The Stan’s Beaver Baffler website was created and is managed by Keith and Glen Guenther. They both have biology and wildlife management degrees from schools in Washington State, Idaho, and Montana.
Keith worked for the USDA Forest Service as a wildlife biologist with a variety of assignments including as an Animal Damage Specialist for all National Forests in the states of Washington and Oregon. During his time as an animal damage specialist, he revised the Wildlife Control Handbook in 1979 to include a focus on non-lethal techniques, rather than lethal techniques that included trapping and poisons. His revised 1979 handbook was the basis for the Forest Service “PNW GTR332 Animal Damage Handbook” issued in 1994. Both handbooks included the original 1956 Beaver Baffler as a recommended structure to be utilized instead of trapping when beaver conflicts occurred.
Glen previously worked as a Forest Service wilderness ranger in Oregon and a Peace Corp fisheries specialist in Ecuador. Then in Idaho for the Bureau of Land Management in a variety of capacities as a wildland natural resources manager.
Both Keith and Glen have a long-time relationship with beavers as their father, Stan Guenther, was initially a game warden and beaver trapper for the Washington State Department of Game. Stan had obtained a wildlife management degree from Washington State College in 1940, when there was only one biologist for the entire State of Washington Department of Game. After serving in WWII Stan returned to the Washington State Department of Game and was reclassified as a wildlife biologist with a focus on fur bearers, including beaver. In 1956 Stan described his “Beaver Baffler” structure in the WashingtonState Game Bulletin as a non-lethal tool to resolve chronic beaver conflict problems.
Following their father around while growing up exposed Keith and Glen to beaver, their habits, and the unique habitats that they create. While assisting with beaver translocations and inspecting beaver ponds, sometimes with a fishing pole, they both developed an appreciation for beaver and beaver habitats.
In late 2019, just before covid, Keith was asked to review a publication created by a beaver advocacy group. His review ended with a major question:
“Why are sophisticated and complex pipe flow devices, which cost more than a protective lane fence, being widely recommended, instead of the easy to install, wildlife friendly fence systems? Success is already 95-99% for both systems.”
A three-year project was started to collect information and analyze strategies that would improve the ability of managers to cost effectively reduce beaver-human conflicts. Over 100 sources and site visits with local Biologists in Vermont, Idaho, California, and Washington states were included. The extensive data collection and analysis project resulted in Stan’s Beaver Baffler; an improved version of the original 1956 Beaver Baffler.