Does Wisconsin have a limit per trapper on otters?

Why not just close the season on a set date every year. Why the confusion?

We have a lot more otters here in Georgia than Wisconsin, so management is obviously looser, but it seems simple to me.

Our otter season is December 1 to end of Feb. Beaver is year-round. Best way to avoid otters here and still catch beavers is using footholds set for beaver back feet. Leave the BGs at home.

Wi has a limit of two per license. Lots more beaver trappers out this year so the annual otter quota was filled early. Last several years I don't think they ever reached the quota.

I would have to check this out with MN trappers. But I heard that If you catch a incidental otter you call It In then you can put up that otter and then turn It In and you would get compensated for your work. That would save wasting 100s of otters every year. The amount of freezer burnt otter we throw out Is just plain wasteful.
I will have to run this by our Fur Bearer Biologist next Saturday.

Beav, how much do you think it's worth to the DNR to pay each trapper for incidental otter put up? How much would they have to pay you to put up a fur you're going to give away for nothing?

Operating on a structural deficit over the next couple years doesn't bode well for that plan when they cam get put up for free by the folks at fur school and other volunteers.

I'm surprised to hear so many get tossed from freezer burn. I've never frozen a whole otter then thawed it out and put it up, but most of the rats we put up in our trapper ed class in August are frozen whole since spring netting and turn out just fine. If it's freezer burn, then maybe a change in preservation method is needed.

The problem Is that all these otter get turned In and they get tossed on top of the otter that where turned In last year. Some of these otter have been In the freezer for years. And you never get to the bottom layer.
I would put up a otter for $10.00 They can send that otter to FHA and get $30.00 for it. That way we don't lose those freezer burnt otter and the trapper makes a buck or 2 and trapper ed gets the rest. The last skinning party I attended we tossed at lest 10 otters.
The other problem Is with Illegally caught otter. The warden puts that otter In the freezer as evidence. Who knows how long It Is In his freezer. Then eventually It ends up In Madison. It's just about impossible to skin some thing that's freezer burnt.

Wisconsin has two otter zones, northern and southern. Season dates are based primarily on the weather. This year, the weather has been, well, the weather. Otters move when water is flowing well. This year, the weather has been advantageous for otter moving in the southern portion of the state; while the northern zone is still frozen.

With beaver harvest up, otter catch is also up. Wisconsin has had at 2500 otter harvest for years with no adjustments and has over the years been approx 75 - 80 percent of quota. Over the.past month the southern daily harvest has been 2x the daily harvest of the north. The favorable weather conditions in the south has pushed the harvest success up against the otter quota for the first time in many years. Southern otter zone normally closes April 1, with the northern otter zone being open for the remainder of April. This year it was determined that the otter season has to close with the southern zone, statewide, to maintain the 2500 quota target.

A little off topic but I was pretty sure rolled up otter don’t freezer burn much in a year and a half. I’ve actually got away with it This year had two holdovers from last season and it was unbelievable how bad they freezer burnt . You Wisconsin guys along the Mississippi from what I’ve seen should without doubt be able to take four otter. Ridiculous limit you guys deal with or quota whatever.

WI traded away larger bag limit for a longer season.

Even at 2 per person, WI has been significantly harvesting more otter than MN. MN was under 1400 last year while we were over 2000.

All that said, they should have increased the quota at last DNR furbearer meeting instead of spending all that time talking about what to do when they went over quota.

So one trapper could take ten otter?

So how many WI trappers on here have dealt with a warden on an otter they've harvested accidentally? If so how'd that go? Did you get the fifth degree and make to feel guilty of an accidental catch? I can see that happening unfortunately and that may lead to otters getting pitched and not turned in.

I haven't trapped in several years and never trapped otter or beaver. I do live on the Mississippi river right close to where the WIsconsin joins it. From what I've seen and heard there's not a shortage of otter here.

I have turned in many incidental otter, never had a problem with the wardens when turning them in. In fact, just turned one in yesterday. The biggest problem is trying to contact someone for permission to remove the otter from the trap and transport it home. Cell coverage is sparce where I trap. Maybe they have eased that portion lately, but I don't take any chances and always call before transporting it home.

Still best practice to call it in before you remove it from the trap. Not always convenient in areas with spotty coverage, but much better than bringing it back to your vehicle and having an unexpected meeting with a warden.

I turned one in a few years ago I caught in a rat trap a week before otter opened. No 5th degree, just told to drop it off at the local office whenever I could. That's when it helps to have a food working relationship with local LEOs.

Absolutely zero need for otter limits in long time established otter populations.
Especially with the incredible habitat that Wisconsin has.
In my opinion of course lol

Apparently we over harvested back in the day. Had to reintroduce and are not making that mistake again. Wisconsin is very committed to our trophies.

I have turned in several incidentals, when my warden 10 years ago was ok with a text saying I had one it got very easy. They should come up with a standard system for convenience. Text record on your phone and free to transport.

Our otter season closes two weeks before the close of beaver season.Our trappers federation helped to get our incidental otter harvest during that time to be able to be kept and sold and reported on the harvest report.
Just not allowed to make sets specifically for otter during that 2 week period,but makes things much easier than having to have to come in from the bush all the way to town to report each incidental catch to a C.O.

They should just give us salvage tags. Tag the otter and remove It from the trap haul It to the truck and go home and call it In.

Problem with that is you get home, Cut off tag and forget to call. That’s Olsonalogy. Or the reason for our paranoia towards semi “ protected “ species. Some philosophies run deep.

Marshrat I have a tuff time buying we outproduce MN on otter with their 4 or 6 limit and a relatively high trapper population.

Are APHIS incidentals considered part of the WI harvest?

Great question. That could explain us out producing MN. If we have help. Just another outrage associated with WS

Well If they are caught In WI they must be part of the harvest number. I'll ask Shawn on Saturday.


As to the salvage tags you would only be using them after you filed your regular tags. And since you only get 2 Cites tags what good would It do you to cut off the salvage tags. The other thing Is you would have to account for those tags When you turn In a Incidental otter that tag number gets recorded. And when the season Is over you would have to turn In your unused tags. So cutting off a tag Is not going to help you.