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Post by ColdSteel on Apr 16, 2007 13:58:11 GMT -6
Good post Robert and sure accidents will happen and this method will help a lot never said it wouldn't and checking daily dang sure will help.I WILL try this method especially missing turtles and muskrats too for that matter.Enjoyed the debate
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Post by trappnman on Apr 16, 2007 17:00:01 GMT -6
I guess if beaver are wanted, and otter are that prevelant- used use footholds.
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Post by stranger on Apr 16, 2007 19:17:09 GMT -6
I conceede, it would cut down a bit, but like my post and coldsteels, it might miss the first critter to come along, but the next one is a gonner. and I don't mind skinning them. I am partial to otter in season. You see your location thing on the profiles I thought it was to give people a little better understanding of where a person was coming from, but by the throw them in the ditch comment, I see it doesn't. Arkansas trapping season closed in February except for beaver and muskrats. Not sure about Missouri. For late season beaver and nuisance control work with permits. I not only would be breaking the law if I kept them, but killing my females and cutting my own throat.
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Post by robertw on Apr 16, 2007 19:47:08 GMT -6
Stranger, In my case, the location I had listed was misleading. I trap in four or more states annually, including your home state of Arkansas. I modified it to correct this for you. Where I live here in Missouri, the creeks were all dredged at one time and it just is not good otter habitat. A majority of my otter experience comes from southern states.
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Post by stranger on Apr 17, 2007 20:38:38 GMT -6
Appreciate the input Robert W. I know in southern Missouri it is still pretty much prime otter territory. The bass fishing really reflects it up there too. My cousins have quit bass fishing and started asking for otter instructions. My otter education began with control work for otter actually and it has been a long bumpy and fun road. I'm still learning, as always, but I can catch otter or I can catch beaver or both with changes of sets and or equipment. I still do some control work, but mostly for beaver now a days, but my heart pumps for fur season. Still waiting for Missouri to open up for cats. Probably just wishful thinking though.
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Post by ColdSteel on Apr 17, 2007 20:52:46 GMT -6
Just looked at NAFA's preliminary offering 40,000 otter.I may be wrong but I was thinking around 23,000 was held over from last May also they had somewhere around 90% clearance at the Feb sale on fresh goods.Looks like some people didn't back off much
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Post by trappnman on Apr 18, 2007 6:01:23 GMT -6
thats because $40-$50 on up for otter- are STILL good prices....
I wish I had a furbearer that brought that much-
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Post by thebeav2 on Apr 18, 2007 7:23:08 GMT -6
NAFA had a 90% clearnece on FRESH goods on the Feb sale so the hold over of 23,000 Is still there. Must have had some more stale goods come out of some dealers freezers.
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Post by robertw on Apr 18, 2007 8:00:38 GMT -6
I didn't ship any otter this year. Going to wait and see what this market does, maybe next year.
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Post by shagnasty on Apr 18, 2007 13:08:55 GMT -6
t-man, $40-50 per otter here is not good money, you have to figure your time, fuel expense, fur labor, etc. it does not add up, i know i live here. im serious when i say $100 is about right to make some money on otter.
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Post by thebeav2 on Apr 18, 2007 17:16:04 GMT -6
Well If your ONLY trapping otter then you could be right. But what about all the beaver rats coon you catch along your water line then every otter you catch will make you money In fact they will be the difference of profit or no profit. It's a no brainier.
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Post by ColdSteel on Apr 18, 2007 18:02:40 GMT -6
Dang got to agree with the Beav again ;D.I use to be in a awful rush running 330's I would jump out set them and leave the coon and hurry to the next creek now with prices dropping if I am gonna keep doing it I might as well make blind sets for coons and pick up a rat here or there.The lower prices have made me slow down more and enjoy myself and thats what I am really out there for.As for money I would be better off welding on the side ,cutting grass,cutting firewood or just working another part time job.Ienjoy trapping and will still do some especially live market but on the other stuff I will just slow down and have fun and I always look at it this way I don't get paid to hunt or fish and I still do it so trapping is a bonus
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Post by trappnman on Apr 19, 2007 7:02:04 GMT -6
only a purist can get by without making full use of their incidentals.
I make more money on my #1 incidental than I do on any of my primary furs.
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Post by shagnasty on Apr 19, 2007 14:04:36 GMT -6
when i trap otter, that is all i set for, maybe i should say that is what i have on my mind when i set the trap. of course i take quite a few beaver and muskrats as incidentals, some areas alot of beaver waiting on the otter, but most places set are target locations for otter. i actually do not like seeing beaver in my otter sets, it is a waste of my time and cuts down on efficiency, ok when beaver are $20-25 dollars but once beaver prices drop like they have, i have no justification to be there. no rats to speak of and coon prices are still in the toilet. you guys look at this different, i want to catch as many of what im after as fast as i can with as little time in the field as possible, and make enough to cover my time away from home/wife/etc. to justify it. i can go fish or turkey hunt for a good time.
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Post by thorsmightyhammer on Apr 20, 2007 7:21:45 GMT -6
Low population or not Steve there should have been otter running together.
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Post by robertw on Apr 20, 2007 7:30:41 GMT -6
"Low population or not Steve there should have been otter running together."
This is dependent on the time of the year. Contrary to some information published....Otter do not mate for life and do travel individually.
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Post by shagnasty on Apr 20, 2007 7:34:10 GMT -6
double on males is common here in late jan through end of trapping season (feb). once i have caught 2 otter in the same 330 at the same time, those were females.
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Post by thorsmightyhammer on Apr 20, 2007 15:45:42 GMT -6
Contrary to some information published....Otter do not mate for life and do travel individually
If you mean they travel individually all the time, except for mating season, I'll have to disagree with you Robert. At least not here.
I'll see family units together on a regular basis. Physically see them and see their sign alot in snow. Up until at least January.
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Post by trappnman on Apr 20, 2007 18:49:21 GMT -6
steven, more than likely, 330s would have produced some doubles- but all locations were gangset- so even with 330s, I think doubles rare around here. note, Im not saying not travelling together, Im saying doubles caught.
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Post by thorsmightyhammer on Apr 20, 2007 19:49:05 GMT -6
I understand what you are saying Steve.
I think maybe the aspect that the otter are taken alive in footholds may have "scared" others.
I've had it happen in snow trails set with 220s where the first one gets caught and the second swings wide.
Once I had 3 otter going down a trail and set 3 220s and drilled the two yearlings and the female swung wide. Never caught her as I pulled the spot.
I dont know. Gut feeling.
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