Fishing from a dock on the Chick we have seen a long sleek mammal swimming at dusk. It looks like an offer but I don't know if there are wild otters around here. I've seen muskrat but they're built heavier. Anybody know what it might be? Thanks.
Swimming mammal at dusk. What is it?
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WackemandStackem11
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Could have been a mink or otter.
flpper
Well-known member
Probably a beaver. I had a family of beavers that built a den across the river from me when I lived on the Hiawassee
sdfd29
Well-known member
I have seen both otters and beavers on the lake. At least it sure looked like the river otters at the aquarium, it did not have a wide tail like the beavers I have seen.
rsimms
Well-known member
Let's be specific... if it is kind of football shaped (humped back in water), with a naked tail it's either a muskrat or a beaver. If about 2 feet long (including naked tail that is rounded) it's a muskrat. If a broad flat naked tail, it's a beaver.
If it is long and skinny with a furred tail, it's either a mink or an otter.
If it's app. 2 feet long (or less), it's likely a mink.
If it's more than 2 feet long, even up to 4 feet, it's an otter. Otters are rare, but they exist.
Based upon your description of "long sleek," I would bet on a mink.
See <a href=https://brtthome.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/p1720753-1-2.jpg>this picture</a>.
If it is long and skinny with a furred tail, it's either a mink or an otter.
If it's app. 2 feet long (or less), it's likely a mink.
If it's more than 2 feet long, even up to 4 feet, it's an otter. Otters are rare, but they exist.
Based upon your description of "long sleek," I would bet on a mink.
See <a href=https://brtthome.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/p1720753-1-2.jpg>this picture</a>.
Tenncrapie
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Man knows a lot of creatures and critters!!!!!!!
lafae7
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Loch Ness monster
bubbatrubba24
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I had one of those critters near me in my kayak last year and sounded like a bowling ball smacking the water. Freaked me out lol
SpurHunter
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That would have been a beaver, they slap the water hard when they feel threatened in any way! Rsimms has a funny story about his very first encounter with such...
bubbatrubba24
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Haha I'd like to read that. Is it on here somewhere?
rsimms
Well-known member
Actually several such stories. But I THINK the one you're referring to was back in early 1970's, long before beavers became so common. Me and friend night fishing for bass heard a mighty splash out in the middle of the lake, far from where anyone could have thrown anything in the water from shore. We were convinced that we'd heard a meteor fall from the sky into the lake. It was a few years later before I saw/heard my first beaver tail "Slap" and realized that's what we heard.
Kirk
Well-known member
I have seen several Beavers up on the Hiwassee.
Funny story about a beaver. rsimms and I both know a guy named Wesley Parrish. He has some lease property over in West Tennessee. I was a member of the lease for several years. There is an old farm pond on the edge of a big field. The locals call it the 100 acre field. The pond is tucked back in the corner near some heavy cover. It was early in muzzle loader season and I was in a tower stand watching the field and the pond. Two Beavers had been swimming around all afternoon in the pond. Around 3:30 a couple of Tom Turkeys walked out of the woods and toward the pond.
The big Beaver slowly swam toward the Turkeys. I am sure the Turkeys saw him coming. The Turkeys were standing right on the edge of the pond I assume trying to get a drink. The Beaver slapped the water with his tail...BOOM....and the Turkeys ran into each other and both were knocked down. They stood up and started running. One of them ran about 10 yards and face planted and skidded a foot or two and jumped back up and flew to the trees. I was laughing so hard I am sure I scared off any deer than might have been around.
Funny story about a beaver. rsimms and I both know a guy named Wesley Parrish. He has some lease property over in West Tennessee. I was a member of the lease for several years. There is an old farm pond on the edge of a big field. The locals call it the 100 acre field. The pond is tucked back in the corner near some heavy cover. It was early in muzzle loader season and I was in a tower stand watching the field and the pond. Two Beavers had been swimming around all afternoon in the pond. Around 3:30 a couple of Tom Turkeys walked out of the woods and toward the pond.
The big Beaver slowly swam toward the Turkeys. I am sure the Turkeys saw him coming. The Turkeys were standing right on the edge of the pond I assume trying to get a drink. The Beaver slapped the water with his tail...BOOM....and the Turkeys ran into each other and both were knocked down. They stood up and started running. One of them ran about 10 yards and face planted and skidded a foot or two and jumped back up and flew to the trees. I was laughing so hard I am sure I scared off any deer than might have been around.
rsimms
Well-known member
Sort of similar story... I found good buck sign on a small island on TN River. But it was fairly close to mainland, easily wadeable for a deer. I was convinced said buck was coming and bedding down on that island during the day, and set up before daylight to watch.
Not long after daylight I could see a deer coming off the mountain toward the island... too thick and dark so I couldn't make out antlers. But I was certain it was my buck.
At the same time a beaver swam up. I was apparently sitting right on top of the entrance to his den. He started swimming circles and tail-slapping every few seconds. He was clearly pissed that I was there.
The deer hung up... I could just barely make out its body as it stood staring and unmoving for many, many long minutes as the beaver continued swimming circles and tail-slapping non-stop.
The deer finally faded back into the woods, never to be seen again.
I made up my mind to give the beaver a dose of 30.06 lead but he chose that time to swim away as well, never to be seen again.
emoBang emoBang emoBang emoBang emoBang
I hunted it two more days. Never saw the deer, or the beaver, again. emoHoppingmad
emoHijack
Not long after daylight I could see a deer coming off the mountain toward the island... too thick and dark so I couldn't make out antlers. But I was certain it was my buck.
At the same time a beaver swam up. I was apparently sitting right on top of the entrance to his den. He started swimming circles and tail-slapping every few seconds. He was clearly pissed that I was there.
The deer hung up... I could just barely make out its body as it stood staring and unmoving for many, many long minutes as the beaver continued swimming circles and tail-slapping non-stop.
The deer finally faded back into the woods, never to be seen again.
I made up my mind to give the beaver a dose of 30.06 lead but he chose that time to swim away as well, never to be seen again.
emoBang emoBang emoBang emoBang emoBang
I hunted it two more days. Never saw the deer, or the beaver, again. emoHoppingmad
emoHijack
Tenncrapie
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Great story.
I was trout fishing over on The little Sequatchie a few years ago....keeping one eye on my truck so it wouldn't be stolen right in front of me.....I see a mink, a long skinny little rat with a HUGE 16" rainbow trout in its mouth. The fish looked as big as the mink......
Beavers are very skillful and tough, but not tougher than a wire snare or a connibear.
Otter have destroyed the wild fish population along North River in the Tellico area......I'll carry and shoot if I see one up there this spring.
Beavers are very skillful and tough, but not tougher than a wire snare or a connibear.
Otter have destroyed the wild fish population along North River in the Tellico area......I'll carry and shoot if I see one up there this spring.
