[Point-N-Shoot]

So my neihbor and I have a man-made pond in each of our yards. Every year we have tons of painted turtles who hang out on the shore during the hot days sunning themselves. Both ponds also usually have large snapping turtles. Both yards also normally have plenty of moles and a few pocket gophers that get trapped each year. Also muskrats in the ponds and sometimes mink and otters.

This year there has been a ton of algae and topwater growth on the water like I’ve never seen before. Probably covers 70% of each pond. Even the larger lake I fish has tons of more underwater to surface weeds than I’ve seen in the last 3 years.

This year I haven’t had 1 mole in my yard and haven’t seen 1 gopher. Also haven’t seen any turtles. There was 3 muskrats in the spring. Last year there was 13 muskrats. A few ducks and geese early too in the spring, none now. My neighbor did have one 13 lined ground squirrel in his yard and 1 mole just showed recently. Not complaining for sure, just wondering. This is Central Minnesota.


What’s going on, where are all of the normal critters gone?

 

[ego260]

Fertilizer run-off into the pond maybe? How much fertilizer has been placed on your yard lately, or in the past few years? Also, moles disappear if your yard is ever treated to eliminate grubs from the soil.

 

[page xt]

Farming is doing the same thing here in eastern Ohio, way less animals frogs, fish etc.

 

[Point-N-Shoot]

Fertilizer run-off into the pond maybe? How much fertilizer has been placed on your yard lately, or in the past few years? Also, moles disappear if your yard is ever treated to eliminate grubs from the soil.

None. None of us fertilize and neither of us have any neighbors around. We both butt up to swamp.


The big lake I fish also isn’t anywhere near any fields. But those folks may fetilize their lawns.