Otters

atd

New member
Ok- My nephew has asked me to show him how to trap. It'll be on my brothers farm in NY. I know the methods for most of the animals we'll be targeting- mink, muskrat, coon, fox, coyote and what to use, but have zero expierence with otter. Kind of excited actually as my brother's place has 3 ponds in which he regularly sees multiple otter. Here's the other question. My gears in S.D. where I grew up so I will be having someone ship a couple dozen traps to N.Y.. #220s or #330s for otter? What size coil springs? Any great sets? Don't want to ship the "whole shed" if he's does'nt really get into it. I will be up there the week before and the week following Thanksgiving. Thanks
 
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Will be interesting to hear what people have to say about this. I have never targeted Otter either. I know a few people who have caught some in 330's on beaver runs. but once it again it wasn't a targeted species.
 
Otters can be caught and held in 1 1/2 coils but 3's would be better. If you don't use drowning wire or rods they need to be staked good. You need to look for otter toilets, where they come out of the water to crap and eat. With enough around you should have trails beat down and fish parts where they've been. Set the traps in the water at the trails. Otters do travel so it may take one night or a week or two.
 
set any cross-overs (foot traps)and narrow channels(220 & 330)....... set double dirt hole on stream or lake bank with foot trap and Red fox gland in 1 hole and mink gland or fish oil in other hole. Drowners preferred or stake well.

I don't know NY Laws......Check legal dates first.
 
Well I thought went ok for someone who hadn't made a set in 20yrs and someone who never had in their life. We ended up getting 13 rats, 4 coon, and 1 mink. Missed a coyote twice. Blamed it on rust, on me and the gear. The otter must have moved on to a new fishery as I saw no fresh sign, but still made some sets as I really wanted one. The most important part is my nephew really enjoyed it and is taking up the sport. Hopefully I'll catch one vicariously through him.
 
Try snares but no matter what trap you use if it is not a kill set use plenty of heavy duty swivels and check your traps daily. Be careful with non kill sets I have had them jump me from cover when I get to close, keep your eye open and carry a heavy stick if you know what I mean. Cross overs, toilet sets and guarded side channels are my favorite sets and in that order with beaver meat as bait with something fishy next and mink gland lure as my number one lure. Be patient an otters range can be large and they may seem to disappear for a couple weeks or more only to return for a week before disappearing again, you have to be ready when the come back. Hope this helps.
 
Otters roam a good bit, may take a week or two to come back through. Killer traps set in choke points where slides go over a dam or narrow waterways are good bets. These sets will also take beaver, muskrat, and mink while waiting for the otter.

For the most part a 'blind set' is what I would do. Take a few minutes to put some grass around the trap jaws to camo it some. Depending on location a 'dive stick' may be needed to steer them into the trap.
 
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