Dr. Dale Arner, now retired head of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries at Mississippi State University, completed his third statewide survey in 1997 of beaver activities. Between our first two studies in 1967 and 1977, there was a 287 percent increase in the number of beaver ponds. A key factor in the decline is more knowledge of control options by property owners and increased efforts by government agencies. The furs and scent glands also are marketable. Landowner surveys indicated 88 percent of the harvested beavers are simply discarded.
Most people remove beavers by hunting with guns, traps or both.
Arner estimated 8,383 beavers were harvested in 1994, about 10,210 in 1995, and almost 9,950 in 1996. Dean Stewart, extension wildlife specialist at MSU and one of the investigators, said knowledge of population numbers is important in regulating hunting efforts. Currently, there are no restrictions on harvest numbers or hunting hours. There are some places where beaver activity serves a purpose, such as creating waterfowl habitats. Arner said 55 percent of the surveyed landowners claimed most of their economic losses came from flooded timber.