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Trapping is about more than catching furbearer animals, the centuries-old pursuit is also about understanding ecosystems, practicing conservation, and preserving knowledge that has been used to keep landscapes in balance. Trapping practices continue being passed down through generations and today a growing number of new outdoor enthusiasts are taking an interest in the pursuit. Many newcomers are getting involved in trapping through workshops and courses hosted by state fish and wildlife agencies.
Wisconsin and Maine have a variety of furbearer species, a long conservation heritage of trapping, and a community of people wanting to learn more. Fish and wildlife agencies from both states are using Pittman-Robertson funds, paid for through a federal manufacturer excise taxes on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment, to host learning opportunities for new trappers. This funding can pay for both formal trapper education courses, and Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation (R3) efforts to provide opportunities for people to get involved in outdoor pursuits.
Wisconsin Trapping Workshops and Camps
Trapping in Wisconsin is highly regulated and is a useful tool in ensuring that healthy and diverse furbearer populations are sustained into the future. Anyone wishing to trap in Wisconsin must complete a Wisconsin Trapper Education Course learning about trapping techniques, current regulations, trapper ethics, and animal welfare. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) also provides additional opportunities to explore trapping beyond the required course through a Women’s Trapping Workshops and Youth Trap Camps.
The Women's Trap Camp is an immersive camp taught by women for women. “We held the first Women’s Trap Camp in 2021 and today we have a wait list with over 100 individuals looking to attend our next camps,” said Jenna Malinowski, WDNR biologist. “We have had participants from 6 states travel here to join our Women’s Trap Camp showing a real need and interest in expanding the trapping community.” Camp is held Friday-Sunday and includes a fur sewing evening where participants are taught to make a fur garment, a wild game feed to teach participants how to prepare and cook furbearer meat and other wild game, in-field trap setting and checking each day, regulations explanation from state game wardens, and a full fur handling event where campers learn to properly skin, flesh, and to prepare or “put up” furs.
Maine’s Trapping Course and First Fur Shed Fridays
Maine has a growing number of active trappers and people interested in learning to trap, with recent trapping license sales increasing by 100% in the past few years. Around the state, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) staff and volunteer instructors host comprehensive trapping courses that are required to obtain state trapping licenses. Maine has increased the frequency in which classes are held and sought out more varied locations for courses to meet the needs of the public. The course provides the knowledge foundation needed by new trappers. Topics covered in this 10-hour trapping course include trapping ethics, proper trapping equipment, responsible trap setting, and the importance of sound wildlife management practices. Pre-course work is required, and additional resources are provided to the student to support them after certification. Student numbers have more than doubled since 2021 and interest continues to grow, reaching over 750 new trapper education graduates in 2024.
For those looking to further their trapping knowledge and skills, MDIFW offers “Fur Shed Fridays” where experienced trappers and fur handlers with the state agency teach the basics of proper skinning, fleshing, and stretching for various furbearers. “Fur Shed Fridays was created to support new trappers by providing the equipment, space, and guidance to properly put up fur and fully utilize furbearers,” said Ron Fournier, MDIFW Recreational Safety Supervisor. During these workshops, new trappers and those looking to get back into trapping can mingle with other members of the trapping community and get fur handling tips. All furs that are “put up” can be stored on site for future pick up and MDIFW staff can even tag furs (a legal requirement) right there making the process from trap line to first furs easy for beginners.
Growing Online Trapping Community
Beyond these trapper education and orientation courses, and hands on events, a growing online community is sharing trapping knowledge, experiences, and encouragement with their followers. Long existing online discussion forums provide trappers with a space to connect, and a growing social media presence offers a way to reach new audiences.
For New England Naturals, a New Hampshire company with over 200,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok, social media is used for education. “We are creating content about the sustainability of regulated, trapping to try and inform the middle ground of outdoor enthusiasts on the role that trapping plays in wildlife management as well as the individual lives of those that participate in the activity,” said owner Jake DeBow. “People are more willing to support trapping if they know a trapper, and we are trying to put ourselves out there to be a trapper that someone can know through social platforms.”
Popular videos on the New England Naturals social platforms include how to dip and dye traps, caution and creativity for thin ice, and how trappers can reduce their grocery bill. Posts also share the wide array of products that New England Naturals produces including mittens, hats, decorative skulls, and even custom can coolers. “We have been very surprised with the reach that our page has gotten over the past two years and believe it to be rooted in a general interest of living closer to the land,” adds DeBow.
Outdoor Lifestyles That Match Many People’s Values
While many hunters and anglers don’t trap, national surveys have found that 95 percent of trappers hunt and 92 percent of trappers fish. Trapping is a safe, regulated activity that includes hundreds of thousands of participants throughout most of the United States. Members of the public who trap, along with hunters and anglers, are some of the strongest advocates for conservation. “Trapping is much more than harvesting an animal, it is about connecting with nature, acting ethically, utilizing every part of the animal, spreading our sustainability message, and sharing our knowledge,” adds Malinowski. For many the growing interest in trapping is related to taking part in a nature-based pursuit and showing the knowledge, skill and hard work, it takes to be successful and the craftsmanship in handling pelts, making garments, cooking good food, and sharing with friends.For some people, trapping has an appeal to self-sufficiency, confidence in one’s availability, participating in and sharing experiences with others, enjoying time afield, or the satisfaction of securing your own food, or making your own clothing.
Check it out, it may be for you, whether through a state fish and wildlife agency trapping course, a workshop or fur shed event, or even through social media posts the trapping community will continue to provide education opportunities and welcome newcomers.
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