River Otter?

[LostMountainVol]

Caught this critter on camera this afternoon. Looks like a river otter - the Hatchie River is exactly 1 mile away from the point this picture was taken. I have a spring on the property and some flooded river bottoms but that is it - no other water source. Never would have thought an otter would venture that far away from the river and its food source. Also posting picture of deer on same trail for size comparison.

Agree this is an otter?

 

[Big Pop]

Definitely a river otter. They're all over the rivers and lakes in East Tennessee. Thank you TWRA! They have been seen eating Walleye on the bank of Norris Lake and I've seen them in French Broad and Holston Rivers.

 

[TboneD]

Really something how the good Lord gives critters such an instinct to survive, thrive, and search out new conquests From what I've read, though, they're about the best fishermen there is and will really put a dent in the number of trout per mile on a stream.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Yep. They will definitely travel on land to get from one water source to another.

 

[BSK]

Got a pair of river otter loping through my only valley food plot a couple of years ago. Long way from any water source. And right at the end of the 20-second video, here comes a bobcat stalking them.

 

[Creek bottoms]

Not many suckers in the creeks anymore on account of them. That's a shame.

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

Another 'success' story gone bad.

 

[Wrangler95]

I live a mile and a half from the Cumberland river and I have seen 3 in my neighborhood!

 

[lafn96]

Doesn't go well for those trespassers when they're near my pond

 

[Creek bottoms]

Doesn't go well for those trespassers when they're near my pond
View attachment 220445

Great looking Feist dogs. I have one that looks like the one sitting down.

Otters are like a mink. They'll follow a trickle of water.

 

[Bucket]

I think it's Nessie.

 

[Turkeykiller54]

Kill em all,They want you to buy a fishing license. But these things ruined our creeks in East Tn.

 

[Topshelf]

Kill em all,They want you to buy a fishing license. But these things ruined our creeks in East Tn.

Agree 100% fishing creeks in middle Tn was always awesome until these things showed up.

 

[megalomaniac]

Showing up all over on my places in middle TN. Watched a couple mating end of Dec on my farms. I was going to shoot them, but my daughter wouldn't let me. They are becoming a plague wiping out fish in ponds in middle tn

 

[Billboy]

I saw one near the North/South trail at LBL one fall ~20 years ago. Puzzled me why it was so far from water. My buddies thought I was nuts (and still do)!

 

[Hunter0678]

I actually just had one on one of my camera's a few weeks ago, First time for me, lol. Mulberry TN area.

 

[doubledownranch]

Got a pile of them by my house on Old Hickory Lake. Seen a group of at least 10 together.

 

[Popcorn]

Absolutely the worst thing that could happen to your stocked pond! They kill fish for fun and they have a lot of fun. They will pack fish into holes, tunnels, dens under water and never use the resource. Once they learn to location of your pond they will return regularly and since big fish are easy they get those first so goodbye trophy bass, adios slab bluegills, miss you big grass carp, where did my coy go!!
They are the worst kind of squatter! They are the perfect democrat! They will quickly destroy any resource that they encounter. Fishing in our lakes and rivers was awesome before they were reintroduced and they will travel miles across land or along drainages with or without water

 

[East TN Bowhunter]

Definitely a river otter. They're all over the rivers and lakes in East Tennessee. Thank you TWRA! They have been seen eating Walleye on the bank of Norris Lake and I've seen them in French Broad and Holston Rivers.

They eat a lot of trout in the Smokies!

 

[GUNNERX2]

I had scouted a place for early season geese and found an absolute crap load. The next weekend, a buddy and I set up on the spot. Didn't hear or see a goose. Found out later that the TWRA had trapped them and traded KY for some river otters. That was maybe 25 years ago,