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78 • Nebraska Game and Parks Commission caught with a baited bank line or by rod and reel, or even harvested with archery equipment. For the adventurous, they can also be caught by hand, even in early winter. Snapping turtles can often be spotted in shallow water under the ice. Because of the cold temperatures, they are very lethargic so you can chop or drill a hole in the ice and grab them by the tail. If turtles should become a nuisance and authorization is obtained from the Commission, they can be captured with homemade traps that allow entrance only from above the water surface. Traps should be set in shallow weedy areas and baited with fish heads, watermelon rind, or fresh meat. Snakes do eat fish, but do not pose a threat to fish populations. Water snakes are harmless to humans and should not be killed. Clearing debris and mowing the pond edges in areas used frequently by the pond owner and invited guests reduces hiding places for snakes and will reduce their numbers. Crayfish are not harmful to fish populations. Some crayfish species build burrows that may cause leaks in a small dam that has limited free-board. Crayfish overwinter in their burrows in the bottom mud or pond banks and become active when water temperatures are above 40 degrees. Crayfish are good to eat and they can be used for bait. They are most active at night and traps can be set in late afternoon and left out overnight. Regulations require crayfish traps be made with one-fourth inch square mesh material with a length of 24 inches or less, a diameter of 16 inches or less, and a throat opening of one inch or less in diameter. Traps can be baited with fish heads, meat scraps, dog food, or soybean cakes. Crayfish are readily eaten by trout, bass, and catfish. Maintaining a balanced fish population is the best way to control crayfish numbers. Beavers are rodents that build lodges in open water or on land near water. The lodge is usually dome-shaped and is built of sticks and mud. Lodges usually have one or two underwater entrances. The den inside the lodge is above water and is used to raise young, for sleeping and some food storage. If the water level rises and remains high, these rodents will burrow upward and construct a new dry den close to the soil surface. It may even break the surface or be close enough that the den caves in easily. This damage to the den encourages them to dig further. If a beaver den is located in the dam, burrowing can then weaken it and cause dam failure during major storm runoff events. Placing rock rip-rap 2 feet above and 3 feet below the water surface on the dam will discourage beaver burrowing. Most damage caused by beavers is a result of dam building and tree cutting. They often plug drainpipes in ponds, resulting in loss of water level control and damage to the emergency spillway. Hog-panel or electric fencing can be used to keep beavers away from outlet tubes. Although beavers prefer trees such as poplar, green ash, willow, and pine, they will eat the bark, twigs, and leaves of most woody plants growing near water. The best way to prevent beaver damage to trees is to wrap chicken wire around the base of the tree. Beaver also eat corn, soybeans, and other crops. If beaver activity is jeopardizing the stability of the dam, outlet tube, or emergency spillway, they should be controlled. The use of traps is the most effective, practical, and environmentally safe method of controlling them. Contact the Commission for information regarding trapping regulations, depredation permits, and a list of depredation trappers in your area. Muskrats construct lodges in open water or dig tunnels to their dens in the bank or dam. The tunnels are dug both above and below the water surface and can threaten the integrity of a dam. Rising and falling water levels could eventually cause a dam containing muskrat tunnels and dens to leak or fail. Placing rock rip-rap on the face of the dam will also discourage muskrats from digging. One-inch mesh wire screening