Of Bats and Beavers

[Rufio]

I've been doing some late night fishing and wow...bats and beavers are awful.

Bats ruin slow presentations and beavers are worse than throwing boulders. Anyone else having these problems?
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[albinotrout]

I don't have these issues since I don't night fish.[bobhappy] But I can see why they could cause trouble.
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[HD7000]

Not me, but lets just say I know someone who keeps a pellet gun on his boat to keep beavers and other critters away. As far as bats, haven't had much of a problem...
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[Kent]

[quote Rufio]

Bats ruin slow presentations...

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Interesting, please explain further.
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[gstott]

I've had nights fishing topwaters for bass where I kept thinking small fish were hitting my lure but it was just bats and night hawks hitting into my line.
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[Jedidiah]

Those are probably muskrats, not beavers. The furbearer's guidebook says muskrats aren't protected, you don't need a license or furbearer's permit to hunt or trap them, and they're constantly screwing up my fishing. Sounds like I'm getting a pellet gun.
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[gaardvark]

My experience has been that a beaver is easily identified by the tail slaps. It sounds like someone has jumped into the water nearby doing their best cannonball splash.
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[duckkiller33]

Can you still trape beaver in utah?
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Blondes, brunettes and redheads.

Best bait is flowers and a nice dinner. Maybe some dancing.
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[doggonefishin]

I'll probably be eviscerated on here for saying this, but I love to watch the wildlife while I'm fishing and adjust my technique accordingly if there is a conflict.

Tail slapping beavers are cool (ask Wynona) . Can't say I've ever had a problem with bats. The craziest thing that ever happened to me was a great horned owl snatched a fly and bubble rig right off the lake as I was reeling it in.
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[Rufio]

Hopping jigs and feeling for the slightest hit. Bats hat the line 2 out of 5 casts and I rip the line to set the hook. Luckily one or two were fish.
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[Rufio]

They're definitely beavers. I see both muskrats and beavers. These suckers are huge and muskrats are fairly small. They slap their tails and dive only to pop up closer and get spooked again and dive.

I don't have a boat so I'm always on land looking for the next bite. I've run into a few animals..skunks, coons, muskrats, and a scary moose incident....but bats and beavers are the worst. Of course the first time I get sprayed by a skunk, they'll make it to the top of the list.
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[Igottabigone]

[quote TubeDude][#0000FF]Blondes, brunettes and redheads.

Best bait is flowers and a nice dinner. Maybe some dancing.
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I laughed out loud on this response. Classic!!
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[duckkiller33]

Now that funny. I'm talking about the beavers that have a big wide tail that are brown and have four legs.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Sorry. Didn't mean to detract from your post. I have also had my share of "encounters" with the flat tailed 4-legged kind. Several small lakes I have fished have had a few "Buckies" with lodges along the shoreline or up into tributaries. Those big rodents often swim out to check out the weird dude in the float tube...waving a willow wand. And as soon as they determine I might be a threat to them WHAM goes that tail on the water...and the fishies take off so fast they swim out of their spots.

Also had some interference with the bats. Probably had a dozen or more over the years that intercepted a fly waving through the air where they were hunting bugs. Hate to hurt the skeeter-eaters but I get nervous trying to remove a hook from one. They bite...and some of them have been known to carry rabies. That's where a long nosed set of hemostats can help...and a thick leather glove on the hand holding the bat.

Over the years I have had lots of enjoyable visits from otters, mink, various waterfowl, deer, moose, elk, foxes, coyotes, etc. In the southern states I have also had to dodge gators and snakes. The things we do in the name of fun.
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[Rufio]

Definitely true. It's a small price to pay for the fun of landing a few eyes.
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[duckkiller33]

So can someone please tell me if you can trap beavers in Utah. I was told once due to over trapping you couldn't any more.
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[TubeDude]

http://wildlife.utah.gov/hunting-in-utah...earer.html

[#0000FF]Use your search engine to look it up...like I did for you.

Here is a copy of the Utah Beaver Management Plan 2010 - 2020...looked up and copied from the above link.

Short answer: They are protected wildlife, but there is a limited open season on them...specified in the PDF document.
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[BagABigOne]

whoa duuuuuuude, I almost covered my monitor with coke out of my mouth.
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[TubeDude]

[quote duckkiller33]Now that funny. I'm talking about the beavers that have a big wide tail that are brown and have four legs.[/quote]

[#0000FF]Y'know...that actually describes a few Utah girls. Especially when they are down on all fours in the dirt...after mud wrestling or a hard night on the town.

Sorry. Just couldn't let it go.
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