready well before the females.........