River otters

[Boss .300 winmag]

Is it legal to trap them? If so who wants to do it?

[Machias]

Yes, with cage traps.

[Hannibal]

me

[boneaddict]

Sit and watch them for a bit.  Some of the best entertainment in the world.

[runamuk]

Sit and watch them for a bit.  Some of the best entertainment in the world.

I am with Bone otters are really fun to watch critters

[MtnMuley]

Sit and watch them for a bit.  Some of the best entertainment in the world.

Exactly.  I couldn't bring myself to trap one.  Just not enough in my country, and the things they do will make your day.

[Humptulips]

Otters are like anything else. They are fun to watch however when they are causing you problems they can wear out their welcome. I trapped a couple different fish hatcheries in the last couple years that were having problems. One had lost 400,000 fish the year before to otter. The other was in the process of losing 5000 fingerlings a day. When you're on the receiving end of something like that they soon loose their cuteness. I trapped the area for years before I-713 and there were otter but not a problem like it has turned into.
That's what I don't think the general public realizes. Animals cause problems when their population gets too high. Managed correctly we can have the otters to watch and trap a few also. Besides they make a pretty nice fur blanket.

[lokidog]

 

They are cool to watch, until they get on your boat, crap all over the place, and, just for the heck of it, rip out the screens on the cabin's windows!  We get some really BIG ones out here on the docks.  It drives me crazy though when people call them sea otters just because they are in the salt water.

Do you have to have a trapper's license to have a fur tanned from one that was hit by a car?

[MtnMuley]

Do you have to have a trapper's license to have a fur tanned from one that was hit by a car?

Yep.  Then you have to lie about how you got it.  WDFW laws can make a criminal out of anyboby.

[lokidog]

Fortunately, my wife, Weathergirl, has a WDFW salvage permit for educational purposes.   

[MtnMuley]

Sweet!  Then you shouldn't even need a trapping license.

[Humptulips]

Fortunately, my wife, Weathergirl, has a WDFW salvage permit for educational purposes.   

Sounds like you might be in good shape but just a reminder to others, It is illegal in WA to pick up road kill  even if it is in season and you have a license. Roundly ignored but if you cause a problem when stopping to pick something up I imagine you would be sited.

Also all otter and bobcats have to be CITES tagged or they cannot cross the state line. No tannery or taxidermist will touch it if it is not CITES tagged. If you are thinking about picking one up and you don't have a license  to allow you to take them it would be pretty hard to explain how you came by it  when you go to get it tagged.

[MtnMuley]

Yes, are correct Hump, and good info.

[TeacherMan]

Fortunately, my wife, Weathergirl, has a WDFW salvage permit for educational purposes.   

Since I'm a science teacher can I get one for educational purposes. I wont even sell the fur  So but seriously I would like to get one.

[lokidog]

Teacherman,

For WA you need to contact WDFW (mammals and non-protected birds, bird nests, I think you need to specify what you are looking for), you also need a Ffederal Permit for protected birds like songbirds, herons, and sea birds.  Of course, endangered species are off-limits.

Finding the critters is easy, trying to figure out how to pay for all the taxidermy is the hard part.  Could be fun if you had enough critters to have an advanced bio class prepare mammal and bird study skins if nothing else.