Bat Signal

Sarah sent me this horrific report from the depths (dregs?) of Georgia where despite their well-fed gaitor population they have too many beavers and are sponsoring a “Kill Contest”. Apparently the local bowman shop owner is going to pay who ever brings in the most tails. The county commisioners are chipping in 500 dollars for the trophy.

“We came up with an idea maybe we could do a contest to where we can get the young folks in our county to be competitive and take the beavers out at a fair and moderate cost to the tax payers,” said Pafford. Bowhunter’s, Pafford’s business only wants the tails as proof of the kill from Friday to May. Commissioners are contributing $500 towards the first place prize.

Buddy Pafford is the driving force between this truly palinesque contest, and is listed as the proud Vice President of the Georgia Hunting and Fishing Association. The only contact information I could find for him/her is here. Vice-President Buddy Pafford 229-686-3393 email linda_pafford2002@yahoo.com .

The commissioners and public works of Berriens county have no emails posted, but are theoretically reachable here.

The Honorable Elna Bragdon 229.686.5421 229.686.2785

The Honorable James T Griner 229.686.5421

The Honorable Robert B Griner 229.686.5421 229.686.2785

The Honorable Jimmy Parker 229.686.5421 229.686.2785

The Honorable Steve S. Roberts 229.686.5421 229.686.2785

Photo: Cheryl Reynolds

This is a river otter. Don’t get it confused with a sea otter. (I was talking about beavers at an event and a woman said, “ohhh i love beavers! I love when they lay on their backs and crack shells on their tummy.” Sigh)…..This amazing photo was taken yesterday by our own esteemed Cheryl Reynolds at the primary dam. Shhh don’t tell the beavers but it is very nearly my favorite she has taken so far. Looking at that face it is impossible to confuse this animal with a beaver. The whiskers, the wide nose, the stubby head, and the entire lack of chin, mark it distinctly. Well that and the fact that this little powerhouse sat atop the flow device eating fish all morning.

He was using the flow device as a water slide yesterday, going up and down the tube, which is pretty darn sweet, and worthy of a documentary on animal adaptions. Think about it, if an otter can go through a pipe, so can a salmon. Jon says otters go through lots of pipes at the powerplant cooling station, and even play with the “echo” while they’re inside, chirping and barking to eachother to hear it sound differently.

Several beaver fans turned out to watch otter delights yesterday. For the record, they couldn’t be more different from beavers. Otters seem to me to be little furry hedonists. They live entirely for pleasure. Whatever they do they relish with abandon, and whatever they dislike they don’t do. Otters play and love and quarrel passionately, they chew loudly like a two year old eating a favorite meal, they show up at strange hours and keep their own council. Bob Arnebeck says it isn’t even reasonable to ask questions like “how many fish do otters eat a day”, because their “day” is shifting and different than ours – 26 hours one day and 22 the next.. They eat when they feel like it, and move on from an area suddenly without saying goodbye — which our little fellow will do any day now, so go see him before its too late.

Also, check out the amazing and evolving entry on Flow Devices by our wonderful wikipedia friend. This is gonna save a LOT of beavers!