Central Texas Beavers and River Otters

[muzzlebrake]

I've seen beavers in places you ain't gonna believe.

[Calrob]

There’s beaver scattered around llano county.

Seen a few around the Granite-O and Pardners....
Most of them wanted to trap me though...

[RibcageX]

I graduated in '77, and for several years before and after that we spotlighted and trapped on Mustang Creek, Brushy Creek, and San Gabriel river. Found beavers in all of them, but not like today. Seems like they are everywhere. The one and only beaver I skinned took me about 45 minutes to skin out and I got 4 dollars for him. Like I said, the one and ONLY beaver I ever skinned out. My great uncle caught mink out of Bull branch that runs through the park in Taylor, in the 1930's and 40's. Always used drowning sets or they would rip off their foot and be gone. That's how I caught the 2. Never saw one alive, day or night.

[JES]

We had a place just outside Marquez (Limestone County) on Long Hollow Creek. We had both otters and beavers.

[rut-ro]

We had beavers in Leon county. They dammed you our spillway and washed out our road. Took us a while to get rid of them. I had no idea how big some beavers get.

[tps7742]

Usually back in the day there is a reason beavers, otters etc were killed out. Several people have already stated it on this thread because of the destruction they cause. My neighbor had a couple of otter wipe a very well stocked pond out in just a few days. And on the subject of beaver, oh well.

[Hawkpuppy 1]

Grew up around Waco in the early 80's all though until now really. We saw beavers as kids and still do. Only otters I see are in the Brazos. Not a lot of them, but some.

[rut-ro]

I also chucked when I read this thread.

[Briar Friar]

Down side is they plowed through young 19 of 30 bald cypress trees I planted in less than one week.

Upside is they love and seem to prefer the invasive evergreen laurels that spring up everywhere.

Im on the fence as whether or not to kill when I see one.

[Thad_Castle]

I had a river otter on game cam a few years ago where the Leon river opens up into lake Belton.

[sailor]

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[bossbowman]

Being in my 50,s Growing up in central Texas we never ran across any beavers or river otters and I used to frequent the creeks and rivers quite often. Here recently in the past few years it’s not uncommon to hear about them. Where did they come from?

IDK but we got otters too now, fisheries biologist told me they will do a number on your fish population and to kill them asap.

[bossbowman]

I caught a huge beaver in a coon set when I was 12 years old, that was 42 years ago. It was between Temple and Troy on a small creek that ran thru our place about a 1/4 mile off I-35. Have seen alot of beavers all over the place here in Bell county since then. We have had some otters at the lake (Belton) that will steal the crappie out of the fish basket. They come in the bottom door of the basket. Sneaky dang things.

We caught a big one back in the 90's, our dog was a rhodesian ridgeback and that beaver was every bit as big as that dog, I had no clue they got that big.

[Ungawa]

We caught a big one back in the 90's, our dog was a rhodesian ridgeback and that beaver was every bit as big as that dog, I had no clue they got that big.

That crazy!!!!!! Thats One Big Beaver!!!!!!!!!!!

[Texas Grown]

They been here in north Texas all my life. Just like gators. And I'm in my 60s.