SFR Otter diet?

[Buzzy]

I hiked into a Basin lake yesterday to scope it out in hopes the hot summer hadn't summer killed it (fish were seen, none caught = skunked). I've seen otters running along the shoreline of this lake and a couple times have seen them swimming the length of the lake looking for a fish dinner. I found a large number of scat piles at one place along the shoreline; the scat was loaded with crawfish skeleton pieces. I'd guess there were hundreds of skeletons.

Question: Otter scat, or? (Raccoon - I've seen what I believe to be raccoon scat loaded with crawfish skeletons along small creeks).

 

[RRSmith]

Sounds like a river otter to me. Otters will pile their scat in specific locations (called otter spraints). Spraints are usually found on prominent features like rocky outcroppings, logs, pile of tules, etc and almost always near water. Crayfish are a huge part of their diet wherever they can find them.

 

[Stonedfish]

Sounds like a river otter to me. Otters will pile their scat in specific locations (called otter spraints). Spraints are usually found on prominent features like rocky outcroppings, logs, pile of tules, etc and almost always near water. Crayfish are a huge part of their diet wherever they can find them.

Bob,
Spraints.....that is a new one to me.
SF

 

[Matt B]

Bob,
Spraints.....that is a new one to me.
SF

Me too. Spraint is what we called it back in South Cackalackee when we twisted our ankle playing football in a pasture.

 

[Buzzy]

Sounds like a river otter to me. Otters will pile their scat in specific locations (called otter spraints). Spraints are usually found on prominent features like rocky outcroppings, logs, pile of tules, etc and almost always near water. Crayfish are a huge part of their diet wherever they can find them.

I reckon I found the otter's spraints and it was on a rocky outcropping. Thanks for enlightening me! I might have to fish a crayfish in this lake........

 

[FinLuver]

I reckon I found the otter's spraints and it was on a rocky outcropping. Thanks for enlightening me! I might have to fish a crayfish in this lake........

Crawfish pattern…catching an otter…

Do we still call that an Atlantic Salmon?

 

[_WW_]

Crawfish pattern…catching an otter…

Do we still call that an Atlantic Salmon?

Only if a picture gets posted and Buzzy wants to know what it is.

 

[Buzzy]

Crawfish pattern…catching an otter…

Do we still call that an Atlantic Salmon?

I kick around this lake in my Fat Cat quite often, sometimes I've braved the lake in March when the ice is just off; twice I've seen an otter running along the shore, both times disappearing in the sagebrush. Last fall I hiked in to scope it out. I was standing near what I now recognize as the spraints when I heard some huffing. Two otters were swimming down the lake, they kept looking at me - almost a dare: come on, get in the water.

 

[Mossback]

they kept looking at me - almost a dare: come on, get in the water.