FUR FACTS 111 



unsportmanslike fisherman, who apparently take a great delight in 

 shooting them on any and all occassions without any thought or 

 desire to take their pelt for its fur value, but simply for the pleasure, 

 if it can be called a pleasure, of killing them. No trapper or fur 

 gatherer would ever think of shooting an otter, for he would know 

 that the otter would dive and hide in deep water there to die, and the 

 probabilities are that the pelt would never do the trapper any good 

 but would simply be a waste; and trappers value fine pelts too highly 

 to waste them. They will plot and plan and match their wits against 

 the cuiming of the animal in order to get the pelt, but will never 

 kill just to destroy. 



The female otter raises a litter of from three to five pups every 

 year. If given a chance they will come back very quickly in sections 

 where they have been driven out. 



How to Trap Otter 

 Winner of First Prize 



"Before you begin to trap otter become entirely familiar with the 

 game laws of your section. In many states the otter is protected 

 the year round and can not be trapped at any time. In other states 

 there is a closed season on otter for a portion of the year, and they 

 can be taken only at certain times. The larger fur houses will not 

 handle otter that have been unlawfully taken, and there is no legiti- 

 mate way in which the pelts may be disposed of. If otter is getting 

 scarce in your section, it would be well to get all trappers in your 

 neighborhood to stop trapping them for awhile, regardless of whether 

 the game laws protect them all the year or not. If given anything 

 like a chance otter will increase and again become plentiful. If the 

 animals are still fairly plentiful in your section, and there is an open 

 season for trapping them, we give the following methods, which will 

 be found successful, as they have been successfully used by trappers 

 with long experience in the trapping of this particular animal. 



First set for fall trapping. — Find as many of their slides as possible, 

 and where they go from water to bank. This is the place for you 

 to trap, as they always go out at the same place. Fix bottom so 

 trap will set level and about four inches under water. Use heavy 

 trap, as the greatest trouble is to hold them, and stake in this way. 

 Use a piece of No. 9 wire, long enough to reach deep water; fasten 

 heavy stone to outer end, make long, narrow loop in wire, out sev- 

 eral feet from shore. Drive stake down under water, full length 

 of chain from shore; slip trap ring over wire and fasten wire to stake. 



