Otter Quota Update

So today was the last day to bring in harvested otter within the 72 hour deadline of the regional quota being met. In addition to yesterday's otter I had another one in my Belisle when I checked after leaving work, to head down south to have the otters tagged. I did pull my traps in that area, since I don't want to be catching anymore otter now that the harvest quota has been met. Will be concentrating on beaver and muskrats elsewhere for the remainder of the month. Now the fun begins. Skinning two otters. Will they be okay if I freeze the pelts before fleshing at a later date? Gotta work in the morning



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Yep,skin them out,then roll them up or fold a couple times fur out and freeze.

I've never trapped otter this late. How do they look? Any sign of singe?

It can be hard to spot singe on wet fur. It usually becomes apparent after you get them dry. But in today's market I'm not sure it matters that much if they're singed.

Good, glad you got them tagged.

Hard to say guys, regarding the singe. I've made sure the fur was wet. We'll know when they get stretched I guess. First otter took me an hour and ten minutes. I cut three holes in the hide, but nothing that can't be sewn. Second otter took me 50 minutes and I did not cut a hole in the hide. 1 male, 1 female. A little trickier to skin than the beaver I caught but once I learned from the first one, the second one was much easier.

Sounds like you're a quick learner! Good on you.

As quick a learner as a dumb ol' jarhead can be anyway... whereabouts in Oregon you from? I was raised in the Bend area. Spent a lot of my adult life though, in Prineville.

Where abouts in North Idaho are you?

Up in Bonner County.

Otter usually are singed pretty badly at this time of the year.

The years that we have really crappy weather from January to March, the fur stays good much later. Bright sunny days are the curse of otter trappers. UV light is your enemy!

For what you will get selling them I would have Moyles tan them and have a hat or something made.

Nice job Wildaho!

Wild Idaho. Surveying Idaho Trappers finding out how much support we have to try and raise the otter quota. It’s on my wish list with the department.