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Otters Could Be Open Game For Hunters

CHESTNUTHILL TOWNSHIP — Otters have been off limits for hunters since the 1950s, but that may soon change. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is set to shak...
OTTER

CHESTNUTHILL TOWNSHIP -- Otters have been off limits for hunters since the 1950s, but that may soon change. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is set to shake things up and allow some hunting of otters in the Poconos as soon as next year.

Otters haven't been fair game for hunters since 1952 because the animal's population across the state was extremely scarce. But now, the game commission is proposing a limited otter trapping season that would allow harvesting the animals as soon as February of next year.

The game commission restricted trapping of otters to try to save the population as it was becoming scarce, but in the Poconos the otters have always had plenty of happy homes.

"Because the Poconos have such clean water, otters have always been a part of the habitats and ecosystems for years. They never disappeared from the Poconos," said environmental education coordinator Roger Spotts.

Charles Conklin runs a fish hatchery in the Effort area, raising about 500,000 fish per year for private fishing clubs. He says he's happy to hear about a possible otter season. Otters have caused some problems with his hatchery.

"Sometimes they'll stop for a night, and then be gone, other times a whole family will move in and want to stay," Conklin said.

The hatchery has had up to five otters move in at one time, each of them taking up to 12 of these fish per day.

"They're an efficient fish eating machine, that's what they're made for and this is their food."

Usually Conklin called the game commission to trap and release the predator somewhere else, but now that could change.

Licensed fur takers who obtain a special otter permit could trap for three days beginning in February of 2016. That's something Conklin says he may apply for.

"If we are having a problem, I certainly would."

Environmentalists in Monroe County say otters are in no way endangered and the season seems reasonable.

"I'm not surprised that they're talking about it. They did the same thing with bobcats about a decade ago," said Spotts. "They're certainly going to monitor, I'm sure, and have restrictions on how many otters can be harvested."

Hunters would be allowed to take otters in what's called Wildlife Management Units 3c and 3d which encompass most of the Poconos and parts of Bradford, Wyoming, and Wayne Counties and all of Susquehanna County.

The official Pennsylvania Game Commission vote on the otter issue will be in April.

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