Roadkill otters

wolfpacker

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Saw 2 that were hit together here in Raleigh on blue ridge rd. near crabtree. I have never seen one in the wild hated to see that.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I am on the river here probably as much as more than most and I have seen a grand total of two, yet people that trap creeks and potholes off the river here catch them every year. They are more around than you think, they are fairly secretive. Don't let their cuteness fool you, they can be vicious when cornered.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
I've seen them run over a few times and fortunate enough to have seen them several times on various rivers.

I did turn around and stop to do a double take to confirm what ended up being two mink hit together, when I lived in MN.
 
Last edited:

bshobbs

Old Mossy Horns
Seen some in the wild on a couple of coastal creeks. Never seen one ran over. Saw a beaver ran over.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Saw five at one time in a large lake on ft Bragg - that years litter maybe

Seen a pair several times around the house here

Picked up a Road killed one a year or so ago a mile from the house

Cool critters
 
Last edited:

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Seen some in the wild on a couple of coastal creeks. Never seen one ran over. Saw a beaver ran over.
I have seen several of them ran over. Back when they were scarce I saw a female and 3 kits trying to cross a 4 lane highway all had made it but one kit and it had almost gotten hit twice. I decided to play good samaritan and stopped turned on my lights and got out and walked across the one side of traffic to the median and found the kit in the tall grass. I proceeded to step on its tail to catch it and of course it was squeaking and pitching a fit. Well momma came back across and was on me before I realized it. I kicked her off on her first rush but she got me the second time. I had a brand new pair of Dunham boots on, back then they were some of the best you could buy and weren't state issue. She bit through the top right behind my little toe got my sock and just nicked my foot. I had the boots sewn but needless to say they weren't waterproof after that. And I haven't tried to rescue any damn beavers either.
 
Was burning the pond a few weeks ago with the last full moon. One came out of the bushes across the dam about 20 ft away then into the pond. Scared the bejeebers out of me.
 

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
Over the past several years I have had one in my pond for a week or so each spring. I have tried to trap him but have not been successful and understand they are hard to catch. I didn't want to shoot it and lose the pelt but the thing plays havoc on the fish population. I have some grass carp in the pond and found the remains of a couple of them after the otter had left. One would have gone and easy 20 pounds.
 

Ldsoldier

Old Mossy Horns
Over the past several years I have had one in my pond for a week or so each spring. I have tried to trap him but have not been successful and understand they are hard to catch. I didn't want to shoot it and lose the pelt but the thing plays havoc on the fish population. I have some grass carp in the pond and found the remains of a couple of them after the otter had left. One would have gone and easy 20 pounds.

What are you using to trap him with?
 

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
All I had was a conibear that I use for the occasional beaver that gets in the pond and like I said, I wasn't successful at all. Had them set where they exited the pond to sit on the bank and eat. That was pretty obvious from all the scale filled scat and large bones left behind. I finally decided that he was a nice enough oddity to watch when they came by so I would just put up with them eating some fish before they moved on. There has never been but one at a time and they only stick around a week or so. Strange thing to me is that my pond does not have a stream running into it an what goes out is fairly small and is nearly a mile from a large creek.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
,,,,,,,. Strange thing to me is that my pond does not have a stream running into it an what goes out is fairly small and is nearly a mile from a large creek.


they will follow that stream up to the pond,,,,,,,,,,,,but I have also seen them going "cross country" between bodies of water/flowing watersheds,,,,,,,,,,never know with them,,,,,,,

the one killed on the road by me was 800 yds from the nearest stream/body of water,,,,,,,,,all I can assume is he was moving from one to the other,,,,,,,,,,,,or "Jimmy" threw him out of the truck,,,,,,,,
 

41magnum

Twelve Pointer
the one killed on the road by me was 800 yds from the nearest stream/body of water,,,,,,,,,all I can assume is he was moving from one to the other,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Is that all?...they've crossed Rt 421 over 1/2 mile from water during my travels.
 

41magnum

Twelve Pointer
I wasn't successful at all. ............ Strange thing to me is that my pond does not have a stream running into it an what goes out is fairly small and is nearly a mile from a large creek.

They don't need ANY running water, when they prey on rats and mice and squirrels in a cutover.

You can fix that in Sept if you come to the Trappers Convention AGAIN and pick brains of the pro's.

Hope to see you and the Mrs again!
 

Boojum

Ten Pointer
I see roadkill otters at least three or four times a year around here. They are cool critters for sure, but they are sure working on the bigger trout in our local creeks.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
I see roadkill otters at least three or four times a year around here. They are cool critters for sure, but they are sure working on the bigger trout in our local creeks.

Ive seen them a lot along the river below the mill, various sections, and seen them several times on the west fork above lake logan
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I see roadkill otters at least three or four times a year around here. They are cool critters for sure, but they are sure working on the bigger trout in our local creeks.

back home they'd get into the trout hatcheries and tear up some fish,,,,
 

Ldsoldier

Old Mossy Horns
All I had was a conibear that I use for the occasional beaver that gets in the pond and like I said, I wasn't successful at all. Had them set where they exited the pond to sit on the bank and eat. That was pretty obvious from all the scale filled scat and large bones left behind. I finally decided that he was a nice enough oddity to watch when they came by so I would just put up with them eating some fish before they moved on. There has never been but one at a time and they only stick around a week or so. Strange thing to me is that my pond does not have a stream running into it an what goes out is fairly small and is nearly a mile from a large creek.

I'm assuming you were using a 330. If the landscape is how I imagine it he probably just went around it. They're easy to catch, but you have to funnel them into the trap. If you're fine with them then I'd leave him alone. If you decide later you want to do something about him let me know. I might know a guy that can give you a hand ;)
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Yeap and it was a private hatchery,,,,,fellow didn't like it at all,,,,and with the fur prices of the '70s the otters didn't hang around much past opener of the trapping season
 

Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
Saw 2 that were hit together here in Raleigh on blue ridge rd. near crabtree. I have never seen one in the wild hated to see that.

was a big Bobcat run over right there maybe 20 years ago. on lots of rivers, see otters all the time on the Haw, Deep, and Contentea Creek. cant recall seeing them on any other flow but see lots on those 3. saw an otter maybe 2 years ago dead on 85 just maybe 100 yards north of Falls.
 

Wanchese

Twelve Pointer
I don't know if this is legal or not as a method of trapping but if you want to catch/kill a otter. Get a catfish trap, like they use to catch catfish commercially or a lobster trap and tie a fish into the front chamber of the pot. You will catch a otter, he will be dead and he won't have any holes in him. If you don't tie the bait in, he will take it and be gone.
 
Top