Otters

[nxs]

We live on the upper Pomme and they turned some otters loose close to us. Within 2 yrs there were no more bass, perch or even big chub minnows in our stretch of the river. So they moved to the neighbors ponds and cleaned them out. Dug dens in the banks to where they leaked all the time. MDC screwed that up along with them telling everyone that if there is running water no matter how small the stream is they have the right to trespass. Have no use for them at all!!

[Johnsfolly]

2 hours ago, Flysmallie said:

I'm surprised that fish didn't go extinct before man came along to control the otter population. 

Flysmallie I know that you already know this, but we did remove or pushed out the primary predators for the otter. So now it is up to us to control their populations. Unfortunately the economics, i.e., fur prices, are too low to incentivize  trappers to catch more otters. I know that I am speaking as a dipshit on this one, but without adequate population control of the otters they would ultimately decimate local streams and ponds of fish. That would in turn reduce the number of otters in that area either due to mortality, starvation or disease, or more likely migration to another body of water. Once that predation by the otter is reduced that would allow what ever fish remained in those systems to again repopulate those areas. This only becomes an issue to us when we want to catch those reduced fish numbers, i.e., remember when we used to catch 30 to 50 fish per day, or do not want to wait for the populations to rebuild if they even can.

[Walcrabass]

Johnsfolly,

  You are absolutely correct. I hope the MDC doesn't see your post or they will be wanting to release Wolves in Missouri to keep the Otters in balance. Wouldn't that be great??? Just think they could rip their way into Turkey houses, kill calves AND Full grown Cattle, Eat peoples dogs and Cats, and take down the Coyote population. What a great idea !!!!!!!!!  And then they could sell Wolf Tags to create more revenue for the Department and wouldn't even have to worry about paying damages for their destruction. Why didn't I think of this??

 

Walcrabass

[Chief Grey Bear]

Here is your #1 one critter problem on planet Earth

[Walcrabass]

Chief Grey Bear is correct.

[Flysmallie]

All I know is that for several years there was a large family of otters that lived on the James river down towards Galena. I had the opportunity to watch them fairly closely for those years because it was also my favorite place to fish on the James. In that time the numbers of fish caught never dropped. The quality of fish did not suffer either. The only thing that destroyed that section of river was flooding. 

 

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, Chief Grey Bear said:

Here is your #1 one critter problem on planet Earth

A black man with no weiner ?

Nah, no threat to speak of there I don't think.

[snagged in outlet 3]

Dude you're on fire lately.  Don't you have any work to do?

[fishinwrench]

4 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Dude you're on fire lately.  Don't you have any work to do?

All of the work I'm getting now is quick easy stuff.  So I built a little jet boat to play in, and I check in on you freaks about 8-10 times a day.  I'd appreciate it if you'd put up with me just a little longer until the fish start biting better around here.  

[snagged in outlet 3]

Let me know when they do and I'll be down.  I'll by the beer.