Trapping in Wisconsin
Wildlife Management and Continued Cultural Heritage
Trapping is one of the oldest forms of hunting. It was the “mountain man” trappers who opened up North America for westward expansion. Probably the first industry in North America, the fur trade continues today.
Trapping in Wisconsin is highly regulated to ensure that wildlife management goals are met and healthy populations are sustained. Trapping has come a long way since the “mountain man” days and on top of accomplishing management goals, it has progressed wildlife research in many ways. If you want to learn about Wisconsin’s less familiar wildlife while generating some local food and clothing at the same time, consider taking a Trapper Education course to learn more.
New trappers must pass a Trapper Education course before purchasing a trapping permit (look for classes above). If you are a veteran trapper, please consider becoming a Trapper Education Instructor. For information on becoming an instructor check out our Trapper Ed Instructor Cubby page.
With the new youth supervised and mentored trapping regulations, some folks have been wondering who can trap the limited draw species of bobcat, fisher and otter. See below for details:
Age | License Type required | Trapper education required | Bobcat | Fisher /Otter |
---|---|---|---|---|
0-15 | None | No | Yes | Yes |
16+ | Trapping license | Yes | Yes | Yes |
16+ | Trapping license | Farmer or trapping prior to 1992 - No | Yes | Yes |
16+ | Mentored trapping license | No | No* | No |
* harvesters may hunt bobcat with the proper licenses with no need for trapper education |
Bobcat, Fisher and Otter Quotas are Now Available
Details regarding the bobcat, fisher and otter drawings are available in September for the current year. Check previous drawing results.
Note to hunters/trappers: You may encounter bobcats wearing radio collars in Wisconsin. It is legal to harvest bobcats wearing collars if you have a harvest permit. On top of collecting location data, the collars can help us to learn about the lifespan and mortality of these elusive critters.
The Wisconsin Furbearer Hotline: 855-299-9653
The Wisconsin Furbearer Hotline will be updated regularly and can be used to monitor zone progress towards the quota. It is unlikely that the department would close a furbearer zone as harvester success rates from recent years are used to issue permits. This allows harvesters to approach or reach the quota without closing zones. Should the department need to close a zone, ample notice will be provided by the Wisconsin Furbearer Hotline, a press release would be issued and this page would be updated to reflect the closures.
- Plan Your Season
- During Your Season
- Avoid Non-target Species
- Furbearer Management
- Trapping Publications
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- Mammal Tracks on Wisconsin [PDF]
- Body-gripping traps: use & pet removal [PDF]
- Cable restraints in Wisconsin [PDF]
- Furbearer diseases [PDF]
- Regulated Trapping and Social Media [PDF]
- Traps, Trapping and Furbearer Management [PDF]
- Key Messages for Trappers [PDF]
- Trapping and Furbearer Management in North American Wildlife Conservation [exit DNR]
- Safe and Ethical Use of the Dryland Body-grip Trap in WI [PDF]