Issue with the locals

[Rip Tide]

I've been attempting to fish a small remote pond near our camp out of my tube.
One of the local inhabitants is highly protective of his territory and has been making it clear to me that I'm not welcome.
I was wondering if these guys are actually dangerous or are they "all talk/no bite"
I've been attacked twice by otters while fishing from a tube and am leery of having my bare legs hanging down there with those big teeth

 

[nickj]

Ha! I've never been bothered by otters, other than them drifting down the stream next to me and making a huge splash.

 

[gt05254]

Well, with a zillion degrees in wildlife ecology, I figured I'd have your answer. But, on a lark, I googled "beaver attack" first. Oops.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-vwEJyQQB8&feature=related"]‪When beavers attack‬‏ - YouTube[/ame]

Seriously, though, in all those youtube videos, it appears that the animal was feeling pretty "cornered". They swim by me in the Miramichi all the time to no ill effect. I guess we all just need our space?

Gary

 

[ausablebrown]

No worries...they can't chew under water for very long. They'll have to come up for air. In all seriousness, I don't trust any animals of any size if they are sensing threat. I'll wager that even a cute little bunny rabbit may turn and chomp on your fingers if you pinned him down. Try picking a mouse up by the tail and then give it a good squeeze; OUCH. The things you learn working in feed store.

 

[raindogt]

Give him his space.

I had a close encounter with a beaver on some of my local waters. I was in my kayak, apparently got into his space-- he circled me a few times ~ 2 to 3 feet away from my boat, slapping his tail the whole time..... Sounded like a (explicit) tommy gun!

The last thing I wanted was him making his way onto my boat and chain sawing my leg.....

Like Ausable said, I wouldn't want to be on the business end of ANY threatened animal.

 

[gt05254]

And based on what I saw on youtube, it could be way worse. You could be trying to fish next to a kangaroo.
Gary

 

[FlyBum]

I'm sorry but I'm LMAO! I've owned a couple pontoons and I just never got close enough to worry, but I have had them slap their tail at me before, but even then I was not very close and I just ignored it and kept on fishing.

 

[Rip Tide]

Normally I retreat after the first slap or two, but it's a 1/2 mile hike in and there's only about 15 minutes of fishing time before the little guy discovers that I'm there.
Like I said, I'm leery about this after my experiences with the otters.
I'm quite sure, due to the low position in the tube, that they viewed me as a rival otter and got right in my face.
I'm not willing to face off with a buck-toothed beaver in the same manner.
:wow:

 

[fyshstykr]

Rip,
You could always take an arm load of saplings to smooth things over.

 

[milt spawn]

Anyone remember the killer bunny that attacked President Carter in a canoe? milt.

 

[lancer09]

Show him who is boss.

 

[gt05254]

lancer09, how would one who is floating around in an inner tube armed with a wispy length of graphite go about doing that...legally? Sounds like an interesting proposition.
Gary

 

[milt spawn]

Pepper spray. milt.

 

[hillbilly rick]

I often get beavers,and once in a while otters, swimming by while I'm paying my full undivided attention to my line. It still gives me the heebie jeebies. I see trees their gnawing down 8" in diameter my flesh is nothing to a critter like that.
Jeff Foxworthy did a skit about a feller that got a piece of his anatomy bitten off by a beaver a must see.
If beavers feel threatened they'll slap their tails. Otters will "bark" an alarm that sounds almost like a whistle. Watch where they come and go and give them space. I've heard of otters taking fish someone was reeling in. Remember the water is their world, we're just visiting.
Rick

 

[lancer09]

A large stickto Poke the little guy, just let him know your not scared.

 

[Guest1]

I've never had Beavers or Otters threaten me. About a week ago I was about 50 or 60 feet from my bag I keep all my crud in when I'm spey casting and saw two young Otters checking out my stuff. Of couse that's also where my camera was. The worst a Beaver has ever done to me was a tail slap I was not expecting. There was however a Muskrat that charged me like a Bull on steroids. I was on the Lake of the Woods in the middle of winter and he was out on the ice for some unknown reason. I thought to myself, "Self this looks like a good chance to get a good photo of a Muskrat!" I stopped and broke out the camera. Got really close to it and snapped one shot. Went to snap a second one and the fight was on. I take off hopping around and waving my arms like a mad man. Of course the only place for him to hide out there was in the track of my snowmobile. The closest thing to a stick I had to prod him out of there was a fish measuring board. So I give him a couple of pokes and he looks like he is deciding whether to attack me again or run. This concerned me a bit because the only way to get down and see where he was kind of left me in a much less advantageous position for making my hopping and flailing getaway. He decides to flee out of the track, only to run around to my side, feign an attack and run back into the track. This goes on for several attempts and I finally got away by getting one knee on the seat and hitting the gas while he was making his charge sround the back of the snowmobile. I have given the mean little boogers a wide berth ever since. They weigh about 1/40th that of a Beaver and it's pretty tough to do the hopping flailing get away dance while you are half submerged. Don't trust that hairy little buck toothed chainsaw.

 

[hillbilly rick]

Diver Dan,
Did anyone get that on video? If so, is it fit for family viewing:ranting3:? Those large rodents can cuss up a storm.

 

[bigjim5589]

If they're raising young ones in the pond, and feel you're a threat, who knows what they might do. I used to do a lot of trapping, and have had Beavers & Muskrats lunge at me in confined areas, but never had any of them do it in open water. Still, they're wild animals & if they're trying to protect their young, they might attack you!

That far away from a road or help, would not be a good place to get bit!

Rabbits can be tough too! I have a scar on the back of my hand from the hind claws of a rabbit. I used to raise rabbits, an they're not all "cute little bunnies"!

 

[HuronRiverDan]

Rip, maybe he thinks you're a grossly mishapen lady beaver... Slap the water with your hand if he comes close, maybe he'll get the message... Or you could try bribing him like Fysh suggested...

Dan

 

[Guest1]

Diver Dan,
Did anyone get that on video? If so, is it fit for family viewing:ranting3:? Those large rodents can cuss up a storm.

Nope, I got one good photo of him before the attack. The rest of the time was spent pretty much trying to escape the little monster with both of us intact.

If they're raising young ones in the pond, and feel you're a threat, who knows what they might do. I used to do a lot of trapping, and have had Beavers & Muskrats lunge at me in confined areas, but never had any of them do it in open water. Still, they're wild animals & if they're trying to protect their young, they might attack you!

That far away from a road or help, would not be a good place to get bit!

Rabbits can be tough too! I have a scar on the back of my hand from the hind claws of a rabbit. I used to raise rabbits, an they're not all "cute little bunnies"!

It was all by it's lonesome out on the ice. This was far from being a confined area, but I don't think he thought he was as fast as I was. I have no idea what he was doing so far out on the ice, at least a mile, but he was not the first one I have seen doing it. About 10 years ago I saw one running down an ice road through a bunch of ice houses and an Eagle spotted him. He didn't make it.

As for the Rabbits, you always use the Holy Handgrenade of Antioch.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOrgLj9lOwk]‪Monty Python-Holy Hand Grenade‬‏ - YouTube[/ame]