Geese!
I used to work for King Fisher Trout farm as a kid, and on the farm they had some geese. Man those things were the best watch dogs ever!
We have a 20ha dam that is very regularly stocked with Rainbows.
Unfortunately, we also have a healthy population of Cape Clawless Otters (About 8). Does anyone have any evidence of otters' impact on trout populations? We also have herd of Largemouth Bass as a food source for the otters.
Otters are a protected species, so a .22 with a silencer is not really an option, how else can I get rid of these, if it is actually necessary?
Geese!
I used to work for King Fisher Trout farm as a kid, and on the farm they had some geese. Man those things were the best watch dogs ever!
Daryl Human
The solution to any problem -- work, love, money, whatever -- is to go fishing, and the worse the problem, the longer the trip should be. --John Gierach
"Innocence is a wild trout. But we humans, being complicated, have to pursue innocence in complex ways" - Datus Proper
Having had first hand experience with those otters .... they HAVE to become scared of people & boats. They regularly attack hooked trout ... one has even climbed into the boat after a fish!
When animals become accustomed to humans they become agressive - view the latter as a food source. (Like our damn ... I mean d**m baboons in the Cape Point Reserve).
Maybe take out the dominant male with an UNsilenced 12 gauge shotgun .... and then throw a few firecrackers every time you see one behaving aggressively.
I always wanted to be somebody,but now I realize I should have been more specific.
Alcohol is the anaesthesia by which we endure the operation of life. GBS
Ja no look, I don't think the 12 gauge is a good idea,
but the crackers might work, no harm done!
Daryl Human
The solution to any problem -- work, love, money, whatever -- is to go fishing, and the worse the problem, the longer the trip should be. --John Gierach
One thing that rather concerned me is the possibility of rabies. It is common when an animal is infected its behavioural pattern changes completely (like meercats in the Eastern Cape).
These otters are REALLY aggressive - baring their (sharp) teeth when an attempt is made to scare them off without harm.
I always wanted to be somebody,but now I realize I should have been more specific.
Alcohol is the anaesthesia by which we endure the operation of life. GBS
But needless to say, us fly fisher man are really privileged to see all these creatures, even if they are a big threat to us. I personally have stood next to a big puffy and it was just lying in the sun baking. Just on Saturday, I was lucky enough to see fish eagles circling above my head and you could hear there unique calls.
We don't stop playing because we grow old; We grow old because we stop playing!
~ George Bernard Shaw ~
Fish Eagles are welcome to the odd trout - amazing what you can get away with if you have good looks and an amazing voice!
If anyone has contacts in the Parks Board, I have heard rumours that they will catch and relocate otters. Perhaps you can find out if this is true?
Come to think of it, we used to catch the "wild" cats in our previous residence and relocate them.
You can get the traps from the SPCA I think.
Daryl Human
The solution to any problem -- work, love, money, whatever -- is to go fishing, and the worse the problem, the longer the trip should be. --John Gierach
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