Muskrat, Nutria or Something Else?

[Turner89]

Im going with beaver.

[jasnt]

Beaver was the first thing that popped in my head but that seams like a pretty tiny space for a beaver.

[Turner89]

I wonder if they are comming up through the tires from below

[Turner89]

There is claw marks on the top of the dock........maybe john was wearing flip flops

[Trapper John]

An okay folk here’s the scoop.
As most of you know, I’ve been fur trapping in the ADC Business for 40 + years.  I’ve been around and know a lot of people that work in different agencies including the Wildlife department.

The Stillaquamish Indian Tribe Wildlife Department drops me an email and ask me the question of what I thought was the animal doing this.  Nobody wants nutria in farmland so they are hoping that it’s not nutria..  By looking at the pictures I had more questions than they could answer.  They didn't know how to answer them because the person that sent those pictures was the person that had the problem.  They didn't go out to check it over either and didn't contact the person and ask them my questions.

Here are the questions I ask them that they couldn't answer.
1) Is it a pond and how big is it 1-5 acres, or a cove in a river?
2) Looking at the picture from the top of the dock, is that concrete in between the tires or Styrofoam?
3) Do those tires go all the way down to the bottom of the pond or only part way?
4) Do you know how many tires there are?
5) How deep is the water at the dock?
6)  Is this the only sign or is there more?
7) There are some scratches / claw marks marks on the walkway / dock.  Do they have any pets?

So I sent these pictures to a few trapper friends of mine and ask them what they thought it was.  A couple said muskrat and then I sent it down to Oregon to talk with a friend down there.  He does a lot of nutria, muskrat and beaver trapping ADC work.  He said it looked like Nutria to him.  Another guy said nutria too.  At first I thought muskrat and possible nutria.  With two guys saying nutria I had to go see it.  Pictures don’t do any good.

To solve a ADC problem, most of the time you have to go out and look at the area and get the answers you need.  Pictures, talking to people that have second hand news and customers that “don’t know what you’re asking, none of these help you.  So I contacted the person at the Tribe that sent those pictures to me and made arrangements to go out and check it over.

UP DATE
Answers to the questions
1) Its a small backyard pool.  I mean its 30 feet in diameter.     OMG what the hell ~ check my pictures.
2) It neither concrete or Styrofoam ~ it’s a "board" holding that small walkway / dock together 
3, 4, 5) those tires go all the way to the bottom, what you see is what there is ~ TWO tires, how deep is the water off the deck……two feet if that !    OMG
6) Is there any other sign?  Yep, there is a small dock just about five feet away from the walkway with……………. Ready……………………………… “Muskrat Poop” on it.     
7) The scratch marks are from their “dogs”   

So the answer is “Muskrat” and by looking at the pond and the size of it I would say just “ONE”
What a waste of my time going there.
JC   

[winslow]

Thanks for filling us in and telling us your thought process, John. That was another good, educational thread from you.

It's funny, that last line in your last message - "What a waste of my time going there" - sums up 90% of my trips to investigate problem animal/ADC inquiries. It's almost like people just want to have a problem! Maybe the problem is that they're bored?

I'm learning to ask a LOT more questions on the phone before I fire up the truck. Have you ever seen the animal? If so, when was the last time? Have you had anyone else out to try to remove it or other animals in the past? If so, when? What was the outcome? Have you done anything to try to get rid of it yourself yet?

Thanks for your knowledge and these challenges you post.

Winslow

[Trapper John]

Thanks Winslow.   

Well it wasn't a complete waste of time but it make me mad when I ask them to call the person and just ask them a couple of questions.  I could of told them by email or by phone what it was instead of going out.  First question was "how big is this pond?"  Holy cows it was a puddle in the backyard.     That first question would of told me.

The other thing is and I know it, is that both the Indian Wildlife Department and our beloved State Wildlife Department don't have enough people in their agencies that know anything or even care about small wildlife.  That has always been an issue for years and I knew this when I was growing up back on the east coast.  The departments thinks of only one thing and that is: "Big Game," means "Big Dollars."  "Small Game, means Small Dollars" and its not worth investing their time into it.

I know that there are times that they use me for the information or education for "free."     Its like a trappers rendezvous, speakers are giving away their secretes and knowledge for free.  But if we don't hand it down to people than nobody will know.   

I have years of experiences and I don't mind sharing them with people like you folks that have the same interest.  I'll post some others sometime.
JC   

[jasnt]

I love these threads you do trapper john.  I really enjoy all your posts. You seam willing to pass your knowledge Down to others with the same interests. I only hope someday I can do the same with the knowledge I gain.  Thank you for all you share!!!!   

[DOUBLELUNG]

Thanks for the quiz and update.  Never too old to learn!