SEYMOUR, Ind. - The state of Indiana is proposing a limited trapping season for river otters and to allow for the sale of river otter furs less than 20 years after the animals were reintroduced after becoming extinct in Indiana.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources spokesman Phil Bloom tells The Tribune of Seymour that It hasn't been determined where trapping would be permitted. But he says the animals are found in 74 of Indiana's 92 counties. The animals were removed from the state's endangered species list in 2005.

Bloom says the otter reintroduction has been successful, but it's up to the state to maintain a balance between keeping a healthy population and preventing conflicts with people.

Bloom says the earliest a river otter trapping season would occur is 2015-16.

The sooner they implement this, the better. They get in private ponds and literally wipe out all of the fish in short order.

There is, or at least was, a den on the river probably not far from where you live Steiny. I sat on the river duck hunting many times and watched them. They pretty much ruined by smallmouth spot on the Eel up there.

You dont have to worry about them being in the upper Wabash River, too polluted with heavy metals, industrial run off and illegal raw sewage dumping when heavy rains occur. Plenty of rough fish but they would die from cancer from eating them. h.h.

I already have mine picked out. Just waiting on them to say "GO"!!!

There are a crapload of otters on the Eel and Wabash rivers systems, plus all of the little side streams and tributaries connected to them. Assume it is the same way for most of the other river systems in the state? Talk to the duck hunters that hunt the rivers, they see otters all the time.

They travel up those little streams, and soon as they find a pond, they move in and clean out the fish. I am aware of quite a few cases of this in the area. Some guys have simply given up trying to have any decent fish in their ponds.

Steiny, If there up this far in the Wabash Ive not seen them. Until this year I fished the Wabash on a regular bases and havent seen the first otter but that doesnt mean they are not here. I did see them in the Salamonie earlier this year. h.h.

likely going to be a quota though. Not sure how much this will help landowners with problems other than making the otter a game species opening the door for trapping otter under land owner damages type regulations.

I've heard of one landowner that already received otter "depredation" permits last year in Jennings County.