Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Otters?

I suspect otters have devastated my pond. Last year it was a perfect little ecosystem. I haven't seen any big fish this year and very little response from feed. The kids have only caught small bluegill all summer. There are a few 6 to 8 inch large mouth bass. Fall creek is within a few hundred yards from the pond. I have seen them there.

I have a .243 that can reach the pond with ease and I am deadly accurate with it. However, I have not seen a thing.

Any advice would be helpful. Will this be an ongoing problem?
Thanks,

They move on but will be back, most likely they are dealing with their young - but will start to show them the local fishing spots soon. I hammered 10 of them from last fall to early spring and have not seen any signs of otters on any of the numerous swamps and beaver dams where I have cameras set up...that being said about 30 miles from me there is a lake with 17 otters counted this spring so it's just a matter of time before a new family makes their way to me But I'm ready for them this time!

This trap setup is fantastic and very effective, you just need to find a pinch point and/inlet to your pond and set it up.



There are lots of great videos of otter trapping on youtube, I enjoy watching them being pulled out of the water. Nothing worse than finding fish heads and scale ridden scat.... not to mention they blew my dam out this spring. They actually bore a hole about 15 feet through my dam - was amazing.....

Got another one today right after sunrise.
First time I've have successfully shot one.


Within a few hours a Crested Caracara had found his otter dinner!

Connibear traps are what my trapper buddy uses at our pond. We trap 1-2 otters pretty much every year. We have a deep creek that runs along the edge of the property and the trapper says that is almost for sure where they are coming from. River otters are cute until they start eating thousands of dollars in stocked fish. Some type of night vision is helpful if you are shooting, because otters are much more active at night. It appears in some cases like ours the river otter problem never fully goes away.

BTW Louie...I love your way with words!

Dang it!

Some juvenile otters may leave their family group at a fairly young age. However, many stay until the next litter.

I fear you may have more than one otter.

My pond is built over a drainage channel or small stream and there are lots of ponds sort-of connected to it, many of them quite large, on undeveloped land, or both. Lots of places it could have come from. Downstream a quarter mile or so there's a mud hole full of beavers and nutria.

The local raccoons are still pulling mussels out of the pond so I assume otters haven't been here long. Need to get him quick.

I would recommend Conibears 1st. ricochet off of water is unpredictable and you can't be there 24-7. I say this without knowledge of , your pond ,Children, pets, etc. As powerful as a Conibear is , all safety concerns must be addressed . If not a trapper, you might consider hiring a trapper. Water and rifles concern me personally, My ponds , the rule is shotguns or pistols with "Rat Shot" only . Yes, I'm afraid it may become an ongoing problem and in interest of full disclosure , I have , when I felt conditions were safe , used my Ruger 10/22 from time to time. But much less and less. Much of my pond is in a "Box Canyon" , helping to contain flying lead. Don't forget to consider your local furbearing and other laws ..... It's a multifaceted and difficult question , be safe. Preceding , just my opinion and I hope worth the $.02 . You'll have to weigh the all the facets , and decide how to handle, your the only one on site.

A customer with the same concern just installed an electric fence around his pond. 1st wire 6" off the ground, 2nd wire 12" off the ground. So far no otters in his pond, and the geese stopped getting into his pond too.

Otters have a toilet and it's very easy to find..if they are actually there. They will frequent the same spot every time they are there and youll see that their scat will have bones and scales in it - sometimes crawfish shells as well. The area will be well matted and very easy to see right next to the waters edge. When otters arrive they will usually come in through an incoming stream or depression -very easy to see as well and the best place to funnel them in to a trap.

I put 10 otters to sleep this past winter and fall...was very easy.

Cheers.

Louie

I havent gotten 2 in one yet...but its amazing what will put their head where they shouldnt.....

Early on a foggy Sunday morning a couple of weeks ago I saw three otters in our pond.

One otter grabbed one of our good sized albino catfish and the other two rushed to help.

My trapper buddy texted me this morning and stated it looks like we now have trapped 2 of the 3 thus far.

No more catfish for these two.

Merry Christmas to these two otters!

That warms my heart. I haven't seen anything in mine. Still watching...

Here

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My condolences on the albino. Yes, I feel the hatred for these animals as well. They devastated my perfect little ecosystem. They must die. The only thing saving them at the moment is time. I don't have much of that. I did buy a hydraulic sickle mower for my tractor. I got it knocked down today.

They will die but, I haven't seen any sign of them since.

Having one otter is like having one cockroach, probably not realistic.

Heads up, for the next couple days Duke #220 body traps are on sale for $12/each with very modest shipping charge (not sure of the site policy here for links) at... a site that rhymes with bidwayusa... for $12/each.

Condolences from here too. Frustrating when you see prized fish parts strewn around the bank. Those remains represent a lot of time, effort, and money even ignoring all the dashed dreams of that perfect pond.

The challenge is maintaining the diligence to catch them before they do much damage. Too frequently, you don't see the damage until after they've moved on.

I like wildlife and think otters are interesting critters; but... I'm not sure why there was such an effort to reintroduce them into areas where they had been extirpated. I think they were wiped out for a reason and am not sure what, if any, benefit they bring in being reintroduced. Kind of like protecting the cormorants despite all the damage they do.

Good luck in protecting your pond / fish.

Nice job!

However, when you go 3-for-3, then I expect there are still more voracious fish eaters invading your pond.

Keep up the good fight.

The mutant teenage kind?