NCndeed says: I've prefer the 330 for otters ... Otters are powerful and tough as nails.
I have heard this quite a bit. Otter ARE tough critters, but tend to seem more so when caught in 330s. As far as I am concerned, the 330 is NOT an otter trap. The jawspread is too big and it hits them too far back. I have had otter power out of 330s, and have never caught an otter in a 330 that went quietly. Conversely, I have lost only one otter in a 220, and that was my fault--the trap had weak springs--and have caught several that didn't fight much at all (280 is also a good otter trap). That said, I don't trap in the water and imagine the 330 would be a fine otter trap if they are going to drown soon after being caught.
ADK: Its a bit hard to tell, but maybe you are concealing you trap too much. I seldom try to force otter through a small opening as it seems you have. I just plunk the trap down in the trail with maybe a couple support sticks--alternatively, nail a suppot bracket (made by berkshire?) on a stick/board, set the trap on that, and just set it in the trail. They don't seem to notice the trap itself (my conibears are painted white-Krylon white primer) as much as they notice tight spots-especially if they have experience with traps in tight spots. In that particular spot I would probably have just set the trap beside the tree, especially since it looks like there is another tree growing close enough to choke that area down (and they are used to going there), and not worry about hiding it at all. I think the open space (even with a trap setting in it) would be less frightening than the pile of leaves/sticks that you have used to conceal the trap.
