Wildlife Concerns Updates
An Overview of Historical Beaver Management in Arizona
CHRISTOPHER D. CARRILLO , USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services, Phoenix, AZ, USA DA YID L. BERGMAN, USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services, Phoenix, AZ, USA JIMMY TAYLOR, USDA, APJ-{]S, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Olympia, WA, USA DALE NOLTE, USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, CO, USA PATRICK VIEHOEVER, USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services, Phoenix , AZ, USA MIKE DISNEY , Arizona Game and Fish Departm ent, Pho enix, AZ, USA
ABSTRACT In the mid-l 820s, Anglo-American fur trappers , known as "mountain men," entered Arizona and began trapping beaver (Castor canadensis). In Arizona there have been a number of famous mountain men such as Sylvester and James Pattie , Ewing Young , Jededia Smith, and Bill Williams who trapped along the waterways in northern and southern Arizona . Although the heyd ay of mountain men lasted only a few decades due to a population decline of beaver , management of these animals continues to this day . The purpose of managing beavers shifted from monetary gain to controlling wildlife dama ge . During the late 1900s, beaver were still widely distributed in limited number s throughout much of the state. We provid e a historical overview of beaver management in Arizon a with emphasi s on the mountain men, recreational trapping, wildlife damage management , and beaver research in Arizona.
KEY WORDS Arizona, AZGFD , beaver, beav er damage, Castor canade nsis, fur trappers , wildlife damage management
Historically , Arizona was geographically especially in those places where there are located within three countries : Spain (1540s cottonwoods and tuberous plants near the to 1821 ), the Mexican State of Sonora (1821 river (Hoffmeister 1986). to 1848) and the United States (1848 to In the 1970s and early 1980s beaver present) . In 1848, the entire state north of were still widely distributed through much the Gila River became the Territory of New of the state , although not in abundance. Mexico , part of the United States. In 1854, They were absent from the western three the area south of the Gila River was fourths of the Gila River , and from the Santa purchased from Mexico in the Gadsden Cruz and San Pedro River. In Arizona there Purchase . It took ten years of political are several factors that affect the abundance maneuvering before the Arizona Territory of beaver. Limiting factors include lack of was established in 1863. Arizona achieved water and food (especially cottonwoods) statehood on 14 February 1912 (Walker from many streams and encroachment by 1986). humans (Hoffmeister 1986). Beavers (Castor canadensis) are the largest rodents in Arizona and are the Spanish Explorers lightest-colored of any of the North From the onset of the early exploration of American beaver population (Hoffmeister New Mexico, Spaniards had recognized the 1986). Beavers range along most of the area's potential fur wealth. In 1540, the first major streams and numerous mountain procession of conquistadores to penetrate creeks within Arizona. They are also the southwest was led by Francisco Vasquez scattered along the Colorado River, de Coronado who came in search of the
Proceedings of the 13th WDM Conference (2009) 216 J. R. Boulanger , editor "Seven Cities of Cibola ." This was a 6- territory had loosened and the attitude month journey north from New Spain , as toward the tribal trade had changed. After Mexico was then called. Coronado's journey the United States acquired Louisiana in brought him to Zuni villages. On this visit 1803, Spanish officials regarded the fur the natives presented him with buffalo hides trade as essential to securing friendship of and the skins of deer ( Odocoileus spp.) and Plains tribes who could serve as a buffer rabbits , long used by native Pueblos for against encroaching Americans. footwear and clothing (Weber 1968). In addition to the usefulness of furs as Anglo-American Fur Trappers clothing , hides and skins were of value to The first Anglo-American trappers to set the Plains and Pueblo tribes for trading for foot on "Arizona" soil were Sylvester Pattie com , cloth , and pottery (Weber 1968). Upon and his son , James Ohio Pattie in 1825 . In the completion of the first expedition , the personal narrative of James Ohio Pattie, Coronado found the furs of little value and James describes his first trip with 12 men he felt they would not impress the viceroy or entering Arizona and trapping a section of King , thereby halting the exploration of the Gila River. On another expedition he New Mexico for 40 more years. describes a trip on the upper branches of the During the 17th century , coarse furs Gila River ; Pattie and his men claimed to from deer , elk (Cervus elaphus), bison have caught 250 beavers of which most (Bison bison), and antelope (Antilocapra were used and preserved (Patti 1831 ). americana) were among New Mexico's few On 3 March 1825 Pattie described exportable resources and were of such trapping along the San Pedro River , importance that the governors of the tributary to the Gila River. Due to the large province entered and dominated the trade . number of beaver , they named it "Beaver Towards the end of the 17th century , trade River. " During the trip from 3-20 March in animal skins , like nearly all other 1825, they collected 200 beavers and turned economic activity in New Mexico , had come back to the Gila River with as much fur as to an abrupt halt with the Pueblo Revolt of their "bea st" could carry (Patti 1831 ). In 1680. When the Spaniards returned in the 1826, the Pattie s returned to Arizona along early 18th century , the Apache were eager to the Gila Riv er to resume trapping . However , reestablish the coarse-fur trade . The most of the party was killed by Native Spaniards also encouraged and traded with Americans . Undaunted , the Patties led the Comanches and Utes . These Shoshonean another party down the Gila to the Colorado people were previously unknown and had River in 1827. Here the party split up and migrated south from southern Wyoming. the Patties continued on to the Pacific Coast With their linguistic cousins, the Utes , they (Patti 1831 ). soon displaced the Apaches in trade with the In 1826, Ewing Young pioneered Spaniards . Between 1747 and 1749 the Utes trapping the American Southwest , leading had a falling out with the Comanches and many of the first Anglo expeditions into the joined the Spaniards against their now mountains and watercourses of today's New common enemy. By 1750, the Utes had Mexico , Colorado , Utah , and Arizona. become a more dependable source of furs Ewing Young became a successful trapper (Weber 1968). and businessman, eventually setting up a During the first decades of the 19th trading post in Taos , New Mexico in the late century , Spanish restrictions against trading . 1820s. From 1826 to 1834, Ewing Young to the northwest of New Mexico in Ute
Proceedings of the 13th WDM Conference (2009) 217 J. R. Boulanger , editor spent considerable time trapping and trading River. He traveled down from what is now in Arizona (Hafen 1997). Bill Williams Mountain (Williams , Arizona In 1826, Ewing Young along with a area) through the Santa Maria Country along group of 30 men were working the Gila a stream (Bill Williams River) to the mouth River and some of its tributaries. The Young of the Colorado River. During this trip party also worked up the Salt River to its Williams reported that he had "found water junction with the Verde River. Here the all along in holes and some beaver" (Clark party divided, part . following the Verde 1965). River to its source and the other following the Salt River to its source in the White American Surveyors Mountains. The two groups rejoined and In 1867, Dr. Elliott Coues, an American trapped down the Salt and Gila rivers to the Army surgeon, historian , ornithologist and Colorado River , where they enjoyed good author , published "The Quadrupeds of beaver trapping (Hafen 1997). Arizona," where he described the presence In 1829, Young led a group of 40 and abundance of beaver in Arizona (Coues trappers from New Mexico to the Salt River. 1867). Coues (1867) reported , "The keen They trapped down that stream and up the pursuits of the beaver for its money value, Verde River with considerable success. and conspicuousness of some of its works , Among this group of trappers was a young are in the main causes of its unusual Kit Carson , who had worked as a cook for notoriety , and of the admiration with which Young in Taos , New Mexico , and who was it is always mentioned in trappers ' now out on his first trapping expedition narratives , and naturalists' embellishments (Hafen 1997). After leaving the headwaters of them ." of the Verde River , the group separated , half Another notable figure to be stationed returning to New Mexico and the rest, with the army in Arizona was Edgar including Young and Carson , setting out for Alexander Mearns , an army surgeon and California. field naturalist. He developed an early In 1831, Young along with 36 trappers interest in natural history , studying the flora again set out for California. They stopped at and fauna around his home in Highland the Zuni Pueblo for supplies and then Falls , New York. From 1883 to 1888, he trapped down the Salt River in Arizona , was a commissioned assistant surgeon in the catching beaver in great numbers (Hafen medical corps of the army and assigned to 1997). During this expedition they had other duty at Fort Verde, Arizona. While stationed adventures including a scrape with a grizzly at Fort Verde, Mearns collected beaver bear and a fight with the Apaches . specimens from a variety of locations within Another legendary mountain man to Arizona. All of the information he gathered enter Arizona was William Sherley "Old while stationed in Arizona was published in Bill " Williams , also known as an explorer, the "Mammals of the Mexican Boundary of army scout, and frontiersman. From 1826 to the United States." Mearns noted in his his death in 1849, Williams spent time journals that beaver were evident on nearly trapping alone in the "State of Senora" all streams of the Colorado Basin visited by (Arizona). Despite spending a considerable him from March 1884 to May 1888 (Mearns amount of time in Arizona , little is known of 1907). Mearns found the beaver to be Old Bill and his exploits , other than he excessively shy, secretive , and difficult of served America honorably (Favour 1936). In observations in contrast to the tame natured 1837, Williams set out along the Colorado beavers he had observed in the Yellowstone
Proceeding s of the 13th WDM Conference (2009) 218 J. R. Boulanger , editor National Park (Mearns 1907). The slight field notes from 1 January to 11 February amount of information respecting beavers in 1889, he documents his travels into Utah, Arizona can be presented in the form of Nevada , and Arizona. On this trip he extracts from his diary during the years his mentions that a few beaver were said to be was stationed in Arizona. present at Stone's Ferry along the Colorado On 3 April 1887, Mearns reported that River, but he only saw tracks . At Fort on the Box Canyon of the Verde River, Mohave , the old holes of beaver lodges were beaver were numerous and had cut much of present in the banks of the pond the timber along the river bank. On this trip (Hoffmeister 1986). Bailey also reported he spoke with 1 trapper who took 120 that a few beaver were said to live along the beaver along the Gila and Verde Rivers Colorado River, and he saw some old during the winter of 1886-87 , and sold the stumps where they had gnawed down small skins for $2.50 a pound (about $5 each; cottonwoods . One trapper had told Bailey Mearns 1907). From 22-24 November 1887, that during the winter of 1888-89 he took 80 Mearns reported that on the East Verde beaver along the Colorado River between River beaver were plentiful and that there Needles, California , and Yuma, Arizona, were several fine dams. and another 20 below Yuma, Arizona In 1894, while on the Boundary Survey , (Hoffmeister 1986). beaver were seen on the San Pedro River and on the Babocomeri Creek of the Arizona Game and Fish Department tributaries in Arizona. While on this survey , (AGFD) Mearns met two trappers in Yuma, Arizona. In 191 7, the Arizona governor appointed the The trappers had recently arrived from a first State Game Warden to manage the 200-mile expedition down the Gila River. wildlife resources of the state (Murphy They had shipped a number of beaver and 2005) . By this time wildlife conservation raccoons taken during the trip, but found no practices were in place, including predator beavers on the lower portion of the Gila control , limited hunting seasons , River. In speaking with the residents of establishment of game refuges , and Adonde , Arizona , Mearns was told that reintroduction of some game species beaver were scarce since the flood of 1891 (Murphy 2005). (Mearns 1907). The State Game Warden published the Vernon Orlando Bailey was a field first AGFD laws for the years 1917 and naturalist for the U.S. Department of 1918. Civil penalties were established along Agriculture's Division of Economic with minimum dollar amounts. Hunting Ornithology and Mammalogy from 1887 to seasons were stipulated for most small game 1896. In 1897 he became Chief Field animals , but there was no closed season for Naturalist and Senior Biologist of the furbearers, European sparrow (Passer Department of Agriculture's Biological domesticu s), great homed owl (Bubo Survey Bureau , making many field trips virginianus) , all hawks, prame dog throughout the west and southwest until his (Cynomys spp.), and porcupine (Erethizon retirement in 1933. Bailey's chief biological dorsatum; Murphy 2005). During this time interest was the study of the life history and many farmers , ranchers and homesteaders distribution of mammals . were experiencing damage from beaver and During his tenure with the Department trapped them to protect their livelihood and he made many field trips into Arizona; most to help make ends meet (AGFD 2006). were 2 to 4 months long. In Vernon Bailey's However , in order to trap beaver, a permit
Proceedings of the 13th WDM Conference (2009) 219 J. R. Boulanger , editor must have been secured from the State they introduced 12 beaver into Long Park in Game Warden. the Chiricahua Mountains. The beaver were One of the earliest letters to the Arizona trapped on the West Fork of the Black River State Game Warden was from the Salt River in the White Mountains of Arizona. It was Valley Water Users Association on 24 reported that the release was successful December 1921. In this letter , the (Cahalane 1939). association requested a renewal of a permit On 14 January 1940, 3 beaver from that was issued on 7 April 1921 to trap Springerville, Arizona, were transplanted to beaver along the Arizona Canal, just west of South Fork Cave Creek, in the East the Granite Reef Dam. The association was Chiricahua Mountains. On 27 February again experiencing considerable trouble 1940, 2 additional beavers from Pima, from this source and was requesting Arizona, were transplanted to the same area permission to trap beaver on the Salt River (Carr 1994) . On 24 August 1950, it was above and below Granite Reef. Other reported that "four animals were trapped in instances of beaver damage complaints were the White Mountains and released" in the subsequently reported in 1923, 1928, and Graham Mountains by the Arizona Game 1929. On 19 March 1929, the president of and Fish Commission (Hoffmeister 1956). the Smithville Canal Company wrote a letter In 1994, AGFD reintroduced beaver to a to the State Game Warden regarding beavers small desert stream near Wickenburg , that were causing considerable damage to Arizona. In 1995, the site was revisited and the dam at Pima , Arizona , and that they a recovering robust riparian habitat was were anxious to have them removed. found. Four beaver dams and Moreover , on IO July , Jesse B. Simms wrote impoundments, a lodge, and many gnawed to the State Game Warden describing the and downed cottonwoods were located damage suffered. Mr. Simms stated "beavers (Welch 1997). Additional beaver relocations have destroyed about half a crop of lettuce occurred on the Bill Williams River, the San and are now cutting down some trees that I Pedro River , and Eagle Creek. put out for protection of flood water." Fur prices bottomed out in the 1950s In 1927, Governor Hunt passed a law which caused trapping activities to decline. closing the beaver season. However , the Fur prices gradually increased in the 1960s dee] ine of beaver had begun. Damming of along with trapping activities. In 1976-77 rivers for developing communities, bank there were 1,820 licensed trappers in the alterations, and channelization combined state of Arizona ; 65 beavers, along with with depletion of ground water resulting in other predators and furbearers were trapped reduced surface flows, had already during this time (AGFD 2006) . Increased contributed to a loss of Arizona's riparian trapping correlated with rising fur prices. areas (Kennedy 1997). However, when the fur prices peaked in the early 1980s there was an additional increase Beaver Reintroduction in the number of licensed trappers. In 1981- Management practices have helped the 83 there were 2,219 licensed trappers who beaver to hold its place as a member of trapped 117 beavers, along with other Arizona's fauna. Since the early 20th predators and furbearers (AGFD 2006). century , AGFD has been experimenting with In 1994, leghold traps were banned on beaver reintroductions. One of the earliest public lands in Arizona. Following the trap transplants was completed by the Arizona ban and during the trapping year 1995-96 , State Game and Fish Commission , when there were only 34 licensed trappers . No
Proceedings of the 13th WDM Conference (2009) 220 J. R. Boulanger, editor beavers were reported trapped that year. Consequently , staff noted that excessive Although trapping is still legal on private beaver activity was negatively impacting lands, this event may have reduced the project goals (Taylor 2008). 1n 2002, Tres number of licensed trappers in Arizona to Rios sought help from WS in defining the 123 during the 2005-06 season for all extent of beaver damage and developing furbearers combined (AGFD 2006) . techniques to reduce that damage on the Tres Rios project site. Along with WS Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 1n 1915, the USDA, APHIS , Wildlife (NWRC) , a series of research projects on the Services (WS) Arizona program was Salt River in the southwestern portion of the established, under the Bureau of Biological Phoenix , Arizona metropolitan area were Survey . From the 1920s to the late 1950s, initiated. The goal of these projects was to the primary focus was assisting farmers and determine the possible effects beaver have ranchers with problems from rodents and on npanan and wetland habitats . A brief predators. 1n Arizona , beaver management description of each project is provided has been conducted to protect agriculture , below . property , human health and safety, and To monitor movement of beaver and natural resource s. Wildlife Services has estimate survival and cause-specific managed beaver to prevent flooding of mortality using radio telemetry , more range pastures and to protect fruit and nut trees . was needed than internal transmitters could Near airports , beaver have been managed to provide . Also, longer retention time of prevent the creation of ponds which attract transmitters was needed other that what was waterfowl species that create aviation strike documented in published literature . hazards . Beaver have also been managed to Researcher s (Arjo et al. 2008) found that a prevent damage to trees on golf courses and modified ear-tag transmitter fitted with a damming of canals and irrigation devic es. 1n plastic sleeve and attached to the tail was addition to providing direct control , WS has efficacious in pen trials. Arjo et al. (2008) been involved in multiple research projects also found that incorporating a neoprene relevant to managing beaver damage , to washer with this setup in field trials include experimental nonlethal techniques , increased retention time to over 3 times that attractants, electronic frightening and reported previously , giving us an average detection devices , habitat modification , deployment time of 344 days (SE=44) per monitoring techniques , repellents , and DNA tail-mounted transmitter. analysis (Nolte 2003) . Additional pen studies were conducted In 2000, the United States Army Corps at the WS Olympia Field Station to develop of Engineers received approval from novel nonlethal techniques for reducing Congress to construct the Tres Rios beaver impacts. Harper et al. (2005) Ecosy stem Restoration and Flood Control conducted pen trials to determine whether Project in Phoenix , Arizona . 1n 2000 , Tres beaver could be conditioned to avoid select Rios constructed a demonstration area onsite foods. They concluded that aversion that used reclaimed wastewater from the conditioning is probably not a feasible 91 st A venue Treatment Plant to establish approach to reduce beaver foraging on wetland habitat. Following construction , preferred foods . project staff identified early on that wetland Saltcedar (Tamarisk spp.) is an invasive construction created suitable habitat for woody plant on the Tres Rios Project site. It beaver and connectivity to existing colonies. is rarely consumed by herbivores because it
Proceedin gs of the 13th WDM Conference (2009) 221 J. R. Boulang er, editor contains high levels of tannin and sodium captured and radio-marked along a 8.7-mile chloride (NaCl). Cottonwood (Populus (14 km) stretch along the Tres Rios balsamifera) and willow (Salix scouleriana) Demonstration Project. To develop trees are preferred food sources of beaver strategies to better manage the wetlands and and was the object of much damage on Tres decrease beaver damage, beaver movement Rios. Kimball and Perry (2008) theorized was monitored with stationary dataloggers that saltcedar palatability could be improved (automated radio telemetry rece1vmg by topical application of fructose and stations) and handheld receivers from 2004---- polyethylene glycol (PEG), and that 2007. In analyzing data, initial evidence was palatability of cottonwood and willow could found that contradicts the classic paradigm be reduced by application of an herbivore that a beaver colony consists of an adult repellent. As predicted, they found repellent male, an adult female, and 2 sub-adults. To application to willow and cottonwood support this assumption, evidence of cuttings in combination with fructose and multiple lactating females using the same PEG treatment of saltcedar altered beaver den site was collected (Fischer in press). plant preference. Thus, such applications may promote increased herbivory of Conclusion alternative plants while reducing loss of In Arizona the fur trade has had a long and desirable ones (Kimball and Perry 2008). interesting history. Beginning in 1540 when In order to protect wetlands, researchers the first Spanish explorers entered into needed to understand the movements and Northern New Spain (i.e., New Mexico) the dispersal that may impact ex1stmg fur trade had begun. When the explorers met populations of beaver. Two fundamental the tribes, they were presented with coarse gaps in knowledge of beaver dynamics on furs of bison and deer as gifts. It was during Tres Rios were related to their movement these encounters that the Spaniards realized and genetic diversity. Beaver were not that the tribes were utilizing the furs for introduced to Tres Rios when the footwear and clothing. As the Spanish wastewater treatment project was created, explorers learned the value of these course thus they immigrated from populations in furs they began to trade with the various adjacent temporally connected wetlands. tribes in the region. From 1540 to the early An understanding of the origin and 1800s the Spanish fur trade continued until diversity of the population allows for the arrival of the Anglo-Americans. improved management decisions (Taylor In the mid-l 820s, these Anglo-American 2008). Thus, hair or tissue samples were fur trappers, known as "mountain men," collected from all beaver captured on the entered "Arizona" from Santa Fe and Taos, Tres Rios Project study area for genetic New Mexico and began working the flowing sampling. Information obtained from this waterways in what is now northern and data is being used to determine relatedness southern Arizona. These men trapped for among individuals, population genetic beaver for a few decades when the fur structure, and genetic diversity within the market and the supply of beaver declined in population (Pelz-Serrano 2009). Results the 1830s. In order to continue to earn a suggest that the entire Tres Rios beaver living, some of the mountain men worked as population came from a single maternal guides for the United States Army surveyors lineage. and engineers. These men had considerable During the Tres Rios Project, 43 adult knowledge of Arizona's geography, beavers (31 females and 12 males) were
Proceedings of the 13th WDM Conference (2009) 222 J. R. Boulanger, editor however little of this knowledge was landscape , natural resource managers must recorded. make pragmatic decisions on the potential After the United States acquired what is effects habitat alteration has on system now Arizona through the war with Mexico stability. As the human population continues in 1848 and the Gadsden Purchase in 1854, to grow, so will conflicts between humans Anglo naturalists descended into Arizona to and wildlife (Taylor 2008). survey the international boundary. At the tum of the 19th century, REFERENCES commercial trapping for furs and bounties Allen, J. A. 1909. Biographical memoir of Elliott was still being conducted and many ranchers Coues 1842-1899. The National Academy of Sciences , Washington D.C., USA. and homesteaders also trapped to protect All Thing s William. 1999. A collection of Quote 's their livelihood. During the late 1900s, based on the name William.
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