I have a spot where an otter lives under the ice but digs out the same hole to come up on the ice in two different spots. There is scat around both holes. When he digs through the ice will he stick his head out far enough to set a 220 body grip trap above the hole? He isn't moving around much on the surface of the ice, looks like he walks around a little bit then goes back in the hole. There is zero sign any where else on the entire body of water except by the two holes

I'm thinking a wood box with cut outs for the springs so the trap doesn't jump upwards. And support the trap in the box with nails just like you do when you fasten them to a pole set. I would just drill holes on one side so I can set the trap inside then slide #9 wire or nails in to hold the upper jaw. This would also weigh down the trap so it doesn't move when he pushes upwards on it. I figured 2x8's supported four-five inches or so off the ice.

Well If you place a box over the hole It may not come up through It.
If the otter is leaving It's scat on the ice then It must be coming completely out of the hole. Maybe a snare would work. Or just lay a 220 body grip on the ice lay some sticks on the ice first so the trap won't freeze down. Then use some weight on the springs so It will not be pushed away when the otter pushes up through the hole.
Good luck.

I chip the hole out and us sticks to keep the trap up off the ice. If there is snow I will create a mound around the hole and use sticks to keep the trap from freezing down and to help block it in, the big thing is to keep the trigger wires on top, not in the hole.

Check this video out. Go to about 13 minutes in...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUT8riN8JuM

Chop a hole in the ice, put peas in it. When the otter goes to take a pea, kick him in the icehole.

Someone had to make the joke!!

And every time I have seen an otter hole and it is cold out, I never catch the otter. The otter will be coming out of the snow through a crack or void in the ice. The snow insulates the hole underneath and I he otter forces his way through. Once he punches a hole, the hole freezes over and freezes the otter out of that particular hole. The otter then simply punches another through the snow in another spot. Around here I only catch an otter in a fresh hole when it is warm out, as it appears they will use it a few times all at once, then move on and the hole freezes. In a week or so there will be another hole in the same area, and it will be pointless to set it also. Much better to set the entry to an abandoned beaver house nearby, unless for some reason the otter is using the same hole daily, which I have found to be rare.

Its awesome to see winter otter sign, but think differently about setting directly on I

Hutchy,
Is it fruitless to create a fresh hole with a spud near the area of the old hole to allow another egress point. I'm going to be dealing with this shortly, normally I fill my otter tags in open water but not this year as things froze fast.

Beav,
How effective would a 220 stand be on land if I covered it with a sheep fence tube with grass on top- will they take that much forcing on a trail or just go around it?

I understand otters move around. This guy doesn't after good ice. The hole he's using in the pic from last year is about 8" away from the one he's using this year. Same thing on the other side of the slough. There are culverts at both spots and the ice doesn't get as thick as the rest of the slough. I think he winters there because there's deep spots right by his holes, old beaver dens in the old railroad track, and the slough is full of bullheads, painted turtles, etc. And he only moves around about 150 yards from the holes.

You say there is culverts near where the otter is opening his hole?Make a couple teepee sets in the culverts.

The culverts are 3-4 ft under the ice and the banks are really steep. I think it's 8-10 ft deep on one side and 12-16 on the other. I don't feel like swimming in 40°f water

Don't blame you.

I have the same experience as Hutchy. Only way I seem to get otters in winter is where they have external holes in old beaver houses. Set any and every hole found and leave all winter . Warm snowy weather they move and clear cold weather they hold up.