Do I have a pond monster ?

[creekbend]

Seriously? I did not know that... My wife & girls think they are cute...

How do they destroy a pond?

My pond was originally made by Beavers, and they still live in it. But the prior owner built a big earthen dam and expanded the pond quite a bit.

It seems darned healthy.

Thanks,
David

Please read my earlier post in regards of what to look for. BTW, hello.Sincerely hope that everything is well for you and your entire Family.

 

[Short Game]

I was on this island navy base in Northern California with sloughs full of panfish sized striped bass. I used herring for bait and had to keep a sharp eye on it, as the muskrats were extremely bold and would steal the bait from right next to me. So I know they eat fish.

 

[Bdavis]

It may be a muskrat or mink maybe?


I doubt in all sincerity it is the Mississippi Wildman
as the furry northern cousins have been known to
empty long line set fish lines and fish traps in the
Hudson Bay too.

Did some research (google) .
Mink looks like a good guess based on the enviroment. Muskrats eat 95 % vegetation and my pond is vegetation poor.
Minks are carnivarous and live in wooded areas. I have about 300 -400 yards of woods then a small stream and a large river. Plenty of habitat for a mink.
still haven't ruled out Mississippi Wildman or IRS agent !

 

[BMW]

So I would put my money on muskrats and they are not worth anything.

My FIL says that muskrats are tasty. I'm not sure I could bring myself to eat one though.

 

[creekbend]

My FIL says that muskrats are tasty. I'm not sure I could bring myself to eat one though.

My FIL told me that opossum were good eating too, but only if you fed them corn for a few weeks prior to making supper plans. He said that they were too greasy otherwise.

 

[beppington]

Okay, I don't know how to do the quote I guess. The top paragraph is a quote from brin.

you just copy and paste the text into the quote brackets.

Or just click the

button at the bottom-right of any post.

 

[rjmack]

Or just click the

button at the bottom-right of any post.

now... that's fancy.

i wonder how many years it would have taken me to notice that button?:laughing:

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Still haven't ruled out Mississippi Wildman or IRS agent !

I'm with Fix,

I think it's one of them @#$%^&* IRS Agents.

Dang their hides!



David

 

[Arkaybee]

There is a strong possibility that the varmit is a SNAKE.

Here is my story in support of this conclusion:

(BTW, this is not another TALL TEXAS tale--I promise.)

My BIL and I were fishing in a farm pond in east Texas. We were using a metal clothespin-type stringer with the straight end just stuck in the soft mud just out of the water (usually works OK). We went to put another fish on and the stringer was gone, nowhere to be seen--figured that the fish had pulled the attachment out of the ground which has happened before. We switched to using a tree limb type stringer. Out of the corner of his eye, my BIL caught a movement up on the dam and went to investigate. To our amazement it was the stringer of fish (several fish) being pulled up on the dam by a good-sized water snake. Well, he didn't get to finish the job and we retrieved the stringer and fish (minus a portion of one).

Strangest thing we had ever seen and seemed impossible for the snake to do that but that is exactly what happened. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Wish I had a camera along to document the event.


Arkaybee

 

[petegoud]

Have you noticed any strange beams of light from above, late at night?

 

[samhudson3]

I'm thinking it may be a raccoon or possibly a vulture. I've had the same issue and don't have muskrats.

Vultures come visit my pond to take a bath and then fly over to a fence post and spread their wings to dry in the sun.

 

[dodge man]

River otters? They have been brought back in this area and I hear they will pick a pond free of fish.

 

[crbr]

you just copy and paste the text into the quote brackets.

Bottom right of the post ==> click on "Quote"

 

[Bdavis]

I'm thinking it may be a raccoon or possibly a vulture. I've had the same issue and don't have muskrats.

Vultures come visit my pond to take a bath and then fly over to a fence post and spread their wings to dry in the sun.

I have seen lots of vultures but I don;t think they could pick a catfish skelton clean with out breaking any bones.

Since I don't see any signs of a den , I am pretty convinced that it is a mink.
They could live in the woods near the pond and hunt both my pond , a nerby stream and a large river. (anybody want to buy a mink coat !) just kidding
Also found out they love to eat rabbits and the woods by the pond are full of rabbits.
At this point I don't see them doing any harm to my pond or me .

 

[wrflt]

Or just click the

button at the bottom-right of any post.

I did hit the quote button, but then tried to make modifications because I didn't want to quote the entire post. Then it came through looking like I had typed it myself. I also tried highlighting just what I wanted to quote and that didn't work for me either. I'll keep trying and thanks to all for the input.

 

[beppington]

I did hit the quote button, but then tried to make modifications because I didn't want to quote the entire post. Then it came through looking like I had typed it myself. I also tried highlighting just what I wanted to quote and that didn't work for me either. I'll keep trying and thanks to all for the input.

In order for it to look right when you post it, you need to make sure the beginning HTML code (such as [QUOTE=wrflt;2605653]) & ending HTML code (always [/QUOTE]) are there, & any editing you do to the quoted post occurs between those codes.

 

[rjmack]

In order for it to look right when you post it, you need to make sure the beginning HTML code (such as [QUOTE=wrflt;2605653]) & ending HTML code (always [/QUOTE]) are there, & any editing you do to the quoted post occurs between those codes.

btw, how did you include the quote button graphic in your previous post?

wrflt; you highlight the text you want, right click, copy, click the quote button top of post window, place cursor between quote]place cursor here[/quote brackets, and paste the text in between them.
i left two brackets off so as to show where to past the text, otherwise it would show up as a quote.

place cursor here

 

[wrflt]

Cool....Thanks. I'm about to give it a try.