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#6755 - 11/24/05 04:57 PM Otter Info
RedMister Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 10/15/05
Posts: 7
Loc: Washington County, NY
I'm just getting back into trapping. I used to catch many rats and mink when I was a kid, and now it's my turn to pass it down the line. I don't know squat about otter trapping, but I'm not letting that stop me from tryin'...
Anyway, I was spotted by a pair of otters a few days ago. They barked at me then swam up the river. I haven't seen them since, nor have I seen any fresh tracks. Nothing at their toilet either. Do you think I scared them away?? They've been at the area for a while. Also, what size wire would be best for drowning otters?

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#6756 - 11/24/05 05:32 PM Re: Otter Info
Buzzard.. Offline
Member

Registered: 02/26/03
Posts: 859
Loc: North Carolina
Naw, ya didnt scare em away....try makin a artificial slide if ya cant find one.

As for wire, I use cable on all my drowners but have used 14 eletric fence wire before also. Its a pain to work with tho. I have never used 14 guage annealed wire so I cant comment on that.

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#6757 - 11/24/05 07:52 PM Re: Otter Info
Hal Online   content
Moderator

Registered: 07/17/00
Posts: 10227
Loc: Blue Creek, Ohio, USA
I use mostly cable too. But, I wouldn't use anything less than 12 gauge annealed wire for otter.

smile -- Hal
_________________________
Endeavor to persevere.

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#6758 - 11/25/05 01:44 PM Re: Otter Info
Otterwater0566 Offline
Member

Registered: 02/01/04
Posts: 440
Loc: Austin, AR
The otter will come back. Collect some fresh scat and keep it for sets at another location. A basic beaver set is good for otter. Set all little feeders streams in the area and be patient. Gang sets are a good idea. Don't be afraid to let sets stay awhile otters may take several days to work their areas and return. I have an area with several ponds near a creek. I have caught several that where in a hurry to get back to the creek via small drainages after they see or hear my truck coming towards the first pond. If you find toilets from other areas, make a flat set and "lure" with other otter scat. lol

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#6759 - 11/25/05 09:24 PM Re: Otter Info
RedMister Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 10/15/05
Posts: 7
Loc: Washington County, NY
Thanks for your help folks!
I have another question for you... Ok, I'm going to pick up cable some time this weekend, so... What size should I purchase? I need to know just in case I need to make the holes in the drowner locks larger.

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#6760 - 11/26/05 02:39 AM Re: Otter Info
RiverOtter Offline
Member

Registered: 02/27/05
Posts: 646
Loc: Monashee Mtns, British Columbi...
I use 7x7 3/32 on all my beaver/otter drowning slides.

RO smile

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#6761 - 11/26/05 08:18 PM Re: Otter Info
Hal Online   content
Moderator

Registered: 07/17/00
Posts: 10227
Loc: Blue Creek, Ohio, USA
I use 1/8 7X7. You get less kinking. I can use the same sliders for three or four seasons.

smile -- Hal
_________________________
Endeavor to persevere.

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#6762 - 11/26/05 10:54 PM Re: Otter Info
RedMister Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 10/15/05
Posts: 7
Loc: Washington County, NY
Thanks guys! I did pick up 100 feet of cable. Before I set the traps, I need to finish a few things.
I saw two otters this morning about 1/2 mile upstream. I think they're the same ones that I saw last week. The larger one was eating something that looked like a muskrat. Would they eat muskrats?
I now have plenty of bait if they do...

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#6763 - 11/27/05 02:20 AM Re: Otter Info
RiverOtter Offline
Member

Registered: 02/27/05
Posts: 646
Loc: Monashee Mtns, British Columbi...
Yes, they eat muskrat. The tricky part is trying to bait them. Otter are pretty efficient killers, and I have never had much luck enticing them with bait, so I focus on pinch downs, slides, spill ways/crossovers on beaver dams and drowning sets on get out points near toilets.

RO smile

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#21503 - 12/13/14 03:10 PM Re: Otter Info [Re: RedMister]
Archive Offline


Registered: 03/12/03
Posts: 1486
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