I get a lot of PMs of people asking me questions about otters and I enjoy it. I'm truly obsessed with them. I spent an entire year studying and trapping them, and learning everything I could from biologist. I spend a lot of time giving classes on trapping them. I just love them little fatheads. Pictures from the last otter class I taught with the Louisiana Trappers and Alligator Hunters Association. Anyone else ate up with them?

Heck, I add some other pictures of otters!

Thanks for your time.

I always pay attention when you talk otters. Our environments might be very different, but they are still otters.
Probably my favorite animal to trap, we are limited to two a year here in WI.
I also like putting them up. Beautiful fur.

Otter are one of my favorite animals to trap. Your terrain looks a lot like mine.

I have yet to catch one, but they're on my List!

and like others...when you talk otters...I LISTEN!!

What are the otters going for this year Gunny.

Otters are my favorite animal to trap. Fascinating critters. Unfortunately I live in an area now with very few of them. Our quota for our entire region is 2 total. But I enjoy reading your posts about them!

Yep. you got otter down man.

Like you, I spent quite a bit of time back in the day trying to figure them out. I wrote an article about trapping otter toilets that was published in The Trapper Predator Caller I think back in November of 2004. Almost all of my otters come off of toilets and it just kind of fit into what I was doing cruising rivers and lakes in a Jon boat looking for beaver and otter sign to set up.

There used to be a guy on here that went by ArkMike. He was in Arkansas and he caught the heck out of otters. Did you ever hear of him Gunny? He disappeared off the site about the time the Dali Lama screwed up the market. I know he was stuck with over a 150 otters up to Nafa that became practically unsaleable overnight.

I caught my 1st one last year. It was like it was my B- day! A Dive set under a log at a beaver lodge. Total surprise. The quota was 8 and mine was #7. In March. This year I've seen more otters and more otter sign than ever. I even have trail cam pics of a big one. Anyway, I was super excited to actually target them. I started my water line for beavers after hunting season. I checked the quota on otters and it was already filled! I was bummed. This was in December. I'm not sure why it filled so early. I guess there there's always next year. I already have a plan.

For us new guys what is a good otter foothold trap? Are #2 DBL any good for otter?

A number 2 will work i caught my first in a Duke number 11 long spring the missouri department of conservation maintains that most of the otters that where trapped and relocated to missouri where caught in #11 long spring soft catch traps

Big thing with otter is that they roll a LOT. Make sure you have plenty of swivels in your chain. Caught one in a 5' beaver snare that turned it into a 1' ball of twisted up cable.

I know a lot of people on here swear by the 11 dbls, when I was a kid there was an old trapper that was the best otter trapper I knew of. He always used 48 Newhouses for otter. I of course didn't have a shed full of 48s, so I used what I had, my beaver traps were #3 and #4 Victors or Blake and Lambs. Since he used bigger, tougher traps when targeting otter than he did for beaver, I always grabbed a #4 when setting specifically for otter. I've never had an otter pull out of one (of course my beaver/otter traps have teeth welded on, which I know is not legal in many states) so I've never seen any reason to change, that is still what I set if I am targeting otter.

Do not use an offset trap unless you are required to by law, otters legs are tapered to the toes with very little swell at the ankle. And they fight a trap extremely hard.

You don't need a big trap for otter but you need a strong trap with a lot of swivels. For live market it's hard to beat a #11. Long springs I use #11 & 2. DLS I use everything from 1.5 to 2. I do like the Duke and old Victor #3 round jaw with the oblong jaws on blind sets. I do catch them in my beaver traps, and will use them that's what I have handy. The issue you have with otters is their legs are very short, if you use too big of a trap you run the chance of catching them high, and they can actually pull out of the trap. Like was posted, if legal stay away from offset jaws. If using light DLS I like to base plate center swivel them and put a bead on the tips of the jaws where they stick out of the frame. The big thing is make sure you are anchored solid and make considerations for the way they are going to roll and twist. They will take a chain and turn it into a nightmare of grass, briars, and mud. Just remember they have short legs and are strong as a ox.

I have caught my share of otter, and in traps ranging from a single spring Victor #1, #2, #3, #4, #4 V jump, V-14, and various coil springs, but would not purposely use the small traps for otter. All the small traps for me were fluke toe catches. I caught many in beaver sets, but my go-to trap for otter is a strong 280 body-grip. They are, for me, the ideal otter trap, and I use Belisle.

I watched a video on YouTube about an underwater tube set w/ 330's on either end. (Bait in the middle). Seems like a good solution to keep your set coon proof and dog proof. I Haven't tried yet.

Gunny I am curious if you regularly use lure or bait or are most of your sets terrain based, no attractants just trails, channels, slides kind of spots?

Here in PA we catch 1 per season, it us a short season in February, usually iced in a lot, and I have a tag this year.

Most of my otters are caught NOT using any type of bait or lure. I catch most of my animals in blind sets. I would say about 40% of everything is caught with baited sets. The rest are blind sets. The old timers I learned from when I was a kid didn't use much bait and lure, they actually looked down upon those that depended on it. They relied on their knowledge and skills.

For me my years of experimentation with baits, lures other gimmicks were largely unsuccessful. I would have spent my time more wisely focusing on how to locate spots and blind set them.

Thank you for sharing, I thought I read a similar answer a while ago on here but sometimes a lot of info gets lost in my head over time. I am waiting for a little open water to check a few spots, no idea how much ice we will have, but I will be after one. Thank you again.

I have one toilet that I need to check on this week, it is a bit of a walk thru some heavy brush. The last time I was I was there it had more muskrat fur than fish scales.

Got this big female yesterday in a faint trail coming over a lake dam from some flooded timber. Beaver have a very visible trail a few feet away and I could see some of the pine straw off to the side was disturbed. Trail forks a few feet from the top and I put several Belisle 220s in the trails. Camouflaged them with sticks and pine straw. Have some 280s and 330s in trails on the lake side. Neighbor's property starts at the bottom of the dam and the dam is really steep. Have to set the top because I don't feel like sliding on the pine straw into the barbed wire fence below.

Anyone ever use cubbies like these for otter? Seems like a bucket with the end cut out would do the same thing, visual draw, single 220 in the end, thoughts?

I haven't used that set, but buckets smash them if they are set in the right conditions.

What do yall generally bait the bucket sets with? Sardines? Carp? Just wondering as I'm going to get some 220s and make some bucket sets.

Zac these would not be baited for me. The visual would be the attractant, the cubbie would be under water, and obviously very visible to the otter. His curiosity presumably would have him swim through it and the trap would define history from there.

Disclaimer: I am no otter trapping expert, I am harvesting knowledge is all to help with my quest for an itter to keep and tan for the lodge.

I have seen the swim through ones! I have caught a couple otter, but mostly just when trapping beaver. I was just wondering what the bucket sets with the closed end are baited with because I'd like to make a couple.didnyou make the ones you shared joe? Wondering what size pipe. Assuming a 220

No I didn't make these, those pictures are screen shots from youtube. I had never seen one of these before, just wanted some experienced opinions on them before I dove in. I am getting feedback that these would not be legal in PA, as man made materials are allowed only for trap support and not to direct travel of the otter. The visual draw to me seems like the real advantage to me, seems any curious otter would investigate the thing under water, but what do I know.

I believe that is 12 inch pipe with a 220 as well Z.

That's a great idea! An rbg would be awesome on either end of it. I'm trying to figure out if claiming that as a trap stand would be legal for you 😜. In Iowa we can use them, anything larger than 8 inch spread has to be completely submerged, that's the law I have the most trouble with when beaver trapping. Some places would be excellent for s 330 on land.

I would absolutely love to pick your brain. I’m in one of the WMUs I can legally harvest an otter, with access to a stone bottom creek where I imagine I can call a traveler in within the week season we have. I have a tag & am going to give it a go.