Best Management Practices for Trapping

The purpose of the Best Management Practices (BMP) process is to scientifically evaluate the traps and trapping systems used for capturing furbearers in the United States. Evaluations are based on animal welfare, efficiency, selectivity, practicality and safety.

This process was conducted jointly by state and federal natural resources agencies and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), and the results are available for wildlife management professionals, the trapping community, and the public:

An Introduction to Best Management Practices for Trapping in the United States (PDF) (717 kB)

Best Management Practices for Trapping:
- American Marten (PDF) (366 kB)
- Beaver (PDF) (1.6 MB)
- Bobcat (PDF) (934 kB)
- Eastern Coyote (PDF) (773 kB)
- Fisher (PDF) (701 kB)
- Gray Fox (PDF) (751 kB)
- Mink (PDF) (583 kB)
- Muskrat (PDF) (749 kB)
- Opossum (PDF) (682 kB)
- Raccoon (PDF) (1.5 MB)
- Red Fox (PDF) (793 kB)
- River Otter (PDF) (599 kB)
- Skunk (PDF) (635 kB)
- Weasel (PDF) (232 kB)

Trappers may also be interested in the guidance provided in the article "Dog-Friendly Strategies for Trapping Public Land" (PDF) (1.3 MB). This article was reprinted with permission of the author and Fur Taker Magazine (Vol. 48, No. 5).