Otter deuce!!

[davidlt89]

Well, I don't have very many traps out now. My otter sets on my friends land are frozen in and probably will catch beaver and otter in the spring. Little over a couple weeks ago I framed in a couple traps and put one by the beaver house by the big pond and one along the food pile where I picked up a couple otter last winter.

I had previously had one set out there and managed to get a good blanket beaver before the water dropped. Now, we had got a lot of rain and warm water once i had them in the ice and the pond went up a foot and half. Then, in two days it dropped and the ice pushed my traps down into the bottom.

I fixed one last wed but did not fix the other one till this sunday. This one was almost laying flat on the pond. pulled it, got it on the frame again and left. I also set a snare up.

went last night and went right to the trap i fixed sunday. was hardly any ice and we have had below zero temps, it has been down right cold. much to my surprise was a nice otter little otter in it!!! That makes number two for the season, two more and I will break my record!!!




My snares were both set off to the end and one had a stick in it. hopefully tomorrow it will be different!!! God Bless.

[gitano]

It doesn't look too little!

Do you think someone was messing with your snares? I've never had that - a stick in the snare - happen to me before.

Also haven't had ice "push me down" either. Where I trapped - in the Interior - once it gets cold, it stays cold and water levels, (and more importantly, ice levels) don't change much. Water in rivers and creeks always drops over the course of the winter, but USUALLY, the ice stays put at the level it first froze. Sometimes there are a couple of layers of ice separated by anywhere from a couple of inches to a foot or more of air. Most of times I have broken through the ice it has been through multiple layers of ice on sloughs or small creeks. Up to my thighs or waist usually. Never over my head.

Paul

[davidlt89]

It doesn't look too little!

Well, I think I have been spoiled in that pond. That is the 7th otter I have caught from there and every one was at least an XL or XXL! This one is probably 15-17lbs. My friend told me that is a typical female!!! It is actually boarded on a large fisher board.

also haven't had ice "push me down" either.rd!!!

I have had this happen more than once. The water came up about a foot and half, it then froze all the way around before the water dropped. The shore line with the new ice was week enough to break off. Slid down one piece the other day by and ended up on my back with a pack basket!!! It must have went down even lower than it was before because it drove one of the sticks of my frame about 6" lower than when I had set it. One frame was at a 45 degree angle and the trap was more less almost pointed straight up. It would have never been able to close. The water is about a foot and half lower than what it usually is at this time which makes me wonder how many beaver are there! Maybe I got them all this fall??

As for the snare, no chance of anyone playing with it. there were no tracks or cut ice out there. snares were both pulled in opposite directions. My snares are set bigger than normal, I have about a 10" circle, otter could swim through it all day long!!! Hopefully tonight I will see what is swimming down there!!! God Bless.