Fenny Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Hi was out today pigeon shooting and it went quiet so I decided to have a walk around some of the ponds. Whilst walking near a small pond I spotted some movement in the water and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it was an otter!! Within 20 yards of us, then it floated on its back playing near us, wasn't in the least bit bothered by our presence, truly breathtaking. I'd seen one previously but this one was far bigger, tried to take a photo but then it swam away. Unforgettable experience, won't forget that in a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 They are getting a lot more common Shaun , was it inthe pond we flight ? , if it was those carp will soon be history ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Continental Shooter Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 oh what a shame you couldnt take a pic of it seen one in the water of leith last year, swimming alongside the banks.... it was so cool i was taking a video and got late for work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenny Posted January 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 It was the small pond where we saw the fisherman the other day couldn't believe it such a beautiful animal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottk Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Not a beautiful animal when it's eating all your prized carp! They are getting waaaaaaay too common for my liking, waters everywhere been devastated by them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggysreels Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 The more waterways inhabited by otter's the better imho ... otters and mink dont mix well. I'd rather have a native predator doing what comes naturally within our waterways than an uninvited alien .. so yep .. the more otters the better, plus they are a magnificent mammal we are fortunate to have .. though absent on the wirral .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjlfishing Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Far two many otters around now causing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage to fisheries and wiping out our rivers of fish and waterfowl etc I say bring back otter hunting and it won't be long until they are on the wirrel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggysreels Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 I very much doubt the river network within the "Wirral" could ever sustain Otters nowadays .. its about 125/150 years since otters were viable within the wirral waterways ... One of my favourite dogs "Otterhounds" ... though lve no wish to see otter hunting return ... Mink Hunting should increase though .. Regards otters taking Carp ... suppose ijtroduced species being taken by native species is bound to happen ... ld be happy to watch an otter munching a 15lb mirror or ghost carp ... more so a zander or rainbow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunners Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 We have some where I fly fish and always a delight to see especially early in the mornings during summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontbeck Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 The more waterways inhabited by otter's the better imho ... otters and mink dont mix well. I'd rather have a native predator doing what comes naturally within our waterways than an uninvited alien .. so yep .. the more otters the better, plus they are a magnificent mammal we are fortunate to have .. though absent on the wirral .. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ghost Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 I see him all the time Fenny, spent new year with the little fella. He is in need of a new home & I am sure we could sort it out for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddaftspaniel Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 We had one kill or frighten away all our released ducks a few years back. Otter and two cubs used to come and hunt the ducks in broad daylight! Solution was we had to fence and electrify part of the pond to keep it secure till the ducks could fly............no bother since. Rember seeing one taking the **** out of my dogs on the river Deveron. They were on its scent and as soon as they got near it would dive and appear behind them. It played with them for a good half hour. Fascinating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filzee Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Found one dead in a stream which runs along the bottom of one of my permissions. No idea what killed it or how it even got there. Not a lot of water in the stream and I have never seen a fish nor did i think there would be a fish in there. Shame really would have liked to see it alive, there is something very nice about the otter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggysreels Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 (edited) Shooting is far more than pointing a tube that goes bang ... its about being in a place at the time you want to be .. whether its being on your own or with desired company ... its enjoyng all thats around you, the countyside and wildlife that inhabits etc ... having the knowledge to know just what you are looking at, and the inclination to find out later if you don't ... to shoot and respect responsibly quarry .. it adds to the sport of shootng .. Edited January 8, 2014 by hoggysreels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setwings Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 (edited) We've had otter visits to my carp syndicate in northamptonshire in the past two year . This year it came in early october killed 3 carp all 20 lb plus in two days . Definatly otter, as we caught it on trial cam . Such a waste of specimen fish considering they only eat the throat out to get to the red organs and leave the rest . thanks to natural englands efforts to reintroduce ;Theyve also ruined rudd and roach fishing in many places . They need to be deterred/ controlled in certain areas in my opinion . Edited January 8, 2014 by Setwings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setwings Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Not as cuddly as they look can be as devastating as a fox in a release pen to fisheries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootnfish Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I saw one a few years ago on a syndicate lake i used to fish everyone thought i was winding them up. Year later they put an otter fence up right round a 28 acre lake problem solved. If carp are that precious fence it off. The money most syndicates charge they can afford to do it. Would love to see more otters about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 As beautiful as they are i dont think natural england gave enough thought about the issues that a major re introduction would cause , they without doubt decimated some fishery's. the value of even a 20lb carp is high and not every owner can afford otter fencing especially for the larger lakes. Fish are not the only thing on their menu and ground nesting birds and mammals such as water voles are also taking a hit . As they have no natural predators I can see the numbers climbing at an alarming rate to a point where they will need controlling , and this is going to start a whole new war with the antis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setwings Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I saw one a few years ago on a syndicate lake i used to fish everyone thought i was winding them up. Year later they put an otter fence up right round a 28 acre lake problem solved. If carp are that precious fence it off. The money most syndicates charge they can afford to do it. Would love to see more otters about.I agree mate . I think stillwater fisheries should deffinatly try otter proof fencing if they have problems with predation . If they cant afford it ibelieve the environment agency are doing new schemes to help fund it witch is great.The bigger problem i think is with the rivers ,Otters are the UK's natural top freshwater predator. Maintaining fish populations in rivers where otters have returned needs careful management until a balance is restored in my opinion . As beautiful as they are i dont think natural england gave enough thought about the issues that a major re introduction would cause , they without doubt decimated some fishery's. the value of even a 20lb carp is high and not every owner can afford otter fencing especially for the larger lakes. Fish are not the only thing on their menu and ground nesting birds and mammals such as water voles are also taking a hit . As they have no natural predators I can see the numbers climbing at an alarming rate to a point where they will need controlling , and this is going to start a whole new war with the antis Totaly agree mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 (edited) Otters, a bit like a close season for shooting pigeons, are a controversial subject. Personally I love to see them but I also acknowledge how much damage they do to fish stocks and ground nesting birds. Edited January 8, 2014 by JDog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aled Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Like seeing them about, and they have made a big comeback in the Tywi valley since 1989. Worth noting though, our angling association started a serious mink trapping campaign in 1988 is there a relationship there? Anyway they do not seem to be very shy anymore, regulalrly get one popping up next to me whilst fly fishing for sea trout at night, or at dawn. On one memorable occasion one followed a bunch of worms i was using right up to my rod tip, and appeared rather cheesed off to see me. And bloody well spent a minute or so telling me with some rather strange squeking/chattering noises! Tight Lines Aled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggysreels Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 (edited) Carp in the main are an introduce species that crosses over the natural inclination of a "non introdce mammal" .. the Otter .. its for the fisheries to solve the problem, should there be a problem ... the monks introduced them as food stuff, and if humans hadn't altered waterways and fished out silver eels then the otters might have a more natural source of food .. Ghost carp/Zander/Rainbow trout should be culled to extintion within the uk ... nothing but vermin Edited January 8, 2014 by hoggysreels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 River Great Ouse at Olney, sat in a swim watching an otter on the far bank munching on a large fish, looked through binos to see it was a good double figure barbel!! Seen a huge increase in the otter population here with reports of many more large chub and barbel being lightly eaten then left on the bank. Mink hounds come through this stretch and what a delight to see, even if you end up with half a dozen hungry hounds trying to snaffel your bait! Otter too on the streams leading to Pitsford Reservoir near where I live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Carp in the main are an introduce species that crosses over the natural inclination of a "non introdce mammal" .. the Otter .. its for the fisheries to solve the problem, should there be a problem ... the monks introduced them as food stuff, and if humans hadn't altered waterways and fished out silver eels then the otters might have a more natural source of food .. Ghost carp/Zander/Rainbow trout should be culled to extintion within the uk ... nothing but vermin Rabbits were introduced , better kill all those too while you are at it , don't forget to kill all the pheasants too, as they were also introduced as were sikka and CWD so best top the lot of them Not sure if we should kill all the introduced breeds of dogs though as I am quite fond of mine . Your views on what is vermin are very strange and you logic somewhat flawed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmytree Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Carp in the main are an introduce species that crosses over the natural inclination of a "non introdce mammal" .. the Otter .. its for the fisheries to solve the problem, should there be a problem ... the monks introduced them as food stuff, and if humans hadn't altered waterways and fished out silver eels then the otters might have a more natural source of food .. Ghost carp/Zander/Rainbow trout should be culled to extintion within the uk ... nothing but vermin Agreed, otters are native so if they eat introduced species of carp(vermin) and manage to raid pheasants nests(more introduced vermin) they'll get my support. They used to eat mainly eels but humans have overfished eels and the elvers and polluted the otters habitat so it's our fault if they turn to other species to survive. Anyway, I'm having curry for tea, Tarka masala, it's like Tikka masala but 'otter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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