INDIANA – The river otter trapping season is from Wednesday, Nov. 15 through Friday, March 15, or until the quota is met. The seasonal bag limit is two otters per person.
There is a maximum of 750 otters for the season. If the 750 quota is reached before March 15, the season will close early but that rarely happens.
A valid Indiana trapping license is required to set traps for river otters.
Mandatory River Otter Registration
Step 1: Successful trappers must register their otter within 24 hours using CheckIN Game.
Step 2: Successful trappers must skin the otter and separate the pelt from the carcass before registering the pelt with a designated Indiana DNR employee or official Indiana DNR river otter check station. You must present the skinned river otter carcass, including the head, and pelt for physical registration and CITES tagging within 15 days after the month of harvest.
For physical registration of river otters, successful trappers should attempt to take their otter to an authorized check station.
Where not convenient or practical, a trapper may contact the Division of Law Enforcement Central Dispatch at 812-837-9536 to request a time to meet with a Conservation Officer.
Trappers will be asked and expected to provide the county in which they would like to meet an officer. An appointment will be made with an officer, but may not be the same day the appointment was requested. When selecting this option for physical registration, please plan accordingly to ensure all otter pelts are tagged within 15 days after the month of harvest.
The meat from the otter can be eaten but often isn’t. 
For more information on trapping river otter click here.
