BEAVER, sink or float
 

if you shoot a beaver in the head in a pond, does it sink or float?
im going out to shoot a furbearer tomorrow, and will be hunting around a beaverpond, and i want to know early if i shoot it, will it sink or float, and if it does sink, is it really dead or just wounded and waiting for its revenge when i come skinny dipping in after it.

would really like to know before i take that chilly alaskan dip.

RE: BEAVER, sink or float
 

Beavers will sink when first shot then rise up over time.

RE: BEAVER, sink or float
 

I popped one in the head with a 12g at relatively close range off a log and it did a back flip into the water. Never saw it again.

RE: BEAVER, sink or float
 

I been shootin beavers since i was a lil gaffer prolly shot more than most people ever see lol.Mostly they do butsometimes they don't. The majority of the time they will float so i either hookem with a fishing hook and dragem in or get a big stick or a hook to reach out and get them. I have swam for them before but i really detest doing that. When they do sink it is usally because they are still slightly alive, nerves or whatever and they go into what i call is the death spin. They spin around thrashing and kicking and eventually sink. If the beaver is stone dead when hit I have never had one sink. Maybe 1 in 10 sinks on me however like previously said they may float up the next day so keep an eye out. Also if they are wounded they may go down, grab hold of a root, or burry themselves under a log and die. If they do sink go over to where they sank, sometimes they are suspended in the water and you can see their tail only bout a foot under the surface. good luck:D

RE: BEAVER, sink or float
 

my dad shot one the other day and after the shot we never saw it again. He hit too far back and missed the head, so it went under and vanished. i think theyed float if you instantly killed em with a perfect head shot.

RE: BEAVER, sink or float
 

I shoot alot of beaver and it all depends how good the shot is,sometimes they will paddle in circles and stay on top and other times they will dive and try to get to one of many tunnels they have built for cover.If I get luckey the current will move them too the culvert,if not its time to get wet.....
I was attaced by a big and I mean BIG beaver 2 yrs ago,he came up to me thru the weeds on my leftside,I could hear him getting close and before I knew it he had me sitting on top of my polaris rangers roll bar and my 22mag was on the seat,he was real Pi$$*d.Ive never seen a beaver so mad...I must a killed the better half....He had me up there for about a half hour,just wouldnt leave.......I got him about a week later..weighed out a 34pds....I think you could say he was the king of the pond(s).......

RE: BEAVER, sink or float
 

well, went out to the creek, and it was justabout frozen up, i walked across the beaver dam to cross the creek (its about 150 yards long) i found a nice otter slide and a mink trail, so i put a couple holes in the ice (about 3-4 inches thick right next to the dam where it is moving) and set a couple traps in the trails, hopefully i will have pictures on here of whatever stumbles into it ;)

RE: BEAVER, sink or float
 

Ranger i have had similar experiences quite often actually. They will come at you especially if they are wounded or cornered. You may not think it but them buggers can move when they want to. I caught one a few years back by the leg in a connibear don't ask me how. I had no rifle along so i had to bonkem. Took me a good 10 minutes to brave myself to do it because as soon as i would get close he would lunge and just bout nip me. A fella here got bit some years back and took a large chunk out of his leg just below his manhood, lucky guy.

RE: BEAVER, sink or float
 

This was the 1st for me,getting attacked that is.Told other guys about it and they just laughed...(they didnt think a beaver would attack).It is kinda funny now,but not at the time....A critter that can cut down a 8" tree in no time at all gets alittle more respect from me now.....

RE: BEAVER, sink or float
 

I've shot more beaver than I care to count and it all depends on the shot placement and the water they're in if they sink or float. I quit shooting them in the water a long time ago, because the shots and the recovery are so much harder. Beaver have terrible eyesight so if you just watch the wind and sit still on the edge of a pond they'll eventually come out and walk around. Once they're on land it's a piece of cake to light them up and retrieve them. I once took nine in a row one evening by just waiting by a series of slides and soon enough they'd start waddling out onto land. I wouldn't recommend swimming after them either. I did that once and just about got circumcized by one of those buggers. I shot him with my bow and then ran out to retrieve my arrow and he turned on me in about knee deep water. I just about walked on water trying to get out of there. I just considered that arrow a goner.