What You Learned

Responsible trappers get permission to trap on private property, use well-maintained and correctly sized equipment, check traps frequently, dispatch animals humanely, and release non-target species quickly. 

When placing traps, remember to learn about the furbearers you are interested in trapping, place traps away from well-traveled paths or residential areas, and use the appropriate bait or lure to minimize the capture of non-target species. 

There are several types of traps available:

• Body-Grip Traps: frame wires clamp the furbearer's body and kill the animal quickly.
• Snares: A special body-gripping trap used only in water sets. It is lighter in weight and less likely to freeze in cold weather.
• Box Traps: A mesh box that will let an animal in but not out.
• Foot-hold Traps: A trap that will hold an animals foot and typically cause little damage.
• Cable Restraint: A less expensive trap that can be used only to trap fox and coyote in Pennsylvania.

The benefits of trapping include minimzing animal starvation, spread of disease, and damage of habitat; reduces damage to personal property; and protects certain endangered or threatened species from predators.