Don't take a gun to a beaver. They are incredible animals. Before the hunters and trappers from Europe started killing them wholesale, they were active during the day. They became nocturnal to avoid the men. If you have ever seen a young beaver reach its tiny forepaws up to you when it wants to be picked up and cuddled or helped and you hear the little noise they make when they are begging to be picked up, you won't want to shoot one. For their size they are incredibly heavy, like a leather sack of buckshot. They won't "go" except in water, so the novice fixes a nice tub of water, introduces the beaver and the first thing it does necessitates draining the tub and you cannot drain the tub with the kit in it because they don't want the water to run out. The Native Americans would present a beaver kit to a woman who had lost a baby so that she would have someone to love and nurture. They pick up on human ways so fast it is almost scary. A woman whose name escapes me has written several books about living with beavers. She had two living in her house with her. They noticed that she sat at the table to eat, so each of them pushed a chair up to the table and climbed into the chair and remained upright while they ate the food she brought to them. The female beaver fell onto the floor the first time she tried to climb into the chair so every time after that, after she pushed the chair to the table, she collected pillows and cushions from furniture in the living room and placed them on the floor around her chair so that if she fell, she would land on something soft. That little beaver I got to hold was found by a couple of men by the side of the road in a bad storm. It was alone and needed help because beavers are not solitary animals. Anyway, it raised its little arms to be lifted up and rode back home with the guys who called the wildlife rescue people. They brought the beaver to the home of a couple who were customers of John and Jeff. I had been telling John about these books I had been reading so when he had to make a service call, he asked if I would like to come along. Both the husband and wife had major health and mobility problems, but they did everything they could for the little ones entrusted to their care. I walked into that house, a perfect stranger, and over to the little plastic crib on a cart like they bring babies out of the hospital nursery when it is visiting time. I looked at the little beaver who stood up, lifted his paws and asked to be picked up. Well, you learn to be a bit cautious around wild animals, but the man there said it was OK, that he wanted to be picked up. While I was getting used to holding so small and heavy an animal, he brought a bottle and I fed the little guy. He was probably in the process of being weaned because about half the milk was swallowed and the other half dripped onto the towel. That was one of the best experiences I have ever had. Not too long after that, I asked John about the couple and learned that both the husband and wife had died, but I am sure that the animal spirits knew about them and their work and surrounded them at the gates to vouch for how kind and loving they were to little, helpless, often sick or injured and always traumatized and frightened creatures who were brought to them and nursed to the stage where they could be returned to the outdoors.