Utterly Otterly

[FinsnFur]

Went out and helped my brother run rat traps on these Mississippi backwaters last weekend.
Walking in and out of the islands we came up on a spot where two sloughs flowed together and the intersection was open water. We could see something moving around in the water and by the time we found a safe (solid ice) approach we had spooked whatever it was.

Got there and the snow and marsh grass was pounded flat with otter tracks. Nasty, oily, tobacco brown, shit juice all over the place. God did that stink. Bloody snow, fish scales. And to top it all off, coyote tracks which literally do a drive by to EVERY rat house out there, were making their visits to this corner too.

I couldnt take it no more, and I hiked my ass back out there today and set up some trail cams. I'm beside myself with curiosity to see what takes place out there.

Now I just pray they dont get stolen and that I'm able to get them back next weekend before the water opens up from this warm spell.

[nastygunz]

Can't wait! You're turning into a regular Jeremiah Johnson!

[Okanagan]

Sounds like a crack house in the cat tail hood.

Several times I've seen a family of otters camp on one spot beside water and eat fish non-stop there for awhile.  There is more going on at the spot you found.  Looking forward to pics.

[nastygunz]

I was fishing at a tiny flyfishing only pond in Salisbury,New Hampshire and watched a huge otter diving and come out eating trout after trout. I took a picture of him with a big rainbow trout in his mouth and sent it to the New Hampshire fish n game department and said I thought this was fly fishing only? Ha ha. Some lady responded and said I don't think the otter can read the sign lol.

[Hawks Feather]

Trail cam will be nice, but drone footage would be even better. 

[FinsnFur]

I DO have drone pics of the area. And actually it turned out to be a good thing I did have them.
The day I put the cams out, I stopped at my brothers and had lunch with him afterwards. I show him the aerial view, drone pic and where I put the cams. He says "you should have put one here", and pointed out a broken off tree stump with open water around it.
I said I wasnt going near that open water, especially since I was out there by myself. He was like..."just use your spud and pay attention, you'll be fine".
Keep in mind he walks those frozen back waters, trapping 4 days a week, and has for the last 40 years or more. Ive never seen anyone read ice like him.

Anywayyyy.the day after I put the cams out I was woke by hard pouring rain around 3AM. The first thing that came to mind was the cams. I'm gonna lose them. I watched the weather and had myself convinced that it should stop before anything major happens to the river. I left for work and texted my brother and asked him what he thought. He says, "this is going to destroy the already weak ice, but I wouldnt worry. If you cant get to them no one else can either. We can go get them in February when it freezes back over."
Ok...I guess, I said.
He texted me back around 9:30 am (still raining) and says, "it's already dumped a half an inch. An inch of rain will raise the river 2 feet with the ground froze like this. Do you want me to see if I can go find the cams and get em back?"

I said, "No...lesson learned I guess. I dont think you'll make it out there now, and it's not worth you trying alone. Just let em go..
He never answered me back.
10:30am no answer yet. 
11:30 no answer
12:30 no answer
It's half an hour walk from the nearest boat landing. I'm starting to get a gut ache and am actually thinking about filling my boss in and telling him I gotta leave.
Jeff texted me shortly before 1:00pm..."Got em". He says.
   I was glad and mad all at the same time.
I called him names and had a fit. He says, "it wasnt as bad as I thought it was going to be. I wouldnt do it again had I known what it was gonna be like though. I have been on worse ice".

I havent been down there all week. I plan to go down tomorrow and pick them up and pull the chips. I dont know if there'll be anything on them or not being pulled so soon. But I still got my brother 

[nastygunz]

There's nothing as valuable as a good brother, I am blessed with five of them

[FinsnFur]

5! wow

[nastygunz]

And 3 sisters, pops was a Studd 

[nastygunz]

* Brothers with pick up trucks are especially valuable

[Hawks Feather]

Glad that you will be getting your trail cams back and even more so that you still have your brother. I can not imagine how you would have felt if you would have lost him while him while retrieving your cameras.

[Okanagan]

What a story!  Wow!  That's a true brother story.  Best post in a long time and what a relief when you got his call after he got back with your cams.  Had me on the edge as well.

[FinsnFur]

Picked up the cams this morning and pulled the cards. Big zilch
One had 496 pics of marsh grass blowing back and forth, and the other had a couple pics of the rain starting in the night. And then nothing until the brother showed up to rescue the cams.
He looked so miserable.    I shouldnt laugh but he was drenched from head to toe, panting and constantly squishing his eyes shut to rid them of the pouring rain running down his face.
"my spud went through a couple times with one poke". he says.

I wanna take em back out after it freezes up. As much fresh sign as there was on that corner I'm amazed I didn't at least get an otter sniffing the camera with curiosity. I'm determined.

[Okanagan]

Thanks for the update.  Good to see a photo to get a better sense of the land.

[Hawks Feather]

Thanks for the update. I will be waiting for the round two pics when the cold weather returns.