Way over priced almost 500 a dozen with the current beaver and otter prices on the fall I cant see ever profiting from the extra exspense. Im struggling to believe the belises can make up for the extra exspense

I am with you. I can buy 3 dozen Bridger 280's and have them shipped for a few dollars more or I can buy 2.5 dozen Bridger or Duke 330's for about that price. I can't see how over the life of the traps I am going to catch more fur with 12 of the Sauvageau than I will with 30 Dukes or Bridgers. I haven't handled the Sauvegeau's so I may be way off base but it is hard to believe.

Pretty much a mb 1216 except more exspensive mb 1216 379 a dozen. I own a few of the mbs but cant say I will ever have the opertunity to try the others

Yeah, it's a shame the price went up. Glad I got some before it did.

Id really like to say I own and have used them but im not holding my breath on finding any at a garage sale. I don't doubt they are a quality trap! Belise are 300 a dozen im having trouble swallowing they are 200 a dozen more capable

I wouldn't use them in water with a lot of current, as I think their touchy trigger would be prone to set the trap off, but I don't plan on using them for water sets anyway. I plan on using them on land where they will get a covered with snow in wolverine boxes, and I want the wolverine dead every time one sets the trap off, very soon after being caught. Wolverine are high dollar furs, so selling a wolverine for $300, and only making $255 because you used a Sauvageau or $265 if you used a Belisle, is a lot better than catching hair, because a wolverine pulled out out of a trap with weaker springs or a larger gap between the jaws when it's fired, or having one that's dead, but worth a lot less due to struggling for a few minutes before dying and breaking guard hairs off. Wolverine struggle more than land caught otter in a trap. I had an otter get caught in a #330 Belisle I had set on top of the ice guarding a hole that otters had been using to get under the ice, and it got suitcased, managed to pull it's head out due to having a fat butt, and went almost 100 yards away to another hole before expiring (Had it attached to a 10 foot drag pole due to their being nothing in the snow or ice to fasten it to.). That Belisle held it's butt though. Not many traps would have done that. Trapping otter on land in snow and wolverine is a whole different ball game from using conibears in open water or under ice, where the animal usually drowns if it's not caught very well; when you're trapping on land, the trap has to kill them, and if you have a weak trap that can't kill a wolverine or otter quickly, you have a good chance of damaged fur, or worst case scenario, a pull out. If you've ever skinned an otter or wolverine, you know how thick their neck muscles are. Most of the holes through the ice around here are too big for a #220 or #280, so I use a #330 for otter holes. My trapping partner and I caught two wolverine last year, both in #280 boxes. One was caught in a Bridger perfectly, right behind the skull, and struggled for a minute, possibly two before expiring, thankfully with no damaged hair, and the other was caught in a Belisle, again right behind the head, but didn't even take up the slack in the cable, it expired so quickly. I think #280's are the perfect size for otter and wolverine, as it will usually catch them right behind the head, but many times the ice hole the otter are using is too big for a #280, and several times last season wolverines circled a conibear box, but wouldn't put their heads in a #280. Going to use these Sauvageau 11x12's this coming season if that happens again. Hopefully the bigger opening will entice them to stick their head in.

That is sound reasoning.

The lions share of my otter come in just enough water to cover a 280 or even less. I try to avoid setting on dry land for otter of at all possible because of singe. Of course I am a long long ways South of Alaska and I suspect that singe from exposure to the sun is more of a problem here because of the amount of daylight and intensity of the sun along with higher air temps. I have walked up on enough otter caught on dry land that made me cringe before I get within reach of them because of obvious singe to know I want to keep them wet if at all possible down in these southern latitudes.

The majority of the otter I catch in the Bridger 280's barely move the trap at all. I have caught a couple by the tail in them and they were there waiting. I was planning on trying the Belisles and the Sauvegeau for a fair comparison. I will still try the Belisles but I can't ever see myself outfitting myself with 10 or 12 dozen of them. I guess I won't know until I try them. I still may order a few of the sauvegeau traps just for a fair comparrison. Man it would be a kick in the stomach to arrive to a set to find one of those things swiped.

As a few members here are fond of pointing out, you don't know what you don't know. And I want to know.

Not to change the post topic just thinking out loud here....Shane what is the difference in having an otter on land alive or/dead and having an otter ride in the the back of the truck for hours until you get home to process? AND then after ...skinning... place otter on beam them on a board?? Confused on singe///help

Your otter are singed before you catch them. And that's a fact.

Any otter trapper with any experience know that Shane is spot on.
Any raw otter left in strong sunlight or near any other dry heat source will singe.
Otter fur is prone to singe because of the cross section of the guard hair-it is flat not round like other animals.
Otter fur will singe naturally in late winter from exposure to the stronger sunlight,as well as wear and tear over the winter.

Some are. Some are singed after they are caught too. Guaranteed. I made the mistake a few times of turning a very nice straight haired otter into a singed frizzy haired mess by letting them ride in the back of the truck on relatively warm sunny days. Not anymore.



Not much difference in one being caught dry in the sun and one riding in the back of the truck unprotected. That is why I keep them damp even in the back of the truck and they are always covered.

I keep them damp during skinning and fleshing as well.

Let two otter or otter pelts dry to the touch in a cool dark place. Dampen one and leave the other dry and set them in the sun. You'll see the difference. Or you could just keep one wet and covered in the back of the truck while the other one is not.

Thanks guys ...good info...still haven't caught one but this info will surely help when I do.

Wrap them in a wet towel as soon as they are removed from the trap.. Beautiful fur Mike. I can trap 1 a season woopy

Thanks 'gbus...saw sign two years late in the season...set it up heavy...nothing.

Waiting is the hardest part, coarse Iv'e only caught 3 so I ain't no expert LOL

Set a few 100 beaver sets and the otter will be there.

WE have otter In the north but nothing like In the south. Here In WI we may get 1 otter tag but In the south there unlimited. I have never applied for a tag here In WI. I've trapped my share In the south.
Best 2 months were when I caught 82. And that was during the $140.00 average years.

You would have to work 3 or 4 avg size rtl's here to catch 80 otter.

There are more otter here on the Lower Yukon in the tundra lakes along the Yukon than anywhere else in Alaska I've trapped. And there are a lot in Florida. They are my favorite animal to trap that lives in both places.

They are my favorite too. I would love to trap a wolverine.

Don't tell people that...they'll buy my stock out !

Yes, 550 , have 'em, use 'em, love em !