Shooting into a body of water

[Oldoak]

Do you need permission from game warden etc. before shooting?

HA HA
That's a good one :laughing:

Yep, a very good question.

To many people with the mentality that "the laws don't apply to themselves". Perhaps they shouldn't own or have access to firearms.
Who knows what other laws they think don't apply to them?

 

[Professor Marvel]

Yep, a very good question.

To many people with the mentality that "the laws don't apply to themselves". Perhaps they shouldn't own or have access to firearms.
Who knows what other laws they think don't apply to them?

I take it your fields are still wet

 

[MossRoad]

A river otter found my fish-stocked pond. It's living in the pond now, and is decimating the fishery. All my big catfish have been caught and eaten. It's working on the bass now.

I am checking with a trapper tomorrow, but if that doesn't work I need to take care of business. I've never seen it on land, so that means shooting it at the surface of the pond. If I can even do that since it surfaces only briefly.

I'm leery of using a rifle, even rimfire, for obvious reasons. All I have is a 12 ga shotgun, but I could probably get a 20ga or 410 if needed.

What caliber and round would you use? And if a shotgun, more of birdshot with more pellets or smaller, or buckshot?

Bummer. CA or NV? Check your local laws about nuisance animals. I think in NV they're considered fur bearing animals and can be trapped legally with a license and I'm guessing in a season.

Nevada Department of Wildlife

It appears that in CA, otters can not be taken for any reason.
Mammal Hunting Regulations

 

[k0ua]

To answer the question about the shotgun application. At 150 yards, none of the shot sizes would do much except maybe BB. 00 would kill it, but the patter of 00 Buck would typically be large enough to drive a truck thru. The slug would be lethal and beyond, but the chances of hitting it would be very small. I have shot man size targets at 75 with a slug but double that? Um.. I am not sure I could hit a cow, let alone something small.

Hickock 45 shot some 200 yard targets with slugs and did fairly well. You can bet he was "dialed in". and he is one heck of a good shot.

 

[ovrszd]

I'm with Eddie. Shoot the critter with the most accurate rifle you have.

Unless you live in town.... There's a lot of members here that claim to live in the country with a dozen houses within shouting distance. If that's you, hire a trapper. Me and Eddie, we'll just shoot the invader. Mine are Muskrats. And Snapping Turtles. And large snakes. I think that's all......

 

[Jstpssng]

I was taught not to shoot without an adequate backstop. What's beyond the pond if you do have a ricochet? Other than that check with your local laws, as others have suggested. Otter were over harvested for years so may have some strict protections. They most likely aren't in season for regular trapping, but there may be programs to get him relocated.

 

[ovrszd]

I'm gonna guess less than 1% of the rounds I've fired in my life had an "adequate backstop". It's real tricky getting the Deer to stop and stand in front of the backstop. Or flying game, that gets extremely difficult.

P.S. I'm not a paper target range shooter. Very boring.

 

[Professor Marvel]

I'm gonna guess less than 1% of the rounds I've fired in my life had an "adequate backstop".

while that may well be true it is not the type of thing we announce

 

[airbiscuit]

I'd rather watch a river otter than any ugly catfish

 

[Motorboatin]

I know an area that has a federally protected predator problem. The locals follow their own version of the three esses.....shoot, shovel & shut up