Dave at kelton Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Finally caught up with the otters whilst out walking today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Lucky you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Brilliant. Had them on our river for about five of the years I was managing it, saw the occasional bulge in the water and signs of them coming and going but never a sighting like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billytheghillie Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Lovely pics Dave, they are a common occurrence on my river, fact think there is too many of them. In the morning i usually see them playing on our wooden jetty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlaserF3 Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 (edited) https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/19062426.otter-secures-lunch-fantastic-snap-along-river-kent-kendal/ This was taken in the middle of Kendal, there was a photo of one last week with a live Mallard in it's jaws. Edited February 7, 2021 by BlaserF3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Great photos , I find them very elusive and go ages without seeing one , at low tide I have seen there prints with the tell tail sign of a mark in the mud just behind there back feet , this would be where the tail slide over mud , I did see one a few weeks ago that was cleaning itself while sitting on a dead branch in a pond , every so often it slid in the water , took a dive and then ended up on the branch again . There was a bit in our local paper where one was found dead in an illegal fish trap , apart from human interference there is very little that will keep there numbers under control and although lovely to see , the day might come where they will be out of control . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Very good pics 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 (edited) It’s good to see them back in our river ( the Eden ) too. I used to see them quite often when our fly fishing, but not everyone likes them around. While out rough shooting some years ago we bumped into a bloke fishing ( on the Eden again ) and he said he wouldn’t mind if we shot them. We just smiled and wandered on. Edited February 7, 2021 by Scully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
storm in a teacup Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 I see a couple quite often on the annan while I'm walking my dogs, love to see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 2 minutes ago, Scully said: It’s good to see them back in our river ( the Eden ) too. I used to see them quite often when our fly fishing, but not everyone likes them around. While out rough shooting some years ago we bumped into a bloke fishing ( on the Eden again ) and he said he wouldn’t mind if we shot them. We just smiled and wandered on. You should have shot him **** 🤬🤬🤬 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 I went to the last ever meet of the Bell Irving Otter hounds in Dumfriesshire. They do a lot of damage to wildlife but I can name many others which are just as destructive. The last time I saw one was on the river Wye. The hairs on the back of my neck were raised. It was a great sight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 29 minutes ago, blackbird said: You should have shot him **** 🤬🤬🤬 🙂 It’s funny how those with nothing to lose suggest we could shoot things. I’ve been asked by more than one farmer to ‘get rid’ of certain pests. ‘You shut em son, we’ll get rid of em’. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonker Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Playing Devil's advocate, My B-I-L has them coming to his match fishing lakes. They a gradually clearing his specimen carp lake. many thousands of pounds worth have gone. He's at his wits end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalkedUp Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 I’ve had a little family of otters come out of the water whilst I was stood next to a tree with the dogs flight lining pigeons. My young dog wanted them badly but just about held fast. Was lovely to watch them roll about on the bank, suddenly the biggest (mother?) spotted that they were within yards if us and sort of hissed at us. The three of them dropped into the river and bobbed away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddoakley Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 One of those creatures that I love to see (very rarely unless you know where) but also understand how destructive they are. Difficult balance between nature and man but in this case I hope for a nature win. Most places can deal with a few others around and like anything else they could be kept in check. Edd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billytheghillie Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 One year i found a carcass of a mink, its skin was rolled up from rear to the head and insides dined on, i have found salmon carcasses the same way and have watched otters dining on them. As they are territorial i think the mink came across a otter and that was that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdad Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 (edited) As a mad keen angler as well as shooting / stalking I get really frustrated with anglers moaning about otters and saying we should be killing them. Usually it’s the lads after big barbel - usually barbel which have grown artificially large through the amount of carp style feed going into rivers or commercial carp puddles - what do you expect if you dig a hole in the ground near where otters live and then fill it with fat carp that can’t escape? The otters were there first and the natural balance will be found, the off dead barbel isn’t a big deal, there are plenty about. Edited February 7, 2021 by oscarsdad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 I have only ever seen two otters in the wild fabulous sight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 We have seen more this year than ever, in fact I would say I have seen more this year than the rest of my life. Due to Covid we have been walking more and during the summer we started to see them during the day, presumably because they need to feed the kits. River height was also important, higher water meant xyz areas lower ABC areas. We also saw more kingfisher too, one memorable moment was a vertical take off, momentary hover and a dive... stunning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wigeon jim Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Otters are responsible for clearing goose and duck roosts around parts of Scotland, nothing nice about otters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 15 minutes ago, wigeon jim said: Otters are responsible for clearing goose and duck roosts around parts of Scotland, nothing nice about otters! Quite; it’s tooth and nail out there and everything has to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MirokuMK70 Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 (edited) Wonderful creatures and id love to actually see one, ive found their signs many times while fishing - even now on my local canal. Trouble with otters is when food is plentiful they are wasteful. A bit like a fox in a hen run, they will kill a specimen size fish just eat the tasty squishy bits, leave the rest and then go out to catch another one. For a fishery owner they are your worst nightmare as you cannot do a single effective thing to stop them. Edited February 7, 2021 by MirokuMK70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Plenty around here. I had one in the NV scope a few months back thinking it was something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 Fishing lads hate them in the river Tees, they congregate at the fish ladder where the barrage is. Also further up the Tees in some nice fishing spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeds chimp Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 Should go on the general licence... The amount of damage they do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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