Beavers

[otterslayer]

It was May 7 and I was on a fishing trip at Dolberg lake in Alberta near town of Barrhead.

As I drifted around south side of the lake I saw what I thought was a dead head but when I put in for a stretch I discovered the dead head was actually a bloated dead beaver floating in the shallows .Not a pleasant sight and my thoughts were maybe it died in a fight or got sick . I decided to find a better spot to put in and went down the lake some 65yds past a very large beaver lodge and found an acceptable spot. Getting closer to the shore what did I see but another dead bloated beaver floating there just like the first one.

Quietly and as softly as a warm summer breeze it became obvious that these two animals may have been killed and left to rot at the hands of a very wasteful and ignorant idiot.

My first thought was were they destroyed by an incompetent guide or angler because they slapped their tail possibly scaring a fish ,but then a more demoralized thought creped up on me which was the foot stomping revenge of a outdoor gorilla pot farming enthusiast out to say screw you to the great environs beavers are.

I counted a growing population of 4 beavers out on the lake, up 2 from the previous year and new lodges being built, now there is only 1 beaver out there.

The water level of the lake is supported by the beavers as they maintain a series of dams in the outlet stream, first holding level is 3 to 4ft deep from my observation.

Without such an structures and their integrity being attended to by the beaver population this lake and all it provides for is in peril. A change to the water level might prove detrimental to the productive happy salad beds that host such food production and rapid growth rates in the eco system it is.

This lake produces the finest of rainbow trout that I have caught up to 6 lbs , and fish upwards of 8 lbs have been bragged about .

There is a community campsite at the spot and such a loss of this resource will have an impact on more than what meets the eye.

Conservation officer has been informed.

 

HEY WATCH OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND LEAVE THE BEAVERS ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PeterSL]

And were the otters still at the lake?

[otterslayer]

hi to Peter SL

If your wondering what the term Otterslayer comes from. When I was a employed at the Conuma river facility west coast Vancouver island .

This is a camp/ isolated type of fish hatchery. As a volunteer I set traps and ride the place of several of the traumatizing intruders and with millions of salmon fry

being so concentrated in rearing ponds stress could contribute to mass casualties.They were large animals approx. 20 lbs. One I chased out with a pike pole, they would come around on certain stages of the moon, weather and river water levels were also a contributing factor. Bears were into the Steel head fry one morning at 4;30 AM, heard the stand pipe drain being knocked around from my room. Come 7;30 I took a walk and saw the fry all pressed against the screen . I replaced the plug and proceeded on with my day. I can remember a condo full of Steel head brood stock ripening up for egg take and noticing no water running from the drain ,a quick adjusting of the water supply valve released a glut of previous fall seasons leaves that had disrupted water flow. The Conuma is now part of whats known as a gene pool reserve for species of concern.

AND YES I COUNTED 1 OTTER , I OSPREY and 2 LOONS as well at Dolberg.....hope that beaver likes the dam its got there.

get this ...... last summer at Dolberg myself and a few locals had to tell some Asian family they had to pour the cooler full of dip netted minnows back into the lake. assuring them were not the game wardens with warning, should they catch them. thankyou

[PeterSL]

Interesting job, Marty. I first saw a family of otters at Dolberg 2 years ago and had never seen them at the lake before then. Otters seem to have spread dramatically in the province over the last few years and have heard a few reports of otters attacking anglers in float tubes. They're implicated too I hear in a decline in the fish population of some rivers such as the Crowsnest..

Peter

[otterslayer]

thanks and sorry if my content is inappropriate for this category. job was a real 2 year eye opener to the resource with its ups and downs and predator control [otters and bears] is part of that and both these animals have won my respect through experience and education as with fish of all species.

I also like the policy... ORR.... observe, record, report, for an activity, over inviting more people to the sport but groups like TUC with such great ethics should continue to inspire and coexist with industry and other user groups.