The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-06-01
BEAVER TRAPPING WITH DOCS

EPitkfn Miner.
y E. A.. Teter of Hygiene, Colo; has's
been in our midst for several weeks
killing beaver on the streams where
they are causing much damage, by
daming up the water and flooding
roads and other grounds.
We had a very interesting inter-
view with Mr.. Teter one morning this
week as he was preparing to start on
campaign up Quartz creek near
Quartz, where the beaver have been
vely Industrious. In fact to such an
extent that they have not only flooded
the railroad track but in several
places have caused it to be washed
out.
Mr.. Teter is accompanied by John
Dagall, and together they have cap,
tured good many beaver between
here and Parlin the past few weeks.
Where necessary trapping is resorted,
to but for the most part they hunt
beaver with dogs. They have three
fine Airdales that have almost human
ing beaver. They are. we'll trained
and work rapidly on beaver ground.
In destroying the beaver with dogs,
the men first blow up the dam. This
releases the water and lowers it, so
that the dogs can work. The dogs are
then told to enter the beaver house"
This they do and if there are any
beaver there they are brought forth
post haste. They catch hold of them
any where and drag them out of the
house. The hunters are, right on hand,
to dispatch them with stick.
1t happens often that there are no
beaver in the house, but are scattered
around the pond, hidden under the
banks in holes which they dig for
this purpose In this case it is up to
the dogs to locate them and bring
them forth. This means hard work
for man and dog. AS the beaver trav-
els fast, will enter the water, swim a
space and again take to a hole. This
mTny times throws the dogs off scent.
When they find beaver in one of
these holes and catch him, then Mr..
Beaver puts up wicked fight, takes
to water and if it be deep enough will
force the dog to let go. But for two
or three feet of water the dog hangs
on until his master can come to his
assistance, which must be quickly, rs
the dog is in danger of being badly
injured and at the same time they
tear the skins of the beaver
Mr.. Teter says he has never had a
dog killed, but they have many times
ben badly bitten. A beaver on being
attacked by a dog, goes for the dogs
th'cat. The Airdale soon learns to
avoid this, but gets hurt many times
during the hunting season.
The morning we visited tie hunters
the dogs had had a hard scrap to
cat h two beaver outside their houses,
and were completely worn out. Only
two dogs had been worked ard both
had been severely bitten.
While we did not get to see the
dogs work, Mr.. Teter's description of
tussle is very graphic. 1t is not
considered by him, a sport, but simp-
ly the work of catching beaver that
are causing damage. He believes the
use of do?s the quickest and most hu-
name way to dispatch colony. Per-
APPS only one or two are. killed, but
alter visit from the dogs, they most
always HE themselves away from that
lccality and will perhaps locate
where their enein er'ng ability will
do no harm if put into use.
The most interesting part to us
was the wonderful intelligence of the
deg. One was lsrge, powerful fell
low while the other two were small.
The small dogs enter the holes. while
big Sam does lot of the hard fight
ing, although the two small dogs
never hesitate. to grapple with the
beaver if their big pal is not on hand.
AS the season is now advanced to
where the skins are of no value, Mr..
Teter expects to leave for his home
tie latter part of this week. Unless
it cannot be avoided, beaver are never
killed in the summer time.
Number. Please?