Otter?

**DaddyLongLegs** · 02-26-2014, 10:28 PM

First time here. Maybe not the best place for this post but I thought yall could help me out. I know this is not survival related but it is still interesting
So I have just recently started visiting an area near my house and have been tracking and observing in the woods there. There is stream that runs through the middle of the woods that is fed by a small lake. On my visits there I have seen several small piles of scat about 20 feet from the water on a sandy area. They are all loose and contain mostly fish scales while one is completely made of craw fish. I believe it is otter but I have not seen any tracks that accompany it or the otter itself. I will put links to photos below. The scat seems to be a week old and only in one location, so I was wondering if an otter would move to a new location on the stream? I also have several tracks that I have seen by the stream next to all the raccoon tracks but I'm not sure what they are. Other animals I have seen in the area are beavers, deer and small rodents and I don't think those are the culprit. Also the location is what perplexes me the most, these woods are completely surrounded by neighborhoods and a highway so I am wondering if otters would live in such a small space. Finally does anyone know what an otter den looks like? I have seen several holes in the area large enough for an otter and there are several piles of debris along the stream.

Location if anyone is wondering... is in Richmond VA if you want to see the exact location it is Meredith Branch, Three Chopt, VA on google maps just across the road from Echo lake.
Here are some pictures of some tracks... some may be racoon but if you know what it is then please say...
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/6h4br2c12f3xfw1/yw6qGmankY
There are two pictures of the scat...the white one is all scales and the red one is all crayfish

**pete lynch** · 02-27-2014, 06:08 AM

Racoons love crayfish.
Hawks and eagles eat fish. I have heard they regurgitate scales and bones. Maybe you found a puke pile?
An otter is a possibility as they like fish too. And a quick google image search shows pics of otter scat that are similar to your linked photos.

**gryffynklm** · 02-27-2014, 10:30 AM

Tracks look otter like. One looks perhaps raccoon front.

**hunter63** · 02-27-2014, 10:39 AM

Hunter63, saying Hey and Welcome.

It's good that you have included the pic's, area found, and other evidence....as it a difficult some time to get an definite answer.....you need to be a detective.

I'm leaning to raccoon as well......might want to check out these images..........

https://www.google.com/search?q=otte...w=1093&bih=514

**DaddyLongLegs** · 02-27-2014, 11:52 AM

Thanks for the help, I know that several of those pictures are from raccoons being that the area is swarming with them and I believe one may be a grey fox because it definitely looks canine. I am going to set up a wildlife camera in the area that I had spotted them to see if I can catch it.

**hunter63** · 02-27-2014, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by DaddyLongLegs

Thanks for the help, I know that several of those pictures are from raccoons being that the area is swarming with them and I believe one may be a grey fox because it definitely looks canine. I am going to set up a wildlife camera in the area that I had spotted them to see if I can catch it.

That was gonna be my next suggestion.....
Had some beavers making a trail thru the corn field to a stand of small trees...chewing then down and dragging to the river....quite a trail...set up a camera...and somehow got 93 pic's of just blank white....LOL

**DaddyLongLegs** · 02-27-2014, 12:19 PM

Yeah I have had trouble with the cameras in the past but I'm hoping that it will work this time. And its crazy how much wildlife is in such a small stretch of woods especially next to a highway. I would never think there would be so many raccoons,grey fox, deer, even about 3 beavers and now maybe even an otter. But I am always surprised by how far some of the beavers are willing to go inland to find wood when there are plenty right next to the water.

**hunter63** · 02-27-2014, 12:51 PM

Living in the city....was right on the edge of town when we moved here....have seen all sorts of wildlife wonder through, including coyotes on Wed. night checking out garbage bags......to fox den under neighbors shed to skunks, raccoons living in the storm sewer, possums, and a deer or two running down the street.....big power line/woods a block away.

Edge of the city, on county airport property (now all fenced in)...had a tree stand for deer....next to a drainage ditch with a beaver dam.

This is 150yds from a major Interstate......the deer trail followed the ditch(stream) under the Intestate......

Try your camera....you will be amazed.

**Rick** · 02-27-2014, 02:09 PM

The more woodlands are converted to housing the more condensed animals become in the remaining habitat. The woods are getting crowded.

**DaddyLongLegs** · 02-27-2014, 02:39 PM

Yeah I completely agree but thankfully this area doesn't look like it will be condensed any further in the future because of the marsh lands and the floods that occur after the big storms. But its amazing how much trash is in these woods, there are water bottles everywhere and there's plenty of tires and even a couple wheelbarrows.

**hunter63** · 02-27-2014, 02:43 PM

That part is truly sad.....as I said my tree stand was 150 yds from a very busy Interstate, but if you didn't look that way, there was a beaver dam and stream/pond in your field of view....you could have been anywhere.

**DaddyLongLegs** · 02-27-2014, 06:40 PM

Yeah its amazing how we can so easily step out of our everyday suburban lives and suddenly be in a completely different world.

Also if anyone wants to help I also saw this on a tree near the stream. It was about 3 feet off the ground but also had several marks above it.
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/sash3hyginuhqiv/94NpHH2Ux5

**Williepete** · 03-02-2014, 11:21 AM

Several years ago, before they added lanes to I-65 just North of Louisville, a beaver had taken up housekeeping in the drainage pond along side of an interchange. He held up construction until they could trap and move him.

Bill