I have a friend who lives in Ripley Co. He has a 15 acre lake that has a lot of otters in it. This is one of my favorite fishing spots and I hear otters eat alot of fish. I read some where that the DNR would issue permits to private land owners to catch them.
My question is if we catch them, is it legal to sell them?
I never realized how big these things are.

My understanding is you cannot sell them. Believe you have to have a permit to kill them intentionally.

If you catch one accidentally you must contact a CO and surrender the otter. You cannot sell them.

We should see an otter season on a quota basis by 2015. Thats the inside word.

Wait a year or two. I Heard from the DNR biologist himself they are looking at an Otter season either 2014 or 15. Be a shame to take'em out and get nothing for them and then the next year you could have made some money. They are'nt gonna eat all the fish.

If true, that is welcome news. Would it be ALL counties or only southern counties?

I saw one that was caught just out of Versailles in Ripley Co. trapping for Beaver,, trap had not been set 1/2 hour the Otter was still warm it was turned in to the DNR

I think it would be statewide, besides I think more are being accidently caught in the central and Norhern parts.

Now I cant' wait for a bobcat season. Them things are getting lousy in the Southern part of the state.

Thanks.

I feel the same way. Bobcat and otter are awesome animals. Their comeback has been exciting to watch!

They are as far north as Jasper/Pulaski F&W area and the Kankakee river and its ditches... I tracked one in the snow several years back while hunting coyotes on JP .... I thought it was cool to see its tracks and its slide marks as it progressed along its travels until it went into a ditch and I lost it....I 'prolly followed it a good 3/4 mile or so....I wished I saw it visually

I have seen otters in both the Kankakee and Iroquois rivers, one of my favorite stands sits on the bank of the Iroquois and I get to watch them swim up and down the river quite regularly, fun critters to watch.