Watch out for da beavers

“A popular swimming hole on the Shavers Fork River has proved to be a dangerous spot for two boys this week. However, the danger was not from strong currents, but from an overly aggressive beaver.
On Monday evening, 14-year-old Michael Edman of Elkins was swimming with family and friends around 6:30 p.m. when he was attacked and bitten nine times by a beaver he described as being about 3 feet long. Tuesday at 4:30 p.m., 12-year-old Christopher Tenney, also of Elkins, was swimming at the same spot when he too was bitten by a beaver.
The site of the attacks is approximately one mile downstream of the confluence of the Little Black Fork along County Rooute 6.
“My son was just out there swimming and a beaver came up and bit him on the butt,” said Timothy Tenney, Christopher’s father. Tenney said his son swam into shore with the beaver attached to his pants. Tenney then struck the animal in the head with a stick before it released his son and retreated back under some shoreline rocks. Christopher was taken to Davis Memorial Hospital where he was started on a series of rabies vaccinations and released.
Edman was swimming in the middle of the river and was playing with what he described as a metal cooking tool with a wood handle. His mother, Shelly Thompson, said she saw a beaver emerge upstream that was headed for Edman. Thompson and three other people warned Edman and he turned around and struck the aggressively approaching beaver on the head with the tool. Edman said he thought he only stunned the beaver for it soon reared up and latched onto his right pinky finger. Using his left hand he tried to pry his finger out, but the beaver then latched onto his left hand where it tore the skin back to the bone on his middle and ring fingers.
Edman said he used his fist to club the animal several times before it released his left hand only to lunge again and bite his stomach three times. As he struggled to get back on shore the beaver managed to tear a 2-inch deep gash in his left shoulder.
“If I would’ve had my knife with me that beaver would’ve been dead now. I wanted that beaver’s head,” Edman said. He added that he didn’t feel too much pain while he was being attacked because he was too mad. “The needles they gave me hurt worse than the beaver bites. I’m not planning on swimming in any rivers anytime soon.”
Edman was taken to DMH where he was treated for his multiple wounds and also started on series of rabies shots.
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources was notified and conservation officers returned to the site Tuesday afternoon with Edman and his family to search for the animal about two hours before Tenney was bitten. “This is the first time I’ve ever had anyone call me with a beaver attack,” Conservation Officer Ray Mearns said. “You can’t tell whether it’s rabid or not. I’d say there were babies here.” Both Mearns and Conservation Officer Barry Kaizer searched the area for signs of the beaver but found no fresh evidence of dams or felled trees.
Mearns later confirmed that there were young beaver sited at the spot on Sunday and Monday and that they had been possibly harassed by swimmers. “I feel this is the reason she went after them. Beavers are really protective and if anything threatens their young there’s a good chance they’ll fight for them,” Mearns said.
The DNR is assuming that the same beaver was involved in both attacks and officials now suspect it has a den underneath large rocks on the west bank of the river.
Captain Mike Pizzino of the DNR said since the problem beaver has already attacked two people it will probably be destroyed. He doubted if placing a sign at the site would be effective at keeping people out. If possible, Pizzino said the DNR may try to trap the animal and monitor it for rabies. If it is not rabid it could be released into a wilderness area. Conservation officers will be working at the site throughout the day he said.”

“Make it into a hat.”

“mmmpghlimphnabitscarfle...”

“Growing up, I was a member of the Marion (township) Busy Beavers 4-H Club.

And perhaps even FUNNIER, the boys' club was the Marion Happy Hustlers.

WE GOT IT GOIN' ON IN IOWA!!

:-))

shhhhhhh!! Run off now and make your own jokes........”

“I shudda titled the thread: Snapping Beaver a real threat!”

“D'OOOOOOOOHHHHH!!”

“I know someone who claimed to have been "bitten" by a beaver once.... he said she looked ok, I mean how should he have known......


Oh wait, maybe I shouldn't tell this story here......”

“Oh come on....”

“maybe the llittle kid should have been in a wheelchair then the beaver could have attacked him better..





ooohaaww
im going to hell because of all of you!!”

“That does it! I'm taking the pledge, converting, getting religion, mending my ways. Can't afford to listen to WF cussing for all eternity!”

“i am so sorry for posting that
it was just BAD
i promise no more!!!”

“An interesting corollary to Pascal's Wager, Geobeet...”

“We does what we has to!”

“NIIIIIIIIIIIICE BEAVER!”

“rosey,
im so glad that i know now that you are a guy.
because this would have been to funny”

“I thought this was a thread of the sexual kind...bummer.

The only beaver story that I can tell (as I am a gentleman) is:

I was camping in the Stokes State Forest in NJ and there was a huge beaver pond present that me and my buddies were camping next to. In the weeeeeeee dark hours of the evening I had to get up to expel liquid. As I was teeter tottering in the moonlight, I saw a lump swimming towards me and then a splash as this large dark critter emerged from the water and struck a course directly towards me. My heart started thumping and I started to loose my aiming control. It reared up its ugly head, took one look at my quickly shrinking thingy and fell over laughing. I was mortified and quickly retreated to the safety of my thin nylon fabricated tent.

Derned thing scared the crap (rather the piss) out of me.”

“Think how the beaver felt.”

“It probably feels so violated.

Let's find it and turn it into a hat.”

“Usually 14 year old boys are chasing beavers, not the other way around.”

“It's West-By-God (and smile when ya say it) Virginia!”

“This past winter, I was running my usual route during lunch and noticed an unusually large hole that was dug into the side of the embankment along the trail. I wondered to myself, what created that hole?
...Too small for a coyote...too big for a rat.

The following day, as though the creature heard my query, I saw and approached a large rodent with wicked claws on its feet and a little nubbin of a tail. Its eyes were squinty in the drizzling, overcast day, and its snout and whiskers were very rat like. I was able to edge up to the creature to within two feet!! It really didn’t care where I was!

Coming to my senses, I wondered what defense mechanism this thing had, and backed off while the critter munched on a dandelion.

I asked a friend of mine, who is knowledgeable of local wildlife, and he suggested it is a mountain beaver.

A quick Internet search proved him correct.

This is the creature that is the most primitive rodent known, and is the host to the worlds largest flea! (Its defense is its ferocious furry of claws and attitude when angered.)

http://infowright.com/mtbeaver/”

“There's some cool closeups at that site. Awww, ain't it cute!”

“I have a beaver fur coat. (Just saying.)”

“NEWGIRL! You deserve a tounge lashing for speaking of your beaver that way!”

“Didn't we go through this before already on another thread?

Wasn't it called "newgirl's beaver" or something like that?”

“Quick Newgirl, Run!!”

“It was after mother's day Bit. I got it as a gift and it is an antique actually. It's frickin' cool. Buddha, I'm talking about coat, not the other. (Man, I wish I didn't open this can of worms.)”

“I was tempted, but for once in my life I kept my big mouth shut.





You're welcome Newgie!

Ain't sayin no more about that!”

“I used to date this girl... her lastname was Smelley...

I lost track of her years ago, so I found her on the internet... she's married now... her lastname is now Beavers!

No, she doesn't hyphenate her name”

“I know Smiley. What was I thinking?”

“Beaver coat....can of worms...
WTF??”

“Ya know, I just thought of a really good one, but I'm gonna hold off...I'm feeling like being good today.”

“Damned oversized rodents..... Whoever heard of having a friggin' rodent for a national animal?

I got an idea... Let's swap! Can you imagine having a big-a$$ bronze rodent sitting atop your flag poles and such? What were we thinking? Ahhh... the proud majestic..... beaver?”

“We almost ended up with the turkey as our national symbol. That's one argument we're glad Benjamin Franklin lost!

But you still have a better national anthem! We can't even sing ours! Some can't hit the high notes, some can't hit the low!”

“But Hodgeman, without beaver, there would be no Canada!

And I understand Canadian beaver is the best.”

“So many possibilities for smarta$$ comments, so little time...”

“That may be true, Bitpusher, but back to the animal....

Sure we've got a lot of beavers, but I thing we've got the most bald eagles, too. How about the bear? That would be perfect. The Russians sure made out, with that one.

I dunno... Britain's got a lot of rats, but ya sure don't see them sticking one on tne Union Jack”

“Of course, G00SE did marry an American, so maybe I'm wrong...”

“There is nothing wrong with a little beaver!

8P”

“Nothing wrong with a big one either...”

“I dunno, Geo. The Bald Eagle Looks good, but it still a carrion eater. Ooooooooh... five-day-old fishbreath!

(don't say it, Bitpusher)”

“Ya there ok too!

8D”

“Carrion eater? Try sniffing a vulture's nest. Gak!!!! Barf!!!! Bloowaaaahhh!”

“I bet that would smell good!

8P”

“Makes a skunk smell like it's wearing perfume!”

“OK, OK....”

“Hmmmmm...beaver...tongue-lashing...d'ooooohhhhhh,this is getting really tough.”

“How is it beaver always taste like tuna?”

“Oh, man, this thread went all wrong.

Hodge, you are soooo funny. Thanks for helping the end of my workday end w/ a smile.”