Problem Otters

[teknystoddy 0]

Several places around this area have been devestated by otters moving in and wiping out fish stocks,they entered them ponds through sheep netting ,the problem you have is the otter like the badgers only enemy is man,there numbers will rise like badgers until it will be to late,would I be right in saying the only thing that will take a hedgehog is a badger or have they got other predators,because there is an endagered species if ever,I have not seen a hedgie for years not even a road casualty use to see loads as a kid.

 

 

Foxes have been known to take hedgehogs, they annoy them until they curl up into a defensive ball and then push them into water, when the hedgehog opens up the fox grips its stomach and eats it. Never seen it myself but Ive heard of it before.

 

TT.

[Simoman 110]

Several places around this area have been devestated by otters moving in and wiping out fish stocks,they entered them ponds through sheep netting ,the problem you have is the otter like the badgers only enemy is man,there numbers will rise like badgers until it will be to late,would I be right in saying the only thing that will take a hedgehog is a badger or have they got other predators,because there is an endagered species if ever,I have not seen a hedgie for years not even a road casualty use to see loads as a kid.

 

 

Foxes have been known to take hedgehogs, they annoy them until they curl up into a defensive ball and then push them into water, when the hedgehog opens up the fox grips its stomach and eats it. Never seen it myself but Ive heard of it before.

 

TT.

 

 

I think thats an old wives tale, how many foxes are going to wander round pushing a hedgehog until they come to a watercourse? I'm sure persistance and a few good scratches and a hedgehog would open up, my terriers always just bit through the spikes when the unfortunate creatures come into the runs..........Funny though as I don't see many nowdays but used to catch hundreds as a kid..........

[fireman 11,003]

A few lakes round my way have been done by otters,there was a trust place that closed down and they just let them go.A few of the old boys have been seeing them off but they have done no end of damage.Are their holts protected like a billy set is,or is it just them?.

[snareman 3]

Im jealous of you to be honest. Ive never seen an otter wild!!!!!

ditchy ive trapped them in canada, they had eaten a hole through the mesh , and were in killing all the young steelheads, a 220 bodygrip over the hole put paid to the destruction , the canadians don,t piss about , the trappers are in and the jobs done , but its always the same old adage over here , those who have nothing to pay always have the most to say , its not their livelyhood thats at stake , they are only a big weasel , that kills the ducks seagulls , all water birds , fish and everything else they can get there teeth into .

[moley 115]

Im jealous of you to be honest. Ive never seen an otter wild!!!!!

ditchy ive trapped them in canada, they had eaten a hole through the mesh , and were in killing all the young steelheads, a 220 bodygrip over the hole put paid to the destruction , the canadians don,t piss about , the trappers are in and the jobs done , but its always the same old adage over here , those who have nothing to pay always have the most to say , its not their livelyhood thats at stake , they are only a big weasel , that kills the ducks seagulls , all water birds , fish and everything else they can get there teeth into .

 

funny you should say that snareman , the pond in question has a good head of waterfowl , including a few non flying ducks and waterhens , which you would think would be the first to go ,

a local small beck that i used to produce about 25 mink a year to my traps (non for at least 4 years), has otters regularily using it and the waterhens have returned , i was also told last week that there have bin watervoles seen on the beck and a small pond nearby , these have not bin obvious for a good 25 years and i can remember seeing them regular when i fished it as a lad, the beck now has a good head of signals and this seems to be what the otters mainly eat