The opening of the spring hunting season is awaited by many outdoor enthusiasts with great impatience. Spring is interesting not only for its amazing nature, waking up from a winter dream, but also for the wealth of possible hunting trophies. Among the many animals and game, the capture of which is available in the spring, the most popular hunting beaver with a gun. This type of recreation allows each hunter to fully realize his knowledge and abilities.
Hunting ban
During the Soviet Union, hunting for beaver was categorically prohibited. Thanks to its fur, the animal has long been considered a desirable hunter prey. Beaver coats have always been a sign of wealth and affluence. The popularity of valuable fur led to the mass extermination of fur-bearing animals, which later became the reason for the strictest ban. Even if a hunter-poacher managed to shoot a valuable trophy, dressing the skin became a real problem. Fearing punishment, furriers did not want to get involved with beaver fur; it was not possible to find a master who wanted to work.
Officially hunting for the owner of the master's fur was banned back in 1928. Using legal immunity, beaver settlements began to gradually fill all possible places of settlements. A network of beaver-built dams contributed to the flooding of vast territories, which led to significant losses in agriculture. By the numerous requests of foresters, farmers, tenants suffering from flooding, hunting for beaver in the spring with a gun was allowed.
However, having received permission to shoot, hunters noticed that the fur of the animal is no longer so popular, and the price for it is quite low. The hunt for beaver on an industrial scale was discontinued. Rare hunters went out to catch a beaver, for the sake of sports interest and tasty meat that decorates any table.
How to detect a beaver?
A new surge of gambling hunting for a valuable animal came with the advent of the present. Now, lovers of outdoor activities compete among themselves in the knowledge of habits, habitats, ways of catching the dam builder. The fascinating process of searching and tracking the beaver every year attracts new hunters.
Hunting a beaver with a gun in the spring is especially interesting. Beaver - a beast very cunning and cautious, with a subtle scent and excellent hearing. The favorite habitat of the animal are small rivers, lakes with abundant vegetation on the coastline. Beaver can be found by numerous fresh gnaws of trees, the remains of a plentiful meal of the beast, fallen bushes and young trees that form dams.
Beaver lives in small houses, among hunters they are called huts. In appearance, a small structure, in fact, can have many exits both to land and under water. When a beaver hunt is planned in the spring with a gun, the hunter should first detect and track the animal’s settlement. In the tracks left by a shaggy beast, an experienced hunter will easily find a beaver's hut.
Beaver Hunting
Having found a residential settlement of beaver, in the vicinity it would be nice to find a small pit for arranging an ambush. If there is no such place, you need to find a dense shrub or a fallen tree with a lush crown, in which the hunter can lurk. It is especially important, being in an ambush, to behave as quietly as possible. The cunning beast, sensing danger, will leave the habitat for a long time, together with his family. Further hunting in this place will not bring results.
If the purpose of hunting is not to extract valuable fur, a shot with a diameter of at least 9 mm is suitable for catching, it is better for beginners in the hunting business to use buckshot with a diameter of 6.5 mm. According to experienced hunters, a beaver always appears unexpectedly, because the gun must be ready for a shot. Waiting for a trophy can last more than one hour, but hunting for a beaver in the spring will allow the hunter to enjoy the rare moments of peace and quiet of the awakening nature.
Hunt for beaver with small things
The spring capture of a beaver with a small-caliber rifle is a process that requires excellent accuracy from a hunter. A feature of this method is the difficulty of accurate hits. The animal has a very strong skull, which is not always possible to shoot, even when there is a hunt for a beaver with a gun in the spring. For easy trophy hunting through small crayons, you should know the exact places of contact that will help you easily dump a valuable animal.
If the detected beaver, without noticing the hunter, sits sideways towards him, the sniper needs to aim and shoot at the area of the head between the eye and the ear. When a beast that turned its back fell under the sight, and you need to shoot without delay, you need to aim at the junction of the skull with the vertebra. When hit by a bullet, young individuals remain in place; older ones in agony may try to flee. Here the main task of the hunter is not to miss the wounded animal.
The advantage of hunting beaver in the spring with small-caliber weapons is the integrity of the furs. As mentioned above, the fraction can significantly spoil the fur of the animal, depreciating its excellent qualities.
Hunting beaver at night, from a boat
One of the easiest and most exciting ways to capture a beaver can be called night hunting from a boat using a large searchlight. Interestingly, a beaver swimming in the dark is not afraid of the noise of a motor boat. He can let the hunter close enough, not diving into the water depths. Experienced hunters talk about how to hunt a beaver with a gun, drawing on their own experience in an exciting process.
One of the methods of hunting from a motor boat is quite simple: if you notice a beaver floating in the spotlight, you should add gas at full power. Experts say that the whirlpool created by the revolutions of the screw significantly complicates the movement of the animal, preventing it from hiding under the cover of water. The shooter sitting on the bow of the boat must make a quick and accurate shot at the outgoing beast.
After the shot, you should wait a while, so that the surviving beast can emerge, to the delight of the hunters. If this did not happen, the hunting site should be examined at dawn, even a strong current will not become an obstacle, the beaver killed is nailed to the shore near the place of the shot.
Night hunt for beaver
Experienced knowledgeable hunters can talk about how to hunt beaver in the spring with a gun equipped with a night vision device . When choosing to capture a beast with valuable fur without preliminary reconnaissance, you should carefully and carefully select the places of possible animal settlement. Fresh tracks left by the animal on the trees growing along the reservoir will tell you about the close location of the beaver. Well-trodden trails will help you easily track down the dam builder's hut.
Hunting a beaver in the spring with a gun requires special attention and knowledge of the surroundings. Places with a good overview of the territory and a free zone for the mark of shooting are suitable for choosing a place for ambush. Additional disguise for the hunter is not required, in the coming twilight the beast will not be able to see the lurking shooter. But the presence of sharp, extraneous odors can significantly reduce the chances of a successful hunt. Having a great sense of smell, the animal at a considerable distance learns the smell of cigarette smoke or perfume.
A discovered dam made by a skilled beaver can greatly increase the possibility of catching a cunning animal. If you break down the structure and lurk nearby in a place with good visibility, it’s not difficult to wait for the furry builder. A beaver will surely come to the place of damaged rowing in order to make repairs. The further outcome of the hunt depends on the skill and skill of the hunter.
Chance meeting
An amateur hunt for a beaver can present a pleasant surprise in the form of an accidental meeting of an animal with a hunter. The animal in quiet pleasant weather can give a slight splash of water, which spreads over long distances. Passing near ponds, you can hear the characteristic sound that makes an animal floating on the surface of the water.
At such moments, it’s important not to betray yourself. A calm animal focused on its worries can come very close to the hunter. Not bewildered, the marksman will receive the coveted trophy without a long and tiring wait. It is important not to frighten off prey, trying to get closer. It is better to wait until the beaver himself is at the required distance for the shot.
Spring Hunting Dates
Usually evening twilight is the most successful time in which hunting for beaver in the spring is. The hunting period ends in mid-May. Therefore, lovers of sports and commercial hunting should not hesitate for a long time with access to the hunting trail. The prey season is fleeting, so experienced hunters from the winter begin active preparation for the capture of the beaver.
With the onset of the first thaw, you can go on a reconnaissance, noting the habitats of animals. A detailed study of habits helps the hunter to outline a plan for the upcoming hunt. It should be remembered that an animal killed near its home will scare away the remaining beavers and hunting in this place will no longer bring the desired prey. Tracking how the owner of valuable fur spends his life, you can notice a place away from the beaver's hut, where you can arrange an ambush with the opening of the hunting season.
Finally
Hunting a beaver in the spring with a gun will turn into a fascinating and unforgettable process, allowing you to spend time in unity with nature. Prolonged tracking of the animal will slightly open the veil of everyday life of the beaver family, giving special pride to the owner of a valuable trophy.