October 31, 2006

by Lowell Washburn

The Iowa trapping season begins Saturday, Nov. 4. The item creating the greatest stir this year is that, come Saturday, river otters will become legal game for the first time since the species disappeared from the state during the 1800s.

According DNR furbearer resource specialist, Ron Andrews, this year's first ever, limited season is the result of a successful restoration effort that began with the 1985 release of 16 river otters at central Iowa's Red Rock Reservoir. By the time the restoration concluded in 1993, a total of 325 otters had been released into 25 Iowa river systems. All releases were successful in establishing a viable population, and otters were soon expanding into tributary watersheds across the state. The recovery was made possible due to a three-way trade where Iowa provided wild turkeys to Kentucky and Louisiana supplied wild trapped otters to Iowa

"River otters have now increased to the point that we currently have a very sustainable population that allows us to provide recreational opportunities to Iowa trappers," said Andrews. "Some populations have even increased to where the DNR is receiving an increased number of complaints from anglers. In certain situations, such as small streams or privately owned farm ponds, there is no question that otters can have a significant impact on smallmouth bass, catfish, and northern pike. In those cases, a certain number of otters need to be harvested."

Andrews stresses that Iowa's first modern-day otter season will be extremely conservative and will not jeopardize future otter numbers. Fur harvesters [trappers] will be limited to two river otters per season, and a statewide season quota has been set at 400 otters. The season will close upon reaching the quota or January 31, 2007.

Any trapper who catches an otter must report the capture to a DNR conservation officer within 24 hours, said Andrews. Trapped otters must then be marked [tagged] by a DNR officer within 72 hours. The public can keep tabs on the 2006 otter harvest via the DNR's web site or by calling 515-281-5918 for a daily running total.

Note: Watch www.iowadnr.com for a link starting November 4th.

"Interest in the [otter] season is running very high," said Andrews. "I think that a lot of it is because this is the first modern-day harvest and also because otters have a significant pelt value."

Andrews estimates the value of an Iowa otter pelt at anywhere from eighty to one hundred dollars. By comparison, raccoon pelts are expected to fetch an average of ten dollars, while the value for prime mink pelts is estimated at twenty to twenty-five dollars.

"What we want people to know is that Iowa's otter harvest will be extremely limited and will be well below what it would take to have a negative impact on existing populations. This year's quota is so limited, in fact, that we fully expect river otters to continue their growth and expansion across the state," said Andrews.