I use them and catch quit a few otters with them. My approach is different than most as the otters down here have a year round buffet. So my observations will differ from other trappers due to our weather and year round abundance of live food in non frozen water. So here is how I use boxes:
- Otters are apex predators, they are not scavengers. Smelly decomposing bait will not work.
- Otters are territorial. A new bevy moves in they get fired up.
- Otters love fresh killed ducks. On the duck leases they are hated for stealing dead ducks out of the decoys.
- Otters love bobcat glad lure.
- Otters are curious, to the point of rooting along a bank like a pig. They like to stick their heads in anything they find.
I like to find a flat with shallow water, just a couple of inches, where they have been messing around. I like water for the boxes as I catch a lot more if there is water in the bottom of the box, then dry. Why? No clue, they are otters and no one can figure what they are thinking.
In the back of the box I like to hang a wad of duck or goose feathers (wing section is perfect). I will sometimes put a little shellfish oil, only if the weather is cool as I think the smell turns them off when its warm. I will place bobcat glad lure on the feathers or maybe a small dap of otter glad lure. I will take down feathers and put them on top of the box and on the bank and in the water. They can see them from a mile away and they are condition to eating fresh killed ducks down here. I like to place the box with the opening facing the bank. Distance from the bank is dependent of the depth of the water as to me its more important to have that shallow water then how far from the bank. When they swim in they can't approach the opening from the open water side, which I found if they do they have a habit of climbing on top of the box. Spending an entire year studying everything I could about the life of otters and hours of observation I notice if they are coming towards the bank they will climb up stuff. When they are moving away from the bank they tend not to climb up on anything and stay low. I believe it comes from they are condition to land on something, which gives them observation to see what's going on, they move away from the bank low as they can shoot off like a rocket if needed.
But like I say it works in my area, but what do I know?
