Ok,
I have a huge beaver problem in my duck pond. The pond has come up about 3 feet due to a massive dam the little rodents built In our spillway stream. This dam is huge the spillway is now about 7 feet deep and the dam stops almost all of the waters flow. At about 7 1/2 feet tall and 40 feet long this is far to big to tackle with a shovel, and way to deep in the woods for any kind of machinery. I talked to a guy and he said something about using small handmade explosives just powerful enough to break a fairly decent sized hole to allow the water to flow free. I was just woundering what I would need to achive that kind of power. The explosion has to be controlled as well. I dont want to break too big of a hole in the dam causing the 7 foot wall of water to go rushing downstream blowing out everything in its path.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

You could scare the shit out of the beavers, and start taking it apart from the top. Or set it on fire, what do I care?

Mud doesn't burn very well.

If you need a small hole, I guess you could try a moderately sized BP or FP salute, but explosives usually aren't the best solution to a problem, even if they would be more entertaining.

200gram APAN charge.

200gram APAN charge.
Seconded. All in favor?


Then again, why do you care? Beavers came to our stream, and I started dragging branches over and chucking them in there to help the beavers flood everything. It's more interesting this way.

A large, PVC cased flash salute would be sufficient, but always a bit of a risk.

This is actually one of those things that thermite is good for. Put it in a flower pot on top, and let it vapourize the top and half a foot underwater, the rest of the dam should get torn down by the current.

Since I don't know you and don't know your experince with explosives im going to guess its around none. If anything this suggestion would sound "kewl" but take a couple pieces of 3"ID pvc about 6-8"long fill about 1/4-1/3 way with BP cap them off and use about a 6inchs or more of fuse and put them a foot deep into it and about 2ft apart from each other and then blow that sum bitch a new one. If you have more experince then obviously substitute the black powder for something more powerfull say the APAN charge that was suggested.

And to the person that said flooding is intertesting, if you think thats interesting how about a small sudden rush of water gushing down on the unsuspecting little bunnies and squirels? I wish there was a beaver dam around here this sounds fun but alas thats the down side of a desert no beavers and no water for them to dam if there was beavers. No matter what you do video tape that shit.

About the PVC flash salutes... Whats your particular method of dealing with static? a year ago when i did some pyro (mostly just home made bp, smoke mix, KN03, etc) i was told to avoid using pvc at all costs because of the risk of static.

Some years back I buried a 2" x 12" pipe sleeve half-full of BP about 3' deep in wet soil and detonated it with visco (a lot of visco). The resulting blast blew the length of tree truck that it was buried under about 30' feet in the air and redistributed a considerable quantity of mud over my car, which was parked 30'-40' feet away. My point is that multiple devices made of PVC should take care of your problem. Static during the winter is certainly a risk with PVC if you're transporting these things any distance, but grounding them shouldn't be difficult. Consider how you're going to syncronize the firing.

I don't know how great the risk is with the PVC and static but maybe someone else could go in depth on that one. And Justglad you didn't detonate your device BP doesn't detonate only high explosives detonate.

Float a little raft with some Grant's Tree Stump Remover" in a sturdy metal can, up to the raft. Grant's will burn mud. Then, pull it away when the hole size that you have created meets your satisfaction.

Float a little raft with some Grant's Tree Stump Remover" in a sturdy metal can, up to the raft. Grant's will burn mud. Then, pull it away when the hole size that you have created meets your satisfaction.

What? stfu.

If you have any experience with explosives then go for the largest APAN charge you can get away with. Failing that a very large flash salute but bear in mind that both these compositions are highly unstable and very dangerous.

Also make sure you video it!


Iv never even seen a beaver dam in my life but I sure as hell would love to see one explode!

Iv never even seen a beaver dam in my life but I sure as hell would love to see one explode!

We all know where that post is going ;)

We all know where that post is going ;)

Without sounding stupid... Where?

busy little critters
http://youtube.com/watch?v=6vLPnPX-2rk

here comes the professionals!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUEzO23tSQk&NR=1

how about a small sudden rush of water gushing down on the unsuspecting little bunnies and squirels?

I like him. Glad you're back.


Also, in the youtube videos, why do all the "m80 pipe bombs quarterstick" have a small explosion before the large one? This is something I haven't yet experienced.

I like him. Glad you're back.


Also, in the youtube videos, why do all the "m80 pipe bombs quarterstick" have a small explosion before the large one? This is something I haven't yet experienced.

understanding youtube videos is not for us

I don't know how great the risk is with the PVC and static but maybe someone else could go in depth on that one. And Justglad you didn't detonate your device BP doesn't detonate only high explosives detonate.

Technicalities, technicalities. Tell it to the f*cking tree trunk....

Why dont you save yourself some jail time a just rent a Cat or back hoe for a hour and take it apart that way. Then set out there the next day with a rifle waiting for that little beaver......

Without sounding stupid... Where?

http://philip9876.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/nuclear-explosion.jpg

Why dont you save yourself some jail time a just rent a Cat or back hoe for a hour and take it apart that way. Then set out there the next day with a rifle waiting for that little beaver......

it's probably gonna be like a whole squad of beavers.. and he's most likely gonna get attacked lOL they'll see him like 'THATS THE MOTHER FUCKER RIGHT THERE GIT"EM' and then.. yeah, he takes off running only to trip over his untied bootlace and shoots himself in the stomach, falling on the rifle like an excalibur or some shit..

idk exterminator the beavers will pat ch that shit up

Pay the three biggest dudes at the local bar to rip the dam apart with their bare hands..... that's how I dealt with my first wife ;)!

understanding youtube videos is not for us

lol. 5

My dad used to tell me how when it was still legal to do so, city workers would chuck a propane tank on the dam then shoot it with a rifle. I've never seen it happen and he might just be bullshitting. Or he might have been saying that about getting rid of ground hogs. Can't remember.

A large, PVC cased flash salute would be sufficient, but always a bit of a risk.

This is actually one of those things that thermite is good for. Put it in a flower pot on top, and let it vapourize the top and half a foot underwater, the rest of the dam should get torn down by the current.

Its a pond?

I remember beaver dam blasting...course that was with dynamite.
Another extremely fun and effective measure is the brutal genocide of all rodent intruders.

If you dont mind a few days of sitting on a beach chair with beer and a well sighted .223.

My dad used to tell me how when it was still legal to do so, city workers would chuck a propane tank on the dam then shoot it with a rifle. I've never seen it happen and he might just be bullshitting. Or he might have been saying that about getting rid of ground hogs. Can't remember.

That actually doesnt work.

That actually doesnt work.

Wasn't sure because my Dad mixes tall-tales with his own tales. That's why I'm not a Backyard Ballistics regular, and thanks for clarification.

Setting fire to the top of the dam (possible use of zippo fluid or gasoline) would distract them for long enough to start dismantling the dam if you're not scared of fire. Attach a hook to a chain and practice your swing.

just get ten molotov cocktails and a big stick.

chuck the cocktails onto the dam.
when beavers come out, club them with the stick.

easy?

^^ tgat;s a half decent idea.. but i'm saying though - you could just go remove a few logs from the middle area.. stuff a propane tank in there.. and shoot the bitch :D simple, easy, and entertaining :D

Step 1: http://weblog.leidenuniv.nl/fdr/1948/mighty_hunter_2006.jpg

Step 2:

oh wait. Thats it.

Step 1: http://weblog.leidenuniv.nl/fdr/1948/mighty_hunter_2006.jpg

Step 2:

oh wait. Thats it.

You're my fucking hero thats the shit.

Step 1: http://weblog.leidenuniv.nl/fdr/1948/mighty_hunter_2006.jpg

Step 2:

oh wait. Thats it.

So a baby seal walks into a club...

What I usually do... you'll need.

1 big iron pry bar
1 wooden dowel of equal length and width
Some solid core speaker wire

Then your various prepared explosive charges preferably smaller for a controlled demolition.

Have a friend come with you with a rifle of which ever caliber he / she prefers so they can cover your ass in case one of those little bastards sneak up on you.

Now take your metal pry bar and start digging it in until you can't get it any deeper... then move it back and forth until the width of the charge hole has widened to a desired width.

Load the hole with your prepared charge with enough electrical wire following it out that you'll have a foot or two to play with over the hole and tamp it down with your wooden dowel.

Since you're going to use smaller charges for a controlled blast load the first holes at around 3 ft just to get things moving.

Now you'll either want to set these off in sequence or all at once.

In sequence grab a piece of wood and some screws and from each charge take one leading wire from each hole and screw one end to each individual screw that you should have screwed down in one straight line... then take the rest of the remaining wire and tie it all into one bunch... attach it to either side of a battery then run a wire from there to a metallic "wand" so that each screw you touch off will det a charge.

That or just wind positive and negative together and touch it off on a car battery and send it all to hell in one go.

aye, don't fuck with the beavers, there is no problem, don't blow them up lol wtf

why dont you leave the beavers alone and build a small diversion for the water?

or get a sledgehammer wait until they come out and beat the fuckers to death (except for one) then collect their dead body's make a coat and hat of them and then go back and pretend to be a beaver so you can get close enough to mate with the last beaver to create a clone beaver army... wait what were you doing? oh the dam ummm...

Not sure, i think you should rent scuba gear and take it out from behind just because it would be much cooler to see.

If you need a small hole, I guess you could try a moderately sized BP or FP salute, but explosives usually aren't the best solution to a problem, even if they would be more entertaining.

I disagree strongly. BP isn't a wise choice for this application. Not at all. First off, BP doesn't ignite when wet, second off, there are SOOO many factors that determine strength:
Mill quality
Chem grades
Grinding material
Grinding Time
Housing
The list goes on.

You would need a fair bit of FP(any kind) to make a dent in something 7 feet. Beaver damns are...well...quite strong.
FP is simply too sensitive to place ect for this.

I would make some AP putty and use that. Or maybe a nice batch of HMTD with a AP primer. Mmmm, that would be nice.

BTW, HMTD is pretty easy to make, although it takes a little longer than I prefer.

i wonder if edging some bent metal peices into the dam from a few places and tying them on the back of a car and just ripping the whole thing apart would work

maybe rebar "hooks"

i wonder if edging some bent metal peices into the dam from a few places and tying them on the back of a car and just ripping the whole thing apart would work

maybe rebar "hooks"

... I forsee the back of a car being left tied to some hooks.

Try explaining that to your insurance.

http://philip9876.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/nuclear-explosion.jpg

this

+1

molotov cocktails


if in doubt, totse will always come to this

Hey, when in doubt, molotov everything!

There is but one condition, you must molotov ... everything! No survivors, set the world afire.

This last bit is relevant to the post two posts above mine. If you figure out hown you win an e-cookie

The propane tank suggestions will not work. So don't bother buying a tank full 'o propane and lugging it out to the dam because that fucker will not explode when you shoot at it. First of youll have to find a round that will pierce the tank, and then you have the problem of igniting the gas when it reaches a decent mix with the oxygen in the air. You could use incendiary rounds but you'd still have to fire several of them before achieving ignition and I'm pretty sure that kind of ammunition is illegal anyways.

I'd say get a rope, tie it around a sturdy branch that looks like its supporting some of the dam, get a few guys together and pull the big ones out one by one until the dam collapses. No need to mess around with explosives just to tear down a small beaver dam.

No need to mess around with explosives

... There is always need to mess around with explosives.

The propane tank.


what if one attached a lit flare to the top/side ala dawn of the dead(the new one) THEN shoot it.

A couple of seconds worth of flamethrower, then nothing.

Tell a fattie there's a cheeseburger inside.

But no seriously, stuff it full of dynamite, pour gas all over it, and hit it from a distance with a flare gun.

...I just wanted to tell that joke.