Frozen Beaver Dam Removal Day 4

Here we are on day 4. I begin with a walk through the bush and checked out the previous days beaver dams. I stayed bright and orange today lol. There was multiple tree stands overlooking the dam I was working on. It was sitting around 2 -3 degrees Celsius (around 36 Fahrenheit). This is pretty warm for this time of year in our area. I suffered a hole in my waiters. Normally this would not bother me, but I needed to stay dry because of the cold. Also, I went through the ice I was standing on! Luckily it wasn't very deep there lol. I will be back tomorrow with non-leaking waiters to finish this dam off.
Thanks for watching.

[@BrokenOAP-pn4dk]

THIS is how far ime behind youm you are like a beaver you never stop, Cheers Ernie👍👍👍

[@geneplumley4136]

You'll catch up, 👍😆

[@CryogenicFire]

A hole in your waders is the last thing you need in those temps! ❄ Great work as always Gene 👍

[@geneplumley4136]

🥶🥶🥶 It wasn't too bad, lol. It would have been nice if the hole was a little higher on the leg though. 🌊 🥶 Thanks Cryogenic Fire

[@2sillygrams]

Strong current on this one! You should sleep like a baby tonight lol. Thanks for the relaxation Gene! 😊

[@geneplumley4136]

Hey Cheryl, 👋 Your welcome! I did sleep well. The cold really makes your body work harder. At least if feels that way 🥶 lol. Thanks, take care.

[@ruthwright5395]

Great video, I can’t wait to see it after the water goes down, be safe. Blessings from Tennessee ❤️🇺🇸

[@geneplumley4136]

Hi Ruth, 👋 I did go back the next day, you will see on the next video. Any predictions for the ice? Thanks for the blessings from Ontario, Canada 🥶🦫 👍 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦

[@ntepup77]

YAY!!! New video!! I do my crafting to sell with you in the background now because it is so relaxing and love your videos! Thank you!!!!!

[@geneplumley4136]

Hi there ntepup, 👋. I am glad to hear that, thank you. What type of crafts do you make? I like perler beads.... Thanks for watching.

[@mariagdaws6083]

Hi Gene Slowly catching up with your videos but still got a lot left Love watching you tackle these large frozen beaver dams Take care ❤️🦘🦘🦘❤️

[@geneplumley4136]

Hey Mariagdaws. Thanks so much! It is a lot of fun. I am beginning to look forward to spring already though, 😆😆. Enjoy the warm weather! Lol 🧊 🌊 🥶 🦫

[@excession3076]

Hi Gene, another great video, so much water. I know the lake was big but I thought we would see some ice cracking. Until you showed us how thick it was. But it did catch you out on the edge, an unexpected sudden plunge there, lol. Looking forward to the next day update.

[@geneplumley4136]

Thanks Excession. I thought the same, it should have cracked a bit. We will see what a 24 hr difference makes soon.... Yes! I was lucky it wasn't deeper there haha. I have no idea why I hit it while I was standing on it, 🤦😆. I have done worse things to myself I suppose lol.

[@CharlesRWJones]

Great job. Would love to see the level after a couple of hours of draining.

[@geneplumley4136]

Hi Charles Jones, 👋 I went back the next day, you will see in a couple days, 👍 What do you think it looked like after 24 hrs?

[@kenadams8487]

man you really moved some water it must be so satisfying........i kept thinking the boys feet must be freezing .... proud of you your not afraid of work......all the best gene stay well

[@geneplumley4136]

Hi Ken. It is, I really enjoy it. It is actually really loud in person. After an hour or two you kind of need to get away from it for a bit. You really can't talk to anyone while you are doing it because it is so loud. It is definitely not for everyone. My gear and thick socks keep me warm though. Thanks Ken and thanks for watching 👍.

[@amandabishop7987]

Hi from Southampton, England - I've watched all four back to back, you have kept me company whilst I sew, it looks so pretty with all the snow. Looking forward to the next vlog, take care, Amanda

[@geneplumley4136]

Hello Amanda! Thanks for watching. I am glad to hear you are enjoying them, thanks. I complain a lot about the snow🥶 but honestly I would miss it if it were gone. It is hard to beat walking through the bush after a really big snowfall. It makes spring pretty special as well, 🌞. The same temperatures we complain about in the fall are so welcome in the spring, lol. 🇨🇦 🦫 🦫 🦫 🥶

[@excession3076]

Hi Amanda, I'm on the other side of the Forest from you, I don't reckon we are going to get any snow this year...again. It's still so mild and wet. Watching these videos it makes you miss the cold and snow, not something I ever thought I'd say. You're right, everything does look so pretty in the snow, at least for a week it would be nice. Don't think I'd want months of it though, thick snow in April/May doesn't sound fun at all.

[@dalehalliday3578]

love the music!

[@geneplumley4136]

Thanks Dale. 👍

[@johnlaforte700]

It’s cold there, be careful you’ve got a ways back. Love watching your videos Gene. ❤️😎😊👍👍

[@geneplumley4136]

Thanks John! Your right, it would be a cold walk back lol. 🥶 My left leg was soaked anyways. I poked a hole in my chest waiters at some point. Thanks, take care.

[@evieuretsky9997]

Thats a lot of water leaving that big pond, wonder how long it will take them to rebuild with things starting to freeze up now. Hope you have a great day.

[@geneplumley4136]

Hi Evie, 👋 It is quite a bit of water. 🌊 We had a really warm day yesterday, 11 degrees Celsius (52 Fahrenheit). I bet that would have gotten them out working. We shall see. Thanks, same to you.

[@BrokenOAP-pn4dk]

take a tuperware container, plastic box, cut round hole for lense, wrap in cooler material, add hand warmers inside, protects from rain snow too== 👍, i did this with a 1ltr container with handel it works good luck👍

[@geneplumley4136]

I like that! The rain is a problem, I usually use an umbrella 🌂 on a stick, lol. One rain drop on the lens, and it's over, haha. I will try this, thanks.

[@BrokenOAP-pn4dk]

ive even used a pringles tin wraped in gaffa tape if using a gopro, any type of tin can be cut and molded to the shape of a camera so it fits snugly inside, extra large food tins dont even need tin snips just strong scisors

[@stevensipes1823]

They make a water proof cover for your phone maybe it will help it from freezing. Not sure. The beavers will not build back till the ice melts. They need the water to float the stuff in. Also with water down other animals may hunt them down because they can now get to them. Steven Sipes

[@geneplumley4136]

Hey Steven I will look into a cover for my phone, thanks They did rebuild it on day 6 I think it was. They reused most of what I pulled out. They do drag tree and branches across land as well. Usually, they fix it right away instead of waiting 6 days. I didn't think they were there. I was only able to open a small channel in the dam and took a long time to drain. You are right about the other animals being able to reach them now. Normally, I open it right up quickly in the warmer weather. That gets their attention pretty quickly. Thanks for watching.

[@connieeberle5862]

I found you hard at work again Gene. Successful job as always. This dam didn't seem to have as much wood as the others. Was it easier to open up? Will have to wait to see just how much lower the water drops under the ice. Get out of the cold, and watch out for moose on the way home!

[@geneplumley4136]

Hey Connie. 👋 Thanks. Yes, it was a lot more mud then wood this time. It was definitely easier to pull apart. I did go back the next day. What do you think? Was the ice still together or broker apart after running for 24 hrs? We shall see.... I like running into the moose out there. I usually see 2 a year up close.

[@beatricegrand1230]

Love your vlogs so much you work so hard!!

[@geneplumley4136]

Hey Beatrice, 👋. Thanks so much! 💪 🦫 🇨🇦

[@shanjones244]

Great job on all 4 dams keep up the good work

[@geneplumley4136]

Hi Shan Jones, 👋 Thanks, will do!, 👍

[@stevensipes1823]

The beavers will not rebuild till the ice is gone. They need the water to flout the material to build. I know they make a shield to protect your phone from wind and water in case you drop it in the water. It might help it from freezing. Not sure. Steven Sipes

[@geneplumley4136]

Hey Steven 👋 Thanks for the tip. I tried using elastics to hold hand warmers to my phone. Lol. It bought me a bit of time. I will look into the case you mentioned. Check out day 6 on this series.....they definitely rebuild, lol. Thanks for watching, 👍

[@camel1945]

Thanks a lot I think there is a lot of water under the ice!!

[@geneplumley4136]

There is for sure. I went back the next day and it was still running like that. It will be interesting to see it over the next couple visits. Thanks, 👍

[@linato1855]

Wowww….I wouldn’t want to be in that cold water! 💪🏻👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻

[@geneplumley4136]

@@linato1855HI Lina! It's not for everybody lol 🥶😆. My gear keeps me pretty warm, 💪👍. I just have to keep moving and thinking warm thoughts, lol. Thanks for watching, 👍

[@isabelmilagre]

❤ 👏 🇵🇹

[@geneplumley4136]

Obrigado! Isabel. 🙏

[@donna-marieosullivan6590]

Hi Gene, why don't you use a spade to dig out the mud? I watch another guy demolish dams MStech86 he removes the sticks first like you then when he gets to the mud uses a spade. He's able to remove big chunks each time, and digs the dam to the ground. Check him out.

[@geneplumley4136]

Hey Donna. I usually find the spade just gets stuck on all the sticks. I will say that every dam is a little different. Some are easier to dig through then others. This one was frozen. I just prefer this potato rake. I find it the best all around tool for this and I don't want to bring a bunch of additional tools. Sometimes the spade would be nice though. I subscribe to mstech86, he has a great channel.

[@NiceLoki]

I have to ask, isn't removing a beaver's dam in winter removing their food stockpile that is keeping them fed during winter? Won't this cause the beavers to starve to death? I have no problem with hunting or trapping beavers, but starvation is something else entirely. Interested to hear your thoughts on this Gene?

[@geneplumley4136]

Great question. 👍 The beavers here were trapped prior to removing the dams. On this particular job, it was difficult. Because I could only open a small part of the dam, it took days to drain the water to the point where the beavers came to fix it. Normally, I would open it up more, but it was frozen. The only part I could open was where the water was flowing through it. I don't usually get called out this late in the year, but this place was causing problems for the hiway and landowner. No 🦫 's were left behind to starve.

[@NiceLoki]

@@geneplumley4136 thank you for your reply, I understand the need to control beaver numbers and limit the destruction that they cause. Hunting and trapping are accepted ways to achieve this, but I am also glad that it is not done in cruel or thoughtless manner.

[@geneplumley4136]

@NiceLoki Thanks for your understanding. We have pretty strict guide lines and licenses to maintain in order to do this. It's done the best way possible. 😬 🦫 🦫 🦫

[@beckyirvin2504]

Come back tomorrow with new waders

[@geneplumley4136]

Hi Becky, 👋 You better believe I did lol. 💪 🦫 🥶 🌊

[@maxmacdonald7174]

I am betting the beavers will not do much or anything to the break. They slowdown in winter like many other rodents.

[@geneplumley4136]

Hey there Max, 👋. I guess we will see on the next video, Thanks for the prediction, 👍. You are correct, they definitely slow down in the winter. They will need a mild day and the current to slowdown a bit before they can do anything. Thanks for watching, 👍

[@daycarbone9834]

How you do that? Big forrest. Never get lost??

[@geneplumley4136]

Hey Day Carbone Oh, I have gotten lost, haha. It takes time and practice to get comfortable out there by yourself. Thanks for watching

[@bdeal3499]

DO YOU SHOT AND EAT MOOSE? YOU ARE DOING A REAL GOOD AT THIS BEVER DAM YOU MUST NOT FISH HERE , I WOOD HAY GOD BLESS YYOU AND YOUR FAMILY (LOUIS)

[@geneplumley4136]

Hi B Deal, 👋. I have in the past but not much anymore. Moose It is one of my favorite meats to eat though. 👍. I am just too busy chasing 🦫 haha. This would not be an ideal fishing spot. But the lake it drains into would be good. We have tons of good fishing 🎣 spots around here. Thanks, take care.

[@bdeal3499]

YOU FOUND A GOOD ONE. BUT YOU DIDNT BRING YOUR BOAT NOW YOU CANT TAKE ME FOR A RIDE.DONT THAT RUNNING WATER MAKE YOU WONT TO PEE. (LOUIS)

[@geneplumley4136]

Lol, it would be a chilly boat ride in this weather. 🥶. Yes! The running water definitely has that effect on me 😆 Thanks for watching 👍

[@BrokenOAP-pn4dk]

camera freezing, you can buy thermal bags they act like thermal gloves and run off batterys or thermal blankets, charge them by usb, not shure they have interchangeable batterys tho, worth looking into👀🌨⛄📸🖲🛌👍

[@geneplumley4136]

That's a really good idea. I will check it out this fall. Thanks, 👍

[@BrokenOAP-pn4dk]

the trail camera just leave it they last for months and remember to leave it on video, it trips everytime something crosses

[@geneplumley4136]

@BrokenOAP-pn4dk I got a new one this spring. It takes really good video. The price of them has come down so much over the years.

[@BrokenOAP-pn4dk]

forgot bubble wrap, 1 keeps things dry, 2 acts as insulation too keeps the camera from freezing faster than it would if not used, either that or plystyrene sheeting cut to shape, dry and warm

[@BrokenOAP-pn4dk]

my history after leaving the army i took to photography, lots in africa, all over europe, hot and freezing lol