Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Otter-proof safe havens for fish

Fellow pond geeks,

Our little pond with the lighthouse now has otter problems. Some people tried to convince me that was an honor, but I'm not so sure. There is a pile of fish scales on the banks of a tiny little pond nearby and what looks like a burrow nearby. I haven't found any bass heads yet, but we found a large bowfin skull and some catfish heads near the burrow. And one otter was captured on video eating a catfish. So who knows how many fish they have eaten. And there's a family of three that I have seen.

After reading some post on this forum about otters, we decides to shoot near them. So I just scared the crap (literally) out of the whole family recently. We also excavated what looked like their burrow. But one has already returned... now more warily.

Ideally, I'd love to have both otters and a decent fish population. After all, they are lot like us - playful and overzealous sometimes. I read somewhere else that adding structure to your pond will deter otter predation somewhat. So I looked up otter fencing and I found some specs on a structure that would keep otters out. Apparently, they don't climb or dig very well. The article showed a 5' fence (1' in the ground) with vinyl coated, welded wire mesh with 2x4" openings. Making a fence around the entire pond would keep out the otters entirely. But that would cost a lot of money at 950 feet of fencing and posts. So a cheap alternative is buying 50-100' sections to make circular pins placed in the pond extending from the bottom to about 1 foot above the water surface. This may deter the otters somewhat. How much, I don't know.

The mesh size of the fence would allow passage of some decent sized fish. And I'm not too concerned about having really big fish in the pond. So maybe the otters could be management tool.

Have you'll heard anything about otter exclosures like these or some other kind? I wonder how they will restructure the fish community.

Best regards,
SC

Hello Mesocosm, I too have otters visit my pond since it is in a heavily wooded area. In late october with snow on the ground I saw their tracks which are unmistakable with that tail dragging. I decided to try deterrents and would see their tracks in the snow if it didn't work. I put a small battery ultrasonic detector by the pond where they come up from the stream about 70 ft. away, then I put an old radio by the pond with it playing all the time.
So far no new otter tracks in the 5 weeks since setting it up. I'll keep you posted, Good Luck !

A tape-recording from the movie "Caddy Shack" would be great - Bill Murrey's monologue with the varmint specifically.

I've got the radio on country music, if I find he prefers it I'll change to hip-hop, that should really scare him, or take the old tv and put my copy of Caddy Shack on, maybe the visual would work, or he would crack-up watching Rodney Dangerfield.
(you've got a Great looking lighthouse cabin)

imho the only good otter is a dead one!!!!
they consume 7-9 lbs of fish per day and can clean a small pond out in no time at all
i killed one so far in the two years of pond ownership
there is a company that makes deterrent digital glowing eyes with sensors that flash when motion id detected, sorrry i dont have the name or number for them its more fun to shoot them though!
now if i could just seethat dam beaver one time with rifle in hand!
i know beavers dont eat fish but they can sure cut down alot of willows in a hurry

I think you will have to make a decision about otters or fish. They can and will clean you out.

I'm trying the non lethal way first, but If that doesn't work I can find a local trapper who will put an end to it.
The trapping season for otter runs till march 31 up here.

The otters will leave eventually.

After much deliberation, we finally decided what to do about the otters. We decided a 4' fence would be too costly and labor intensive to make, so we opted for a 1 ft, 3-wire electric fence. The fence has wires placesd 4", 8", and 12" above the ground. The middle wire is a ground, so they'll even get shocked trying to jump/climb over the top. We used 2.5' PVC pipes with 3 drill passages to thread the wires (tiny gauge for a good zap). The cost of the project was about $250 (we had the PVC already).

Picture below
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v652/198/67/798761648/n798761648_1218226_7301.jpg

they leave when the food supply is gone!!!!

Great job Mesocosm, Maybe when the snow leaves in june I'll try that. How many amps is the fence controller?

i have a bad beaver problem about 75 yards below my pond. i trapped them last month and caught 6 beavers, 1 coon, and 1 otter. how will i know if the otters make it to my pond? are they nocturnal only?

When you start finding fish bones scattered around your pond... That's a pretty good clue!

My guess is if you caught an otter within 75yds of your pond, unless it was his first trip up the crick he had already been eating your fish.
If you aren't familar with otter sign go to a trapping site & ask the experts. Here's a good one: http://www.trapperman.com/
Look for tracks, slides, droppings with scales in them, partially eaten fish etc.
Otters are one critter you want to know the first day he visits your pond.

i see some kind of tracks around the edges all the time. i fiqured it was coons eating the left over fish food.

Coons are common around any water source. Coon tracks are easy to recognize by their long fingers & are smaller than a grown otters track. An otter track will be somewhat similar to a medium size dogs but will have 5 sharp pointed toes (dogs have 4). They lope when they travel so will leave a pattern similar to a rabbit in snow.
Here's some tracks: http://www.bear-tracker.com/otter.html

Finally finished my otter fence similar to what Mesocosm built.
I used 12 gauge aluminum wire with pvc posts placed about every 10 to 15 ft., then i drilled them at 4 & 8 inches. after running the wire thru and tightening it, I added more posts were needed to adjust for varying elevations then zip tied the wire to the correct height.


Geese inspecting the fence

AP

Your pond is really something and I like the fence idea. Nice effort approaching things with conservation in mind...I hope others follow your example.

Sometimes hot lead isn't the only solution... Good work! Otters are neat animals, its a shame to have to kill them. I hope the fence works! I expect some large plump PS this year...

Thank-you TJ and CJ, I decided to put a fence up because I think it will be the best deterrent since I don't live at my pond.
I have no problem with people doing what ever it takes to keep their ponds safe from predators, whether it be by trapping or using the politically correct SUPERSONIC PROJECTILE LAUNCHING DEVICE.

I feel sorry for any otter who touches the fence, I was repositioning the positive wires from the charger to the fence, they are insulated and I was wearing gloves, I haven't moved that fast in 30 years.
I should have known better, but now I know for sure.

Been there done that

There is another way of checking an elec fence but, I'm told, it is even worse.

Dave, I saw the video on utube of the guy doing the human watering can trick on an electric fence, man I think a vasectomy would be less painful.

20 mile fence controller. Brutal!