Originally Posted by
Keyman
We eat fall, and spring beaver. Winter ice chopping is to much work. Wife and I are waiting for the river ice to go out, and then go and shoot from the boat. No limit, where we live. 6 per trip is enough as they do take 20 minutes or so to skin. We do leave meat on the bones. A light salt soak over night, and into the crock pot in the morning. We use dried onions and lots of powdered garlic, also dried peppers. A 60 pound beaver take 8 to 10 hours to be tender, smaller ones cook quicker. I am going to brine, and smoke this spring. The trick to water shooting is to use a head shot, 22 only. This will not kill the beaver out right, and will allow you to dip them up with a landing net. If you kill them out right they will sink before you get to them. I have used the meat and mixed it with black bear and make sausage. All those I share with have wanted more. If you get a pond beaver make sure they have not been eating pine. Spring hides are not the best, as they like to fight, and the hides have tears in them.
Keyman