Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Trapping => Topic started by: fatslinger on August 05, 2013, 05:08:59 PM

Title: Anybody trap otters on land?
Post by: fatslinger on August 05, 2013, 05:08:59 PM: A woman called and asked me to trap an otter at a local lake. She says otter have attacked and bitten swimmers and she is afraid to let her grandkids swim there. Her dock has plenty of otter scat and there is a trail leading away from the dock into her yard but I haven't had any success yet. Tried to think WWVD (what would Vinke do?) because he has caught them at the marina, but still nothing.
I set my Comstock in the trail and covered the bottom with grass---nothing. I even tried a commercial lure---nothing. I also put a raccoon trap on the dock with grass in it, then I moved their toilet into the trap and even added a rubber ducky. Didn't catch anything, but the otter started a new toilet on the other side of the dock.
The shoreline on her property is real brushy with no obvious trails into the water and I don't see any way to funnel them into the trap.
I hate to leave expensive traps out there even with a padlock because the area is full of 'wolf loving hippies'. Any ideas?
Title: Re: Anybody trap otters on land?
Post by: kirkdekalb on August 05, 2013, 05:58:07 PM: Float a trap using 6"pvc. Put live trout or catfish on stringer. Should have trigger wires set at 1" above water level. Trap should set with a water level of at least 5 to 6". Float at dock where he is coming up.

Here is a beaver float but it will work the same on an otter. The more open the better. Rub tiny bit of otter gland lure on trigger.

BEAVER FLOAT- LIVE CAUGHT ! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_wziYPMYh8#ws)
Title: Re: Anybody trap otters on land?
Post by: BiggLuke on August 22, 2013, 10:28:56 AM: Awesome video.... that would work great. Just what I was sort of thinking.
I met a friend of a friend, who said he catches a lot of otter at his families fish farm. He has to release them though, but says he uses a very crude 8" x 6' pvc pipe.
I cant remember exactly how it was rigged, but he said they like playing in and on stuff. Being curious otters and all. He just leaves it laying on the beach near otter activity.
I believe (my memory is foggy on this one) he said he basically throws a whole fish in the center of the pipe. It was open at both ends, but had one-way doors kinda like a muskrat colony trap he said.
He claimed the traps were super cheap and simple to make. plus being 6' long nobody bothered them.

I'll look around for more info on it.
Title: Re: Anybody trap otters on land?
Post by: kirkdekalb on August 22, 2013, 12:52:06 PM: I would think you could cut a large slot out of the center and make a door( made with cage wire) that would fit the contour of the pipe. Put one way doors on each end. Put trout on a stringer or in a box in the center of the pipe and place in shallow water. Maybe one end closer to the bank than the other.

You could even float that. Or make a cage and do the same thing.
Title: Re: Anybody trap otters on land?
Post by: fatslinger on August 22, 2013, 06:38:24 PM: Great ideas!
Title: Re: Anybody trap otters on land?
Post by: hardkorrhunter on November 02, 2013, 07:11:07 AM: I'm pretty sure I had an otter destroy one of my 8x8 muskrat traps last year had the doors been reinforced I probly would of had him.
Title: Re: Anybody trap otters on land?
Post by: Hannibal on November 02, 2013, 07:39:26 AM: Take out all the grass except what is needed to cover the pan,,,,I like green grass best.....take out the duck for now

Sometimes you move the big males toilet and mix it into the "others",,,,,,,,,,this can slow production

Move a trap to the new toiler sight,,,,,(probably a different group of otter)
Clean the dock off of good

you need to figure out were they are entering the dock and face the trap that direction on the toilet area,,,,,,,
Title: Re: Anybody trap otters on land?
Post by: Blue on November 02, 2013, 07:13:04 PM: I trapped this one last year in a bobcat set about one hundred yards from a stream.
Title: Re: Anybody trap otters on land?
Post by: fatslinger on November 02, 2013, 07:29:24 PM: Wow, that's cool. He's got a funny look on his face. I'm working on a floating trap and maybe by the time I build it, otter will be prime....
Title: Re: Anybody trap otters on land?
Post by: huntingfool7 on November 03, 2013, 04:46:44 AM: tagging