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Otters


Don Andersen

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Folks,

 

Otters are now a predator along most trout streams. They were stocked by SRD in the eastern slopes in the late '90s and have spread all over the place. Otters have been seen on the Rams, Pr. creek, both south and north raven, cow creek, n. sask. river, most ponds and lakes. Family groups of 5 or more otters have been seen locally.

Adult otters typically eat <>2.5 lbs. of fish/day.

Otters are NOT part of the natural environment in the eastern slopes and as such have to been seen as an invasive species.

A couple of things:

1) if you see an otters, please inform SRD of the number and location.

2) during the above contact, please ask the SRD to place otters in the eastern slopes into the fur bearers category so that the numbers can be controlled.

 

And personally, I just have to wonder in the allocation of fish, how much were allocated to Govt Stocked predators. Isn't stocking Otters kinda like stocking poachers.

 

Regards,

 

 

 

Don

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Guys,

 

Spent an interesting day @ the Rocky Historic site reading fort journals. In all the journals I could only find one mention of otters. However, otters were traded a lot @ Fort Edmonton. The Stoneys trapped along the eastern slopes from near the 49th > near Grand Cache and they only traded one otter in 150 years at the Rocky Mountain House trading post - lots of grizzlys and wolverines though.

The Crees who trapped the boreal forest traded a lot of otters to Ft. Edmonton.

Leads to the conclusion that otters are a boreal rather than a sub-alpine or alpine animal.

I had to ask why the why two forts so close together and the park people told me it was to keep the Stoney and Crees apart. They tended to kill each other. A couple of Indian massacres in the Rocky area. Indian vs Indian. The Stoney were to trade @ Rocky whereas the Crees were to stay @ Edmonton.

 

 

And fished with 2 guys from Edmonton today - the away team did well whereas the home team came up blank.

 

 

Don

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East slope otters are already classed as fur bearers. A season was opened in 2009 in WMU 330 (just NW of Rocky), but otter quotas are usually kept low, since otters typically have a population density self-limiting behaviour.

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Junior,

 

Yes I considered the removal off all otters out of the sub-alpine and alpine areas prior to the arrival of the fur traders who kept records. My conclusion - I discounted any possiblilty. If they could be totally removed from the Stoney areas why were they not also not removed from the Cree area. Why would one group be 100% effective and the other group not. The total removal by the Stoneys prior to the white man arrival didn't happen 'cause there were very few otters in the Stoney area. The written records of the Rocky Forts prove the lack of otters.

And yes there is a Otter limit in the NW area of Rocky for ONE otter. Don't expecf that will make a dint in the population. I've seen 16 since the open season for ONE otter in a singe WMU.

 

And you and the wildlife bio would hit it right off. She doesn't see them as an invasive species either. Plus, she lied to me when she told me that SRD never stocked them + she sees absolutelty no issue with otters eating trout providing that they eat rainbows, brookies & cuts.

By the way - she's looking for Otter poo.She's never seen an otter and this is maybe the only way she prove they exist. If you find some - make sure she sees it.

 

 

 

 

Don

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