Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
ERICKSON JOHN D
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
OTTER TAIL CORP [OTTR]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President & CEO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
215 S CASCADE ST
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/18/2008
(Street)

FERGUS FALLS, MN 56537-2801
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 03/18/2008   G(1) V 3,000 (2) D $ 0 80,606.4381 (3) D  
Common Stock 03/18/2008   M   7,000 A $ 19.1875 87,606.4381 D  
Common Stock 03/18/2008   S(1)   7,000 D $ 34 80,606.4381 (3) D  
Common Stock 03/18/2008   G(1) V 3,000 (2) A $ 0 3,000 I By Foundation
Common Stock               4,981.814 I ESOP

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Options (right to buy) $ 19.1875 03/18/2008   M     7,000 02/23/2000(4) 02/23/2009 Common Stock 16,000 $ 0 9,000 D  
Stock Options (right to buy) $ 19.75             04/10/2001(4) 04/10/2010 Common Stock 25,000   25,000 D  
Stock Options (right to buy) $ 26.25             04/09/2002(4) 04/09/2011 Common Stock 75,000   75,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
ERICKSON JOHN D
215 S CASCADE ST
FERGUS FALLS, MN 56537-2801
  X     President & CEO  

Signatures

 /s/ John D Erickson by Debra J Lill, Attorney-in-Fact   03/20/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The sale and gift reported in this Form 4 were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1(c) trading plan adopted by the reporting person on 3/6/08.
(2) These shares were gifted from the joint account with his wife to The John and Kim Erickson Family Foundation, a non-profit charitable corporation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(3) Total direct holdings include shares jointly held with spouse in the Dividend Reinvestment Plan and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan and shares acquired individually pursuant to Restricted Stock Awards and Performance Award distributions.
(4) Stock options vest in cumulative annual installments of 25% beginning the date shown.

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