Six things I did to a beaver last night

[dinorocks]

I nuisance trapped a couple nice beavers yesterday!  In the perfect world, I try to time my nuisance work with the open trapping season so I don’t have to dispose of the critter…I always like to use as much of the animals I harvest as possible.  Thought I would share, along with photos, six things that I typically do with the beavers I catch.

1.     Skin out and sell or tan the pelt.

 

2.      Remove the backstrap and hind leg meat to eat.  If you have never tried beaver meat, I highly recommend you give it a try!  I rate beaver as some of the finest meats I have eaten.

 

3.      I keep the skulls and either clean them up myself or give to my beetle guy…they typically get donated to schools, Scout groups, nature centers, etc.…I have a bunch that I use a props when they fit into various presentation I give.  Sometimes I’ll remove the teeth and use as decorations/trimmings on bags, etc. that I make or use for medallions or trade at the primitive rendezvous.  Fun fact, beavers have “metal teeth”.  Instead of magnesium in their enamel like other rodents, they have iron…this increases the strength of their teeth and makes them more resistant to acid.  They are also orange because of the iron…just like our blood is red (because of the iron).  Beavers teeth also grow continuously.

 

4.      I skin the tail out and use the leather for bow grip wraps on the bows I make…or tan to make stuff.  Last year I tanned a small beaver with the tail (and claws) still attached…it worked out great and I plan to do that again.  Some people extract the oils from the tail and use for lure making.

 

5.      I remove the castoreum, dry and either sell or use to make lures.  Beaver castoreum is used in both food and perfume industries…look it up, very interesting!

6.      I then chunk up the rest of the carcass and use for bait!

So there you have it…lots to do with a beaver!  I challenge you to get the most out of your harvests, whether it is a bird, deer, or other critter!  It is not only a cool learning process and respectful to the animal, but also very rewarding knowing that you maximized your harvest.

Take care,

Dino

Edited February 5, 2020 by dinorocks
problem with a photo

[Deleted Account]

What an interesting post, thank you! 

Just out of curiosity, how do you cook it?

[Marion]

Those castors look like brains

 

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[steve863]

Wait until Pygmy chimes in with the seventh thing he did to a beaver last night! LOL

 

 

[dinorocks]

Thanks!  Beaver can be prepared like any other meat except it needs to be completely cooked...i.e., no red as I was told that there could be a potential for giardia.  I personally prepare by cutting into medallions, soak in butter milk for a few hours, dry with a paper towel, apply a little olive oil, and dry rub.  I like to cook in cast iron skillet on my wood stove with a little onion, mushroom, and of course, bacon!  

[grampy]

Great thread, never knew about the castoreum. Cool how you made the knife handle from the tail leather too.

Love your posts dinorocks!

 

[moog5050]

Very cool Dino.   And the best grip wrap on a bow for sure!

[goosifer]

[Eric J]

24 minutes ago, dinorocks said:

I nuisance trapped a couple nice beavers yesterday!  In the perfect world, I try to time my nuisance work with the open trapping season so I don’t have to dispose of the critter…I always like to use as much of the animals I harvest as possible.  Thought I would share, along with photos, six things that I typically do with the beavers I catch.

1.     Skin out and sell or tan the pelt.

 

2.      Remove the backstrap and hind leg meat to eat.  If you have never tried beaver meat, I highly recommend you give it a try!  I rate beaver as some of the finest meats I have eaten.

 

3.      I keep the skulls and either clean them up myself or give to my beetle guy…they typically get donated to schools, Scout groups, nature centers, etc.…I have a bunch that I use a props when they fit into various presentation I give.  Sometimes I’ll remove the teeth and use as decorations/trimmings on bags, etc. that I make or use for medallions or trade at the primitive rendezvous.  Fun fact, beavers have “metal teeth”.  Instead of magnesium in their enamel like other rodents, they have iron…this increases the strength of their teeth and makes them more resistant to acid.  They are also orange because of the iron…just like our blood is red (because of the iron).  Beavers teeth also grow continuously.

 

4.      I skin the tail out and use the leather for bow grip wraps on the bows I make…or tan to make stuff.  Last year I tanned a small beaver with the tail (and claws) still attached…it worked out great and I plan to do that again.  Some people extract the oils from the tail and use for lure making.

 

5.      I remove the castoreum, dry and either sell or use to make lures.  Beaver castoreum is used in both food and perfume industries…look it up, very interesting!

6.      I then chunk up the rest of the carcass and use for bait!

So there you have it…lots to do with a beaver!  I challenge you to get the most out of your harvests, whether it is a bird, deer, or other critter!  It is not only a cool learning process and respectful to the animal, but also very rewarding knowing that you maximized your harvest.

Take care,

Dino

Sure you aren't the Son of Tom Oar????

[Deleted Account]

6 minutes ago, dinorocks said:

Thanks!  Beaver can be prepared like any other meat except it needs to be completely cooked...i.e., no red as I was told that there could be a potential for giardia.  I personally prepare by cutting into medallions, soak in butter milk for a few hours, dry with a paper towel, apply a little olive oil, and dry rub.  I like to cook in cast iron skillet on my wood stove with a little onion, mushroom, and of course, bacon!  

Thanks, I was kind or wondering about the need to cook it completely. That would be a rough lesson to learn  

[dinorocks]

2 minutes ago, grampy said:

Great thread, never knew about the castoreum. Cool how you made the knife handle from the tail leather too.

Love your posts dinorocks!

 

...not knife handle but a bow wrap.  The "scales" on the tail have a nice grippy feel when I hold the bow.  I actually use the tails green on the bows (tanning not needed as long as I get all the oils out...I typically dry them on cardboard and rehydrate before I use them).  I also made cool medallions with the beaver tail leather for an archery event last year.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Dino, Where are you actually located? I'd love to tag along on a check day to observe if you ever have the time. 

[Pygmy]

57 minutes ago, steve863 said:

Wait until Pygmy chimes in with the seventh thing he did to a beaver last night! LOL

 

 

Actually Steve,  it's been a long time since I had ANY  contact with a beaver....<<sigh>>….

[Pygmy]

Back  in the day when I was stiil working, I used to  cook up fish and game quite often and take it into  my shop at work..

A trapper friend of mine would save me a skinned beaver carcass each season pretty much intact, but minus glands, etc...

I would trim off all of the fat that I could, and roast the whole carcass on a rack in  a blue porcelain roaster covered with an envelope of Lipton's Onion soup mix, until it was falling off the bones tender...The guys at the shop loved it...

[doebuck1234]

Very cool dino and loved the read!!!

[stubborn1VT]

Great post Dino!  Thanks for sharing, especially this time of year when the forum is so... sparse.

[TACC]

Those 2 look pretty good size, do you keep track of weights after harvests?

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[turkeyfeathers]

2 minutes ago, TACC said:

Those 2 look pretty good size, do you keep track of weights after harvests?

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Biz like prediction says 45'ish on both

[dinorocks]

The beavers were both between 45 and 50#...one was just over 45 and the other just under 50.  My largest was 65...caught on a nuisance job behind my kids school during a blizzard a few years back.  
 

I’m always surprised how many fleas beavers have...one would think they didn’t have many spending so much time in the water.  ...but I’ll take fleas over deer ticks any day!!

[BowmanMike]

I say,dino really rocks. What a great post.

[ny hunter]

This is awesome thanks for posting..

[crappyice]

Amazing title...now I will go read the post!!!!


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[GreeneHunter]

I was almost afraid to open this forum ..... LOL

[Bolt action]

You never cease to amaze me with the things you do..

[dinorocks]

Just came up with number seven...tendons for sewing.

just finished preparing tails.  Looking forward to tanning them and making stuff!