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Post by Sunshine on Mar 12, 2011 22:39:39 GMT -5
how can i avoid catching an otter in a beaver set where there is a huge amount of otter sign present?
we have a farm where they want the beaver gone but its illegal here in wv to catch the otter although we will have a season next year with a limit of one.
we are only legally allowed to use connis completely submerged in water in March for beaver.
i dont want to minimize catching otter..i dont want to catch an otter at all...till next season
a guy on the other thread said that otter can be easily avoided when trapping beaver but never came back so far, to say how.
i know you can minimize catching them as i said but is there any sure fire way, other than not setting for the beaver to catch the beaver without catchiing the otter.
i dont think so but if im wrong please tell me how you manage to avid the otter in your beaver sets.
we can not legally shoot the beaver either.
or only option is underwater connis.
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Post by southernlures on Mar 13, 2011 0:25:47 GMT -5
this will cut your otter catches out with out hurting your beaver catches. the idea works because the otter is slim and the trigger space leaves room to get threw but the beaver is fat and wide and hit's the trigger any way .now from time to time i do miss a few dinks useing these set ups stay away from channels and crawl overs unless you adust your triggers because these are locations that steady produce otter. stay away from lures that has tonquin,mink musk,weasel musk,crawfish oil,salmon oil and shellfish oil.these ingredents will draw a fair number of otter .tho otter really don't respond to lures very well but there is always some that breaks the rules
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Post by Sunshine on Mar 13, 2011 0:28:28 GMT -5
what about the little beaver that arent fat enough to trip both triggers?
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Post by southernlures on Mar 13, 2011 12:14:01 GMT -5
thats going to be your problem sunny the kits slides right threw if the trigger is set on top or the sides NOW by placing the trigger on the bottom you pick up 99.9 of all the beaver as the beaver touches the botton when diving were otter don't completly touch.
if i have to move all beaver and i don't want the otter like on adc jobs i use the half moon figure in the last picture.
you can also use a larger dive stick over the trap as otter slide over the dive stick and beaver will dive but this don't always work just like lures this rule can be broken as well.
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Post by Sunshine on Mar 13, 2011 19:07:13 GMT -5
not my problem, Jerrys inthis case, lol.
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Post by southernlures on Mar 13, 2011 22:15:16 GMT -5
sunny you better not get my brother laws butt in a sling..lol
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Post by huckleberry on Mar 14, 2011 9:32:15 GMT -5
I have tried every trigger mod known of, and still caught otter in the 330's. Maybe not as many, but you will catch them.
I have set right at the openings to the beaver lodge and caught the beav right away and got out before the otter started taking up residence. That has it's own problems though. And only legal here when doing ADC work. Sometimes snares set at the openings work better then conis also.
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Post by trapper7 on Mar 14, 2011 16:07:01 GMT -5
You could use snares instead of the 330s with a 10" opening. If you're like me though, you would rather use the 330 or footholds to trap beaver.
330s will catch an otter with the trigger wires on the bottom more readily than with the triggers on the top. Of southern lures illustrations, the one with the short trigger wires in the center will probably avoid the otter best. But, as Huck said, there isn't a guaranteed otter avoidance set with a 330.
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Post by petroman on Mar 15, 2011 10:12:20 GMT -5
there is no way your going to avoid catching otters
to me by now that otter he isn't going to come back to mess with my traps when i get done
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Post by Sunshine on Mar 15, 2011 17:43:04 GMT -5
thatd be fine and dandy ....if we had a season on em and it was legal to catch em BUT we dot yet and it aint
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Post by backwoodsman on Apr 18, 2011 9:05:02 GMT -5
Baited coni's? Under water bait poles either with footholds or conis as otter arent attracted to wood. Any type of trail or blockade set will catch otter, trust me. We dont have an open season either but we have alot of otter and no plans for any type of season. We release those we can but the ones in conis or drowning sets we have to have the bunny cop come and remove. Makes us sick with the prices of otter and our otter population that we cant utilize this natural resource.
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Post by trapper7 on Apr 19, 2011 15:24:12 GMT -5
I might also mention that the short trigger wires on southern lures 3rd illustration may avoid quite a few otter, but it will also avoid some smaller beaver too. If you are wanting to take all the beaver out of the area, that can be a problem.
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Post by huckleberry on Apr 19, 2011 18:35:40 GMT -5
you can't use Fh's? ?? If so use NON drowning sets and release the otter. The larger traps are rough on otter, but they will survive them. Use the smallest you can and still hold beaver. Modified #3's is what I would use. Although I don't like laminates on beaver traps a well modified trap will hold beaver fine and do little damage to an otter.
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Post by BvrRtrvr on Apr 19, 2011 20:25:54 GMT -5
Huck, I believe that she said that they can ONLY use completely submerged coni type traps for the March beaver season. And I believe that I'd rather go to the Bunny Cops with my A$$ in my hands, than to try & release a mad otter.
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Post by trapper7 on Apr 20, 2011 13:56:55 GMT -5
I agree, Bvr. A p*ssed off otter is about the last animal I'd like to release. They say to release one not to use a catch pole because of the neck and head being close to the same diameter. You have to put too much pressure on the neck causing potential permanent throat damage. I guess they expect you to talk nice to them instead.
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Post by huckleberry on Apr 20, 2011 16:24:18 GMT -5
It can't be that bad fellas. Il. and MO. were "restocked" with FH caught otter from down south. Several hundrend were caught, caged, and released in real good shape. I think Jtrapper was one who did the trapping in fact.
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pk
Rat Trapper
Posts: 17
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Post by pk on Apr 20, 2011 19:11:03 GMT -5
LeRoy Sevin
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Post by backwoodsman on Apr 20, 2011 22:25:57 GMT -5
It aint fun guys. They are slick and quick. The pucker factor while releasing otters for me is way up there. They dont recommend catch poles as the mortality afterweards is high. Chicken wire reinforced around the edges with 1x1's and placed over the otter while leaving the appendage and foothold in question out. Coat and wrestling works ok, catchpoles work good but the mortality issue...
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Post by trapper7 on Apr 21, 2011 13:32:28 GMT -5
I've also heard a small sheet of plywood with a notch cut into the bottom to isolate the trap from the biting part of the otter works too.
I've had a couple of live ones in a foothold during season. Trying to whack one on the head is like trying hit a good pitcher's curve ball with a golf club.
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Post by Sunshine on Apr 22, 2011 20:33:12 GMT -5
a pizzed off otter is as bad or worse than trying to release a bobcat. any of ya'll ever try and noose an otter? ;D
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Post by backwoodsman on Apr 25, 2011 22:20:40 GMT -5
We have a release board but the otter is like a buzz saw and the release board procedure worries me. They work good for canines and feral critter's etc.
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Post by trapper7 on Apr 26, 2011 13:17:21 GMT -5
I know our DNR trapped otter in MN with footholds and sent them to MO for restocking some years back. I do a class on trapping in our Firearms training class. They talk about the restocking that was done using footholds in a film I show. But, they never show how they release the otter from the trap. Probably don't want anyone to see how much fun it is. They do show releasing other animals like fox and coon. With them they use a catch pole or forked stick. I cannot imagine trying to pin an otter down with a fork stick......
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Post by Sunshine on May 1, 2011 20:45:59 GMT -5
i dont advise you to try it 7. a mad otter is like a tasmanian devil. ive seen em.
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Post by rszwieg on May 2, 2011 0:59:41 GMT -5
After having to deposit three non legal otters in our wardens truck... I say no...not 100% avoidance...all caught in muskrat sets.
After releasing a BIG male my brother caught this season in a land coon set, I'm with everyone else, no fun...buzzsaw...vengeful sob...pita...we used a catch pole.
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Post by trapper7 on May 3, 2011 13:45:31 GMT -5
They say you shouldn't use a catch pole, but I don't know of any way that's safe to do it.
Some trappers call otter "a beaver on steriods".
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Post by barbwire on May 4, 2011 18:49:06 GMT -5
i dont advise you to try it 7. a mad otter is like a tasmanian devil. ive seen em. you got that right! meanest thing i've ever fooled with, very powerful animals with the temper to match
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Post by backwoodsman on May 5, 2011 6:43:40 GMT -5
The one's we've caught and released were 100% mad. A few acted docile at first but they will try and grab you after theyre released. Doesnt matter the sex or size either. Ive slapped yearling males to old females. If they got as big as bears I'd take up video gaming. Ive never messed with wolverines but theyve got a bad dispostion just like wolverines from everything Ive read about wolverines. If you can get your local bunny cops to release them I'd suggest that route.
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Post by trapper7 on May 6, 2011 13:49:49 GMT -5
I've taken some in Belisle Super X 330s that were caught by the neck, just behind the head. They put more kinks in the anchoring cable than the biggest beaver I've ever caught and I double swivel most of my 330s.
A few years ago, I caught one that ended up tangled in an old beaver feed pile. I had to literally tear that feed pile apart to get that otter out. He was caught behind the head in a 330.
Yet, I've caught a few in pocket sets made for coon or mink that went down a slide wire and drown. They were caught in 1 1/2 coil springs by the front foot. As tough as they are, you'd think it would take at least a strong-springed #3 to hold them.
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Post by backwoodsman on May 7, 2011 9:40:51 GMT -5
Kinda off the subject of beaver but most of our incidental catchs of otter are on Russ Carman Coon no.2. If your in an area where otter are fair game along with mink and coon I'd seriously consider some Pocket and Tile or PVC sets using it for combo sets. Just my .02. With the demand that seems to be developing for otter for this fall sason I'd like to be able to board a dozen plus.
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Post by Sunshine on May 11, 2011 6:13:05 GMT -5
we got a limit of one here
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