# Otters - Grand River



## K-zoo (Jul 19, 2008)

This video of otters on the Grand River was posted on the channel 8 site.

http://woodtv.com/2015/03/19/wild-otters-spotted-on-the-grand-river/


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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

..."The DNR says Lings may be the first report it has ever gotten of an otter on the Grand River."...
That statement really was a big surprise to me. I have seen them for years on the Grand and in it's tribs. I never thought of reporting it, as I felt I wasn't the only one observing them by sight occasionally, and observing sign of them often. One of the best encounters with otters was on the Little Muskegon near Morely when they would swim under water towards me while I wade-fished, get within 2-3 feet of me, then turn-around & swim away as if they were trying to play with me or something.


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## K-zoo (Jul 19, 2008)

I was surprised by this report also. We've had otters in the Kalamazoo River here in Allegan County for many years.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

I know of 3 trapped off the Grand this year and there are many more still there. The Kalamazoo river system has them in good numbers too. 
I am curious as to why the DNR didn't know this?


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## Wolverick (Dec 11, 2008)

itchn2fish said:


> ..."The DNR says Lings may be the first report it has ever gotten of an otter on the Grand River."...
> That statement really was a big surprise to me. I have seen them for years on the Grand and in it's tribs. I never thought of reporting it, as I felt I wasn't the only one observing them by sight occasionally, and observing sign of them often. One of the best encounters with otters was on the Little Muskegon near Morely when they would swim under water towards me while I wade-fished, get within 2-3 feet of me, then turn-around & swim away as if they were trying to play with me or something.


Gee, you mean the DNR is behind the times? What a surprise!


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Wolverick said:


> Gee, you mean the DNR is behind the times? What a surprise!


Sure is isn't it.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

I took this picture of 5 otters today. Mama had her kids out for a walk.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Luv2hunteup said:


> I took this picture of 5 otters today. Mama had her kids out for a walk.
> View attachment 76632


 FYI, they can be aggressive and are rabies carriers.


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

Wolverick said:


> Gee, you mean the DNR is behind the times? What a surprise!


Wonder if they know pheasants and partridge have almost disappeared .


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Thirty pointer said:


> Wonder if they know pheasants and partridge have almost disappeared .


How many years did it take them to admit the Szechwan pheasant fiasco was caused by predation not the lack of habitat. Back then there were lots of fallow fields for cover and nesting.

I was in the area I used to hunt pheasant north of Holland the other day. Now they could use the lack of habitat as every field has now been worked not like back then.


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## Chappy410 (Sep 20, 2014)

Wolverick said:


> Gee, you mean the DNR is behind the times? What a surprise!


^^^^^
What he said. Just like they said for years: No Cougars in Michigan.
They sit in their offices and look out their window. If they can't be observed from there, then they don't exist.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Thirty pointer said:


> Wonder if they know pheasants and partridge have almost disappeared .


Nope, still have an open season here and I think one in December too. Wouldn't shoot one if you paid me. See one or two per year.


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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

FREEPOP said:


> FYI, they can be aggressive and are rabies carriers.


Yes, this is true. They can be quite ferocious & territorial! I think when they were messing with me wade-fishing, they were being aggressive, but I found it very hilarious and amusing & never felt in danger. I loved watching them.


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## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

The Thornapple (trib of the Grand) runs through my property in Vermontville. I've been seeing otters since 2007 and sign (slides) for a couple years before that.
Cool critters!


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Thirty pointer said:


> Quote:
> 
> Wonder if they know pheasants and partridge have almost disappeared .


there is no debating the fall of pheasant hunting in this state. but griping about grouse hunting is laughable. we have some really really good grouse and Woodcock hunting all over this state. when you read national publications we are always near the top of the top 10 lists in the country. people travel here from all over to grouse hunt in michigan. 


_Posted from Michigan-sportsman.com App for Android_


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Used to be a good number of grouse around us, south of Lansing. Haven't seen or heard one in 15 years or more.


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## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

Interesting about lack of pats. I'm 1/2-arsed looking for a nice, new O/U for pat hunting and I wouldn't if I wasn't seeing them. I own some very shootable Model 12's BUT since my left wrist has been bone-fused I have difficulty racking the guns. I've never loaded any of them with more than 3 shells but nevertheless, using a Model 12 as a single shot isn't going to get it.

I have noticed a different style of pat hunting over the past 10 years or so on State land around me. Now, as soon as the pat season opens, dog hunters flock to the State land and in mid-Sept the coveys aren't broken up and the young birds certainly don't fly far when flushed and reflushed so they really pound'em by the end of Sept. 

Pheasent as a whole different story here. I maybe see one a year while running my coyote traps and I don't think I'd ever need the $$$ enough to ever shoot one again! I can tell you the year I killed my LAST rooster, 1962 which was also my 1st and only rooster double shot with one of those Model 12's!


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

I hunt and trap several pieces of state land in gladwin ogemaw roscommon and crawford counties. the number of bird hunters I see is growing every yr. from all over too. I have one good friend that has a camp for the opener of Woodcock
ever yr. between 8-9 guys they shoot 70-80 birds every single yr over a 4-5 day camp. half or more are grouse. they have been doing that for the last 12 yrs.



_Posted from Michigan-sportsman.com App for Android_


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

FREEPOP said:


> Used to be a good number of grouse around us, south of Lansing. Haven't seen or heard one in 15 years or more.


Same here in northern Kent co .my property was teeming with them they are gone despite better habitat now .My property in the U.P. still has them though .


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

I was thinking about this tonight while I was fleshing an otter that came from the Grand River system. I have received a survey every year that I've gotten an otter tag, around eight years and I have always indicated that I saw good sign. I've even registered 6 otter in that amount of time. When you register them you have to point out the section that the otter came from on a county map. Yet the MDNR is unaware of otter in the river system?


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

That is just why I do not fill out any of the voluntary surveys. Waste of my time.

It is amazing how much territory an otter will cover. I followed one for 5+ miles on snowmobile going cross country from on water shed to another. What had me worried was that from where I first spotted him he was headed from on bunch of my **** and rat sets to some on another small flowage with more small traps he would have pulled off the stakes and headed off with them if he hit the sets.

As far as pats go the last few times I hunted them with Wolf-Dancer we worked a lot of prime habitat. Saga only put out maybe three.


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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

Thirty pointer said:


> Same here in northern Kent co .my property was teeming with them they are gone despite better habitat now .My property in the U.P. still has them though .


....& the same for Ottawa county, N, S, E, & Western parts of the county....haven't seen, shot a pat or even heard drumming in Ottawa County for years now.....but otters?....quite prevalent....


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

I was walking a small area around 2 beaver ponds about 1 mile apart from each other last friday. in the hr or so of walking we put up 3 grouse and 4 Woodcock. I drove up on a grouse in the trail driving out to the main road later in the day. this was in roscommon county. 

I have a buddy that has a bird hunting camp for 4 days every yr for the opening weekend of woodcock. he has 7-8 guys in his camp and he keeps a yearly log. over a 4 day hunt they shoot between 75-85 birds every year for the past 10 yrs. it is usually 50/50 grouse to woodcock ratio. they hunt not far from westbranch area.


_Posted from Michigan-sportsman.com App for Android_


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