# Otters



## chefclark12 (Apr 14, 2012)

Was fishing the GMR near middletown and saw this huge otter swim by. I've never seen them on the wild on the GMR. Was wandering has anyone else


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## BMayhall (Jun 9, 2011)

chefclark12 said:


> Was fishing the GMR near middletown and saw this huge otter swim by. I've never seen them on the wild on the GMR. Was wandering has anyone else


Ive seen a ton of Otters, dont snag one because they will get pissed. On the GMR down towards Fairfield there is a Beaver dam with some big mean beavers..they are everywhere.


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## chefclark12 (Apr 14, 2012)

Wow how pissed will the get lol I've never seen a beaver in the wild either

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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

I hope they like silver carp.


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## chrsvic (Apr 20, 2005)

a friend of mine saw otters on gmr middletown area years ago, apparently they are established there. Ive seen otters up in Quetico, but not here.


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## Tee (Apr 5, 2004)

We fished East Fork Lake about a month ago and saw the biggest beaver I have ever seen in the wild. It was a HUGE animal. Probably 50lbs.


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## Perch (Apr 5, 2004)

Otter seen that Beaver !


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## CincyFisher (Nov 12, 2010)

Otters ate my breakfast in the boundary waters but never seen them down here. Tons of beavers in all the lakes here though even Miami white water lake.


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## gibson330usa (May 15, 2012)

I've never seen them but there definitely have been otters in the GMR near Lawrenceburg, here's a link to some photos. I could see people getting them confused with beaver and muskrat. I've seen a couple beavers on the LMR with binoculars, once they saw me they disappeared very quickly underwater.

http://www.oxbowinc.org/photos-mammals.html

by the way the Oxbow is a great place to visit for nature lovers, I suggest going to one of the field trips, very friendly and knowledgable people. I want to go kayak fishing there soon, you do need an Indiana license.


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## j777extra (Oct 22, 2011)

Ive seen the beaver at East Fork, just across from one of the boat ramps. Ive seen beaver sign along various parts of the LMR. Lots of chewed trees. They must be repopulating this area.


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## MIKE*A (Apr 12, 2009)

That's pretty cool! I've encountered beaver on the stillwater, great miami, and mad Rivers in the Dayton area.....have yet to see an otter though I have heard of otter sightings on the northern stretch of the stillwater.....

Mike


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

GMR is loaded with beavers and some huge brave ones also, the ones that at night swim up to you, walk right past you and grab a branch and then drag it right past you, LOL.

The only otters I have ever seen were in Minnesota and once on the tailwatars of Brookville Lake on the East Fork of the WW river, very cool animals but hope they never move into your favorite stretch of river because they wont leave until theres not a fish for miles. LOL

Salmonid


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## bsmith (Mar 26, 2010)

There's a place on the Ohio just west of steamboat bend where you'll regularly see otters. I usually cross paths with them in the early morning or late evening in the summertime. They're a little more active in the spring and fall so you'll see them later/earlier in the day at those times. I've seen sign of them (tracks and slides) in the lower LMR but I've never seen one while on the river. I don't go down there much though because it's only accessible via canoe/kayak. I'd expect that you'll also find them in the GMR but I'm hardly ever there so I haven't seen them or their sign.

I've also seen beavers on the LMR and at East Fork. I'm veering off topic but I've also seen a bald eagle at East Fork a couple times. The wildlife viewing opportunities around here are pretty decent for an urban area.


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Stillwater has a bunch of Beavers as well. Never heard of otters near there or any river in the Dayton area.


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## Mason52 (Aug 21, 2009)

I have to admit when I first started reading this thread I was a bit skeptical about someone seeing a otter on the GMR. Although I did remember that state had started a restoration project many years ago so I did a little checking via the internet and was surprised to find that from the original 123 otters released in 1986 in 4 areas there is now a population of otters in 67 of Ohio's 88 counties and they also have a limited trapping season on them. Pretty cool stuff.


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

Mason52 said:


> I have to admit when I first started reading this thread I was a bit skeptical about someone seeing a otter on the GMR. Although I did remember that state had started a restoration project many years ago so I did a little checking via the internet and was surprised to find that from the original 123 otters released in 1986 in 4 areas there is now a population of otters in 67 of Ohio's 88 counties and they also have a limited trapping season on them. Pretty cool stuff.


Yep. I've talked to DNR employees doing survey/in search of them.

http://www.ohiodnr.com/Home/species_a_to_z/SpeciesGuideIndex/riverotter/tabid/6743/Default.aspx



http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/wil...ndingPage/RiverOtter/tabid/19321/Default.aspx


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## oldstinkyguy (Mar 28, 2010)

An LMR beaver, plus Ive seen an otter In the LMR by Spring Valley Wildlife area. 









An eagle right below Morrow on the LMR


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

Got to say I'm surprised to hear that there are people that haven't seen beaver. I see one on almost every trip in Central Ohio. I'd love to start seeing otter up here. I've only seen them in PA.

Do you guys see many mink down there? I usually see a few every year up here, but I seem to be spotting more this year.


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## tebass (Oct 23, 2004)

This past spring I saw a beaver muscle his way upstream at Bass Island. He was very intent on his goal, but I think he could have saved himself a lot of time and energy if he had gotten out of the water and walked up the island.


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## Britam05 (Jun 16, 2012)

There are Beavers in StillWater near Greenville. Trees are chewed up and down the banks and they have mud slides down every bank. Have not seen one yet but many of my friends have.


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## Mean Morone (Apr 12, 2004)

I saw an Otter once at a very popular Winter fishing hot spot on the Ohio River. I heard this noise coming through the woods. I looked over to see an otter running full speed. He never slowed down and dove head first in the river. I kept watching but never saw him come back up. Beaver are everywhere. My buddy can't keep them off of him. lol


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