By Josh Margolis
HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – The Hill County Park Board’s Rules and Regulations Committee held a public meeting on Monday evening to discuss the future of beaver management in Beaver Creek Park.
Six members of the public spoke at the meeting, with each allotted two minutes for their presentation. Many also provided handouts for the Commission to read.
Margaret Standing Bear was the first member of the public to speak and pleaded with the Committee to treat beaver in a more humane manner.
“When we know better, we tend to do better. Instead of working against nature, why not work with it. Do any of the Park Board members have a degree in botany? Biology? Hydrogeology? Or have a Doctorate in Wildlife Management? I ask this question because we want to know what study suggests trapping and killing an animal because you don’t understand its purpose on earth. As with our current health crisis, if we trust in the science, there are more humane and eco-friendly solutions that benefits both beavers and humans. Involving science and experts in your beaver control policy is the best common sense approach to address this manner. Death and killing things because we don’t know how to work with them is not the answer.”
Others, like Fran Buell of the Montana Trappers Association, argued that trapping is necessary to manage the beaver population.
“I am in support of responsible and ethical trapping to manage the existing growing population in the park. It has proven to be a successful method of beaver control for decades.”
Roger Hinckley, a Hill County resident that lives near Beaver Creek, cited a story of beavers encroaching on his property after a 2013 flood and suggested focusing trapping on only the most aggressive beavers.
“We do not have to exterminate them. Maybe just get a few of the more aggressive trouble-makers. We’re 75-100 feet away from the Creek and they do have to travel a little ways to get to us. Some of the larger ones were apparently successful in doing that. Once they were gone…there were no more problems. As a result, I’m convinced that this works and I will continue to support that.”
The Commission did not engage in discussion following the public comment, instead deciding to read the distributed literature before engaging in any debate.
Commissioners were unable to correctly set up the virtual option for the meeting, so no public comment was gathered through that medium.
Chair Mark Peterson says another public meeting on the matter will be scheduled for sometime next month, and will likely also feature testimony from several experts in the field of beaver management.
As for any potential changes to beaver management in the Park, Peterson said at the meeting that is likely at least a year away.
The next step following public comments and discussion will be for the Committee to iwssue formal recommendations that will be sent to the full Park Board. The Board could then approve of the suggestions, amend them, or reject them.
