The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1907-02-15
BEAVER
Joe Taylor. the North Dakota Pioneer
Objects to the Repeal of the Law
Protecting the Beaver.

Joseph Taylor of Washburn,
Mclean county, one of the first
citizens in North Dakota and au-
thor Of Beavers: Their Ways and
Other Sketches" and who prob
ably knows more about the habits
! of the beaver then any man in the
state, sends in the following COM
munication:
Editor Bismarck Tribune: The
following I clip from the Grand
Forks Evening Times:
Beaver Protection Unpopular.
A few years ago a law was passed
which protected the beaver in this
state during the entire year. At
this time there is a strong tendency
to repeal this law on the ground
that the closed season extending
over number of years has per
mitted the animals to increase to
such an extent that they are now
destroying many of the young
groves in close proximity to
the streams in which they live.
Some amendment to the present
law will likely be enacted 60 that
the number may be reduced below
the danger point without entirely
destroying the species.
Now the truth IS 1 do not think
there is at present over 200 live
beaver in the state of North Dako-
ia. There were two or three small
colonies on Knife river and Square
Butte creek but they have been
Destroyed as we'll as all that had
attempted to build along the Mis-
souri, on the west branch for a dis
tance of at least 200 miles. Those
that were killed on Square Butte
creek it is claimed was done thru
permission of the state game ward
en- of the district.whatever authori-
ty he had to issue the order.
And further, if any place that
the beavers become nuisance to
any land owner ana that the law
a,as now created is made to take
scognizance of this fact allow only
the game warden to>do the killing
and the proceeds &C to the state
and if this is done I am not much
afraid that the land owner will
make any complaint to the wardens
for their radiance. In other
words whatever true cry is now
made against the beavers is
prompted by the interest in the
value their hides will bring to the
parties trying to work up anti
beaver legislation.
y In this county of Mclean in
spite of every effort made by law
abiding citizens and the vigilence
of the wardens I do not think to-
day there are over twenty-five
beaver in the county and it is the
third largest in era in the state. In
the Painted Woods lake we have
or had-for we can never tell the
day they will be destroyed-a
small colony Of about .7,or 8 beav-
ers. They came into the lake in
the summer of 1901 the lake was
then stagnant and very Iowa big
mud puddle with but few fish.
The beaver thru the summer built
8 large dam raised the water line
six feet with backwater Of six
miles. And in spite Of illegal fish
ing and the trapping out Of the
muskrats by trappers which
stopped ventilation and caused
thousands upon thousands Of fish
to smother they are still plenti-
full there, especially the perch
which swarm around the ventila-
ton Of the two beaver houses and
are thereby carried safely thru the
hard freezing of the winter
I months.
o. B. Wing, one Of the land
owners at Painted Woods lake,
/ says that the beaver there are
worth 800 . year to him in the
extra hay made possible by raise
D ia the water level Of the lake and
they are welcome othe little brush
that they may use, for feed Be,
4 anaa = lhsra i.,,r beaver dams are,