Otters

[fat man 4,741]

Before anyone jumps the gun i am well aware that otter hunting is illegal but do any of you lads ever come across them in earths while out,i have dug 2 and bolted 2 in the lenght of time im at terriers.2 year ago we bolted 1 from a drain and dog did not show so we located him working away.We started a dig thinking we were actually diging to a 2nd otter and to our surprise we opened up to a dog fox,both in the 1 drain.I think they are a lovely animal and would not go out of my way to harm 1,seen them on the local rivers several times while fishing,very inquisitive animal.

[bunny tickler 876]

yes i know of a couple of lads who bumped into them whilst doing earths on river banking ,they are quite common now ,in fact its common to see them while ive been salmon fishing, once on the welsh dee i watched a mink cross the river about 15 mins later an otter followed the same line across ,some say otters hunt/chase mink but i dont know about ,but its allways a pleasure to see the otters

[WEDGEY 753]

The only time I ever an otter up close is at the zoo Lol we were fishing one day on the bann and an otter appeared from a drain and into the river in front of the mates and I was only meters away and missed it,beautiful animals and no one should ever harm one

[marshman 7,757]

I've only seen one and that was 27 years ago , I was lying low with my lurcher , on the bank of stream waiting for the farmer to drive by on the other side of the field . When I see a bit of movement , at first I thought it was a hare but it was an otter, she just went along the sheep fencing that separated the field from the bank then dropped down the bank and away she went . The one and only time I seen one , was worth it though !

[paulf 820]

I have only ever seen 6 in my life and everyone was dead on the road .

My old bosses father used to hunt them with the terriers in the 1950s .Could listen to him all day at times .

[J Darcy 5,871]

They are now common across much of the UK. it's just that you never see them. I've seen lots over the last 8 years, and once you start looking for them it's amazing how much sign you see.In many of our rivers they are at saturation point.....I would say that they are more common than mink in quite a bit of the UK....

[kirstysdad 827]

Grew up on the bann and seen them regular and now live in London and starting to see signs along alot of rivers be surprised were they are now know someone who dug 2 he just let them walk said they weren't up to much there's an old picture about of peter Sinead rolling about with one

[Ossie n Arch 1,682]

Eaten all the Barbel out of the Great Ouse................... Allegedly.

[undertaker 831]

One came into my yard afew years back he gave one of my terriers a gud doing.they are a nice animal to watch along river bank

[fat man 4,741]

Friend was telling me that a lot of otters were drowned in eel nets when eels were at a top price and it was legal to fish them.They would swim along the walls of the net until they casme to the tunnel then they entered to get at the eels but could not get back out so drowned.I think the ESB have taken over the fishing rites to eels now and its only tendered out to licenced holders which reduces the amount of nets on our lakes and rivers,i believe they only use long lines now,again the otter,lovely animal.

[Accip74 7,112]

Only seen one.....running down Dedham village high street in the evening, about 3 years ago......never thought my first sighting would be like that.....:-)

[Mosby 355]

In america, I can't count how many I've bolted from root tangles and over hangs. But I've dug as close as I could to one. Log was in the way of reaching it, so I pulled the dog and it bolted. All my friends here have dug to at least one. Just a month ago my buddy's bitch bayed one up on a sand bank. They are ruthless on a dog. Out numbers are high here, sometimes I've seen up to six in a day and that's not uncommon. But they stay in the water away from us for the most part.

[Cleanspade 3,322]

never saw them around me for many years. but they have made a comeback over the last decade or so. and have had a few sightings in the lamp and on or near the local rivers. its good to see them as they became almost mythical around here. the mink numbers seam to have dropped i dont know if it is anything to do with the otters. but i much prefare to see the latter

[undertaker 831]

That's true fatman often seen them in salmon nets to Years ago no of a lad who fould hooked one The lad taught he hooked a 20lb salmon he got a surprise when he seen what it was

[mackem 26,261]

Eaten all the Barbel out of the Great Ouse................... Allegedly.

Polish otters,they are a much more destructive sub-species