Otter introduction

[Relish1]

The otter has destroyed the sport fishing on two streams I fish North of the Missouri River. They were extremly fragile and productive fisheries which thanks to MDC's reintroduction are now destroyed. It was probably just a matter of time before the fisheries were destroyed because if the otters had not decimated the fish population I'm sure MDC would have built twenty million access points on the rivers which would have destroyed them.

[gonefishin]

Relish1

Sorry to hear that. A question, and I am not being critical, why do you say it was the Otters that caused the problem? Are the Otter populations still increasing?

[flyingeagle]

The otter has destroyed the sport fishing on two streams I fish North of the Missouri River. They were extremly fragile and productive fisheries which thanks to MDC's reintroduction are now destroyed. It was probably just a matter of time before the fisheries were destroyed because if the otters had not decimated the fish population I'm sure MDC would have built twenty million access points on the rivers which would have destroyed them.

Relish, I hope that I don't sound mean but, the waters (streams/rivers) of Missouri that are navigable can be used by the people of the State. Now I along with everyone else pays the 1/8 of 1%. And I hope that MDC will put access point on all floatable waterways.

Now two thing need to happen --- First Get in contract with the Agent in the area about the Otter problem. He should know of some good trappers that will reduce, but not destory the Otters.

Second Have Him to get in touch with the MDC fisheries biologist. He can take a survey of the rivers (shocking). Then They can set plans to restore.

Also if this is an area of great concern, get involved, ask the Agent what YOU can do to help, with Your time.

OH BY THE WAY------- Some local landowners don't believe in the Judges' ruling about floatable waters. Don't get into a gun fight when You only got a fishing pole!! If a landowner tries to run You off while floating leave. Go to the local Law enforcement and report it.

[gonefishin]

Relish, I hope that I don't sound mean but, the waters (streams/rivers) of Missouri that are navigable can be used by the people of the State. Now I along with everyone else pays the 1/8 of 1%. And I hope that MDC will put access point on all floatable waterways.

Now two thing need to happen --- First Get in contract with the Agent in the area about the Otter problem. He should know of some good trappers that will reduce, but not destory the Otters.

Second Have Him to get in touch with the MDC fisheries biologist. He can take a survey of the rivers (shocking). Then They can set plans to restore.

Also if this is an area of great concern, get involved, ask the Agent what YOU can do to help, with Your time.

OH BY THE WAY------- Some local landowners don't believe in the Judges' ruling about floatable waters. Don't get into a gun fight when You only got a fishing pole!! If a landowner tries to run You off while floating leave. Go to the local Law enforcement and report it.

Excellent advise Eagle. Those he's got a gun and I got a fishing pole fights dont usually favor the party with the fishing pole.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I think that covers the environmental changes you were talking about. How about the climate changes? And how do these tie into the Otter problem of lack thereof?

Well we are at record low levels in some streams and that will help any predator.

Unfortunately the only cure for streams that have lost their fish populations seems to be time. I don't believe the MDC has had any success in stocking streams, nor do they have the fish to do it with.

I'm not a fan of full speed ahead on wildlife issues. Its alot like rolling dice, but the losses sometimes plague us for decades. If we were to bring back every animal, we would have Bears, Wolves and Elk roaming the hills.

[flyingeagle]

Well we are at record low levels in some streams and that will help any predator.

Unfortunately the only cure for streams that have lost their fish populations seems to be time. I don't believe the MDC has had any success in stocking streams, nor do they have the fish to do it with.

I'm not a fan of full speed ahead on wildlife issues. Its alot like rolling dice, but the losses sometimes plague us for decades. If we were to bring back every animal, we would have Bears, Wolves and Elk roaming the hills.

Wayne the rivers and water supply in my area is almost at all time lows. Maramec springs low output, Montauk may have to drill wells or cut back on trout raising, Roaring Rivers I have heard is using one raceway. We need H2O plain and simple.

Wolfs, Bears, and Elk, of the three, Bears has come back to SW Mo. on their own. But on any species reintroduction, Man will always determine its' outcome.

[Brian Sloss]

My two cents on the otter issue is that without them for 80 years the landscape of Missouri changed drastically. I don't claim to know what acted as predator for them once upon a time, but we have a lack of predators today and the otter has taken off. They do lots of damage. I have talked to a reliable source around here, the 11 Point river, that has witnessed an otter kill a trout and leave it after one bite. I think it was a mistake putting the otter back, because for better or worse the ecosystem had changed too much. I hope this works out now because, like it or not they are here. As for trappers, I wish more would come here and trap because there are only a few doing so. I thought with the price of pelts more locals would be doing it, but most say they have not done it in years and that it is too hard to bother with. With the average income in this area, I thought more would do it but that is not the case. We could release otter hound dogs into the wild/java script:emoticon('', 'smid_4')

smilie Bears didn't really come back on their own, Arkansas released them in northern Arkansas and they eventually moved north.

[gonefishin]

My two cents on the otter issue is that without them for 80 years the landscape of Missouri changed drastically. I don't claim to know what acted as predator for them once upon a time, but we have a lack of predators today and the otter has taken off. They do lots of damage. I have talked to a reliable source around here, the 11 Point river, that has witnessed an otter kill a trout and leave it after one bite. I think it was a mistake putting the otter back, because for better or worse the ecosystem had changed too much. I hope this works out now because, like it or not they are here. As for trappers, I wish more would come here and trap because there are only a few doing so. I thought with the price of pelts more locals would be doing it, but most say they have not done it in years and that it is too hard to bother with. With the average income in this area, I thought more would do it but that is not the case. We could release otter hound dogs into the wild/java script:emoticon('', 'smid_4')

smilie Bears didn't really come back on their own, Arkansas released them in northern Arkansas and they eventually moved north.

If I didnt have this RA I would come and try to trap some of them for you. I used to enjoy running a trap line. A problem now days is that furs are so cheap a whole seasons worth of them won't pay for the traps or the cost of running the line. Makes it difficult.

You are right about being without them for 80 years. I think the problem is that they were re-introduced without thought to what preys on them or what the outcome for the ecosystem would be. Like you I dont know what did prey on them back in the day but I am sure something kept their populations in check.

Bears crossed the state line into Missouri without permission so I suppose one could say they came back on their own.