Trapping & furbearers
Trapping is one of the oldest ways people have worked the land - a craft of reading sign, understanding animals, and setting cleanly and legally. Pick a furbearer below to see what it gives you, the sets and gear it takes, the season, and how it is caught. But start with the part that matters most: trapping only ever works when it is done legally, humanely and responsibly.
Read this before you set a single trap
Trapping is heavily regulated and carries a real duty of care: the right licence and tags, legal trap types and sets, daily checks, humane dispatch, and avoiding non-target catches like pets. Rules vary hugely by place and change often - and getting them right is what keeps trapping ethical and legal.
Trapping ethics & the lawWater & Wetland
Beaver, muskrat, mink, otter and nutria - trapped along the water's edge with foothold and body-grip sets.
Foxes, Coyotes & Cats
Coyote, fox, bobcat and lynx - the wariest quarry, taken with dirt-hole and cubby sets and hard-won craft.
Open the full Foxes, Coyotes & Cats page
Woodland & Mustelids
Raccoon, skunk, weasel, fisher, marten and more - the varied fur of the forest, farm and rocky country.
Open the full Woodland & Mustelids page
Trapline gear
Check your state's trapping regulations and licence rules before buying anything for the line.
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