Rat trap: A common rat trap can be used for recreational trapping purposes. These traps are generally used to catch weasels. Below is a table of various
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2 CODE OF RESPONSIBLE TRAPPING All responsible trappers should adhere to the following code: Respect private property and as k permission from the landowner before the trapping season . Know selective and humane trapping systems and use them appropriately. Be aware of others using the outdoors and do not interfere with their activities. Assist property owners with wildlife damage problems. Avoid areas or sets likely to result in the capture of domestic animals. o Washington law requires that you release unharmed any trapped wildlife for which the season is n ot open. Wildlife that cannot be released unharmed must be left in the trap and the Department of Fish and Wildlife must be notified immediately. Be a conservationist. Make an effort to trap only the surplus. Check traps regularly and preferably in the ear ly morning. o Dispatch trapped furbearers in a humane manner and away from other people . Promptly report wildlife problems such as disease, pollution , or habitat destruction. Identify and record all trap locations accurately. Pick up all traps promptly when you have finished trapping. Utilize furbearer carcasses for human, domestic animal , or wildlife food whenever possible. Dispose of unused carcasses properly. Provide educat ional assistance to new trappers. Support strict enforcement of laws relating to wildlife and wildlife habitat. Respect the rights and feelings of others, even if you disagree with them. Cooperate with wildlife management agencies.
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3 Table of Contents History of Trapping .. .. .. . 5 Furbearer Management .. .. .. 5 Carrying Capacity .. .. .. . 6 Trapping Seasons and Regulations .. .. .. . 6 Common Trapping Regulations Violations .. .. 7 .. .. .. .. 7 Responsible Trapping .. .. .. . 7 Trapper’s Imag e .. .. .. 8 Other Wildlife Users .. .. .. .. 8 Pre – season Pre paration .. .. .. 8 Traps .. .. .. .. . 9 Other Trapping Equipment .. .. .. .. 11 Health a nd Safety .. .. .. .. 12 Trapline Safety Reminders .. .. .. .. 13 Dispatching Trapped Animals .. .. .. . 13 Animals on the Trapline .. .. .. . 14 Terrestrial Animals .. .. .. .. 15 Aquatic Animals .. .. .. . 19 Protected Animals .. .. .. 22 Furbearer Tracks .. .. .. 25 Furbearer Diseases and Parasites .. .. .. . 25 Tips for Handling Diseased Animals .. .. .. 26 Furbearer Diseases .. .. .. .. 26 Fur Handling E quipment .. .. .. 29 Pelt Preparation .. .. .. . 31 Skinning Your Catch .. .. .. . 31 Fleshing the Skin .. .. .. 31 Stretching the Skin .. .. .. .. 31 Freezing Fur .. .. .. . 31 Marketing of Fur .. .. .. 32 Local Sales .. .. .. .. . 32 Selling by Mail .. .. .. 33 Auction Sales .. .. .. .. 33 Furbearer Recipes .. .. .. . 34 Washington State Trappers Association .. .. .. 37 Wildlife Control Operator Program .. .. 38 Glossary .. .. .. .. 38 Bibliography .. .. .. .. .. 39
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4 This publication reflects the work of many entities , including the Washington Department of Fish and Game, and the Ontario T he Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website (wdfw.wa.gov) was utilized , a nd a number of Washington Department of Fish a nd Wildlife employees were involved in developing and reviewing this latest edition of Trapper Education i n Washington State . Any errors or omissions in this text are the sole responsibility of Hunter Ed ucation D ivision staff, who will appreciate receiving timely notice of your concerns at hu ntered@dfw.wa.gov THIS BOOKLET IS FOR INFORMATIONAL AND TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY!
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5 H istory of Trapping The fur industry has been important throughout American history. From the first colonists on the Atlantic c oast to modern day American society, trapping has played an important role. The first colonists not only traded for furs but also trapped for fur and food. Modern day trappers help manage wildlife populations a nd contribute fur to other industries. In Washington, the fur trade contributed to early se ttlement of the area. Major fur companies such as the Pacific Fur Company, Hudson Bay Company , and North West Fur Company purchased furs, supported trappers , and encouraged development of fur trading posts and forts. Fort Okanogan, Fort Spokane, Fort Vanco uver, and Fort Nisqually were some of the fur trading posts in Washington. By the 1800 s the fur resources were overexploited. The British had overharvested the resource in anticipation of losing control over a large portion of North America. Although the settlement of the w est reduced the fur industry, it did not reduce the pressure on furbearers. Many of the new settlers trapped for both fur and food. Un regulated trapping seasons allowed settlers to trap and hunt as many furbearers as they pleased which caused furbearer populations to drop to dangerously low levels in the last half of the 1800s. T o ensure their continued survival in Washington s tate , most furbearers have had managed seasons since the early 1900 s and all furbearers have managed se asons today . T here are currently 28 species that trappers can legally harvest in Washington. These animals are a collection of furbearers, small game animals, and unclassified animals. Furbearer Management T he department h as three management goals for furbearers . They are to: 1. Preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage species and their habitats to ensure healthy, productive populations. 2. Manage wildlife species for a variety of recreational, educational , and aesthetic purpose s , including hunting, trapping, scientific study, cultural and ceremonial uses by Native Americans, wildlife viewing, and photography. 3. Manage statewide populations for a sustained yield. Trapping is a management tool the Washington D epartment of Fish and Wildlife ( WDFW or department ) employs to ensure the populations of furbearers, small game animals, and unclassified animals do not exceed the carrying capacity , resulting in conflicts with humans or damag ing the habitat. Many of these animals are carriers of parasites and diseases. Controlled harvesting can, in some cases, reduce the impact of parasites and diseases on other wildlife and domestic animals. When setting trapping seasons, WDFW staff take into consideration population dynamics , when pelts are in prime condition for market , the number of trappers, and the harvest rate of animals. In situations where the d epartment wants to establish a very limited open season for trapping of a furbearer but decides the season length cannot effect ively control the desired low harvest level, a quota system can be used. Trappers in Washington must buy a license in order to trap. The revenue generated from the sales of licenses and tags to individual hunters, trappers , and anglers makes up about 25% of the d epartment
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6 budget . The sale of trapping licenses s upplies the department with vital information on the numbers and distribution of active trappers in the state. The mandatory report that licensed trappers submit at the end of the season also provi des critical data for monitoring furbearer populations. When coupled with harvest figures, the license data can supply valuable information on trends involving trappers . Carrying Capacity Carrying capacity is a term that hunters and trappers hear often. the number of animals Good wildlife habitat has four basic requirements . The requirements are food, water, cover, and space. The requirements should be in the proper arrangement. Most animals require diff erent things from their habitat , but are generally mingling with other animals that have their habitat needs met in the same areas. The carrying capacity of habitat evolves over time as it is influenced by yearly changes, land use practices, weather, plant succession, and even the numbers and types of wildlife that use the habitat . The concept of carrying capacity is a key factor regarding wildlife management because a given amou nt of habitat can only support so many healthy animals. Social carrying capacity is a related term that refers to how humans tolerate wildlife in the shared environment. Support for wildlife can diminish when people experience negative interactions with wi ldlife and damage to private property. Mitigating or preventing damage caused by wildlife is important for maintaining social carrying capacity of wildlife in human – dominated landscapes. The number of animals in a specific area can increase in late spring a nd may continue to rise as food and cover become more abundant. Most of the time, the increased number of animals are new young. As winter approaches and the food decline s , the number of animals the habitat can support declines as well. The animals outsi de the carrying capacity are known as surplus animals. Wildlife populations commonly fluctuate due to changes in the habitat . Changes in the habitat can seriously impact wildlife populations. T rapping S easons and R egulations Successful completion of tra pper education training is required to purchase a trapping license. In – person trapper education courses are taught by volunteer t rapper e ducation instructors, many of which are also members of the Washington State Trappers Association. A home study option coupled with an in – person written examination is also available. T rapping in Washington is governed by laws passed by the state legislature, successful public initiatives, and rules (or regulations) adopted by the Fish and Wildlife Commission. Regulations, including season dates, are published in the Furbearer Trapping Regulation Pamphlet . It is the responsibility of each trapper to obtain a trapping pam phlet and fa miliarize themselves with all current rules and seasons prior to trapping. The trapping pamphlet is available online at https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations under Trapping. The regulations contained in the back of this manual were valid at the time of its printing. RCW s: WAC s : 77.15.190 220 – 400 – 050 77.15.192 220 – 400 – 060 77.15.194 220 – 416 – 010 77.32.545 220 – 417 – 010 77.65.460 220 – 417 – 020 220 – 417 – 030 220 – 417 – 040 220 – 450 – 030
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8 Trappers should strive to o nly remove the surplus animals. Many furbearer species have high birth and death rates. The high number of animals during the birthing season will not be able to survive the winter because the habitat will not be able to handle the increase in animal numbers. The ones that cannot survive are considered surplu s animals. If these animals are not harvested, they will most likely die from starvation, disease, other predators, or many other causes. Trapper’s I mage You are the future of trapping. Your activities should show a responsible and ethical approach to tra pping. The actions you take and what you say will help the non – trapping public form opinions about trappers and trapping. Remember that trapping can be an emotional issue that much of the public does not understand. If you think and act responsibly , ethica lly, and humanely, you will project a good image of trapping. Conservationists and wildlife managers recognize trapping as the most efficient means of managing some animal populations when it is conducted by responsible trappers. All trappers should follow the trapper s code that is listed on the inside cover of this manual. Other W ildlife U sers Trappers must accept that they share the wildlife resource with a wide variety of special interest groups. Since furbearers are a public resource and are found in areas where other outdoor activities may be taking place, trappers should be aware of these other activities and plan their sets accordingly. This will help pet . H owever , cage traps are designed to easily relea se non – target animals. A lso , some of the public may not agree with trapping and might not want to see evidence of the activity , especially the dispatching of a trapped animal . The challenge for all of us is to understand and accept each other’s views and u ses of our wildlife resource s . Pre – season P reparation The time to start thinking about trapping is in early fall . There are many things that must be done before the season opens in November. One of the most important things is to determine where you will be trapping. Whether it is posted or not, all land belongs to somebody . Many federal lands , state lands , and timber company lands are open to trapping. If you want to trap on private lands , you must obtain landowner p ermission , if not already granted . It is up to the trapper to know where they are and ensur e they can legally trap in the location ( s ) . WDFW has a webpage detailing places to go h unting at https://wdfw.w a.gov/hunting/locations , which can also be used for trapping . Once the trapper has identified a n area to trap and received permission , if privately owned, they should s tart scouting for places to set traps. While prospecting for fur , trapper s should carefully look for animal sign like tracks, droppings, feed ing areas , burrows , or even hair in fences where ani mals squeeze underneath. Some trappers tie up bait without traps in a favorite set location to see if furbearers are active in that area. When planning the Pre – season preparation checklist Buy a trapping license Obtain landowner permission (if private property) Scout for furbearer sign Order trap tags Repair and adjust traps Prepare baits and lures Consult trapping magazines and/or books Study the trapping regulations Check that all vehicles and equipment are in good working order Consideration should be given to getting a tetanus shot
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9 trapline , a trapper must always remember no t to put out more traps than can be check ed within the ti me limit required by law. Trappers must use either their name and address or WILD I D number on their trap tags. You can find your WILD ID on your trapping license. Early fall is a good time to send away for trap tags , which m ust be attached to every trap. Most if not a ll trapping magazines have ads for tags with your name and address stamped on them. Be sure to order tags early enough so they arrive before you start trapping . Other chores that can be done before the season include : trap preparation, prep aring baits / lures , ensuring motor vehicles are working, sharpen ing axe s and kni ves , and ensur ing all equipment is in good working order . Some trappers read books on trapping or subscribe to a trapping magazine. The more you can learn from these sources before trapping season, the more effective you will be . T rapper s also tend to check a lot of maps since they can show hidden ponds as well as access roads in an area . Many new trappers prefer to buy their lures from a reputable trapper supply house. This is probably a good idea because the quality of a lure can make or break your season. In l ate summer , the Washington State Trappers Association has its annual rendezvous in eastern Washington. This event allows trappers to meet and exchange ideas and tricks on the trapline . For information about the Washington State Trappers Association, please see their website at http ://www.watrappers.com/ . Make sure to review the regulations and associated RCW s and WAC s. G o through them again and again because it is your obligation to know th e laws and rules . You may also want to have a copy on hand when trapping to refer to in the field. Keep it in a waterproof bag or have it laminated to prevent water damage. T raps Experienced trappers usually agree that it pays to buy the best traps available. Season after season, top quality traps keep working with only limited maintenance. Cheap traps , on the other hand , often start falling apart after only a few weeks of use. However, cheap traps may be the way to go in areas where traps have been removed or stolen in the past. Remember to be aware of where you are placing traps and what ot her animals may be using the area. Be familiar with current rules and regulations before you purchase or use any traps! Body Gripping Traps B ody gripping traps are not allowed to be used for recreational trapping in Washington s tate. A body gripping trap includes, but is not limited to, steel – jawed leghold traps, padded – jaw leghold or padded foot – hold traps, Conibear traps, neck s nares, and non – strangling foot snares. Cage and box traps, suitcase – type live beaver traps, and common rat and mouse traps are not considered body – gripping are not limited to: longspring traps, coilsprin g traps, single underspring traps, body – grip, and snares. Body gripping traps may be used with Special Trapping Permits issued by the department. You can apply for a special trapping permit at h ttps://wdfw.wa.gov/licenses/hunting/trapping .
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10 Cage T raps Cage traps: These come in many designs. Most are rather costly but will give years of service with a minimum amount of upkeep. If you are handy with tools you can build your own cage traps . A non – target animal can easily be released by just opening the door. It is critical that the trap sits perfectly flat and does not rock when the animal steps into the trap . Funnel traps: These traps are a cylindrical cage style trap placed in a body of water that has two funnels running into the cage area. The funnels are made to expan d to allow furbearers in but to close back down and trap them inside. These traps should be set below the water line. Colony trap: These traps are generally box – style traps that are placed on the bottom of a body of water with two doors, one on each side . The doors are in the down position at time of setting and allow an animal to push open the door and enter the trap. The doors are gravity driven and do not have a trigger mechanism. Colony traps are trapping the entire time they are in the water since th e trap is not triggered and does not need to be reset. Swim – Through trap: These traps are a two door cage style trap submerged in a body of water. They give the impression that the furbearer can swim through, but they trip the closing mechanism when swimming through. Weasel Box trap: These traps are a solid box with a trap in side . There is a hole only big enough for a weasel to enter. Generally , the box is wood or plastic. Suitcase – style Beaver Trap : The suitcase – style beaver trap is a spring – driven cage trap. The trap lays open like a suitcase and when triggered the strong springs close the trap up and enclose the trapped animal within the cage. Suitcase – style beaver trap placement is more versatile than a swim – through trap since you don’t need to find a narrow place to funnel beaver into the trap. These traps are very stro ng and can be dangerous to set important to securely anchor the trap to something solid like a tree or rebar to ensure the trap stays in place after it springs. When setting the trap, make su re to use the safety ring to prevent accidental triggering of the trap and injury. After baiting the trap, use a long stick to disengage the safety ring. Below is a table of various dimensions of cage traps and what furbearers may be caught in each. This table is not a complete list of cage trap sizes and is only meant to illustrate that you can catch many furbearers with many different sizes of traps.
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11 Trap Dimensions Furbearers it can catch 5 x 5 x 24 Short – tailed and Long – tailed weasel, 6 x 6 x 24 Short – tailed and Long – tailed weasel, Muskrat 7 x 7 x 17 Short – tailed and Long – tailed weasel, Marten, Muskrat, Mink 7 x 7 x 24 Short – tailed and Long – tailed weasel, Marten, Muskrat, Mink 9 x 9 x 2 4 Short – tailed and Long – tailed weasel, Marten, Muskrat, Mink 9 x 9 x 45 Short – tailed and Long – tailed weasel, Marten, Muskrat, Mink , Raccoon, River otter 10 x 10 x 24 Muskrat, Raccoon, River otter 10 x 12 x 42 Muskrat, Raccoon , River otter, American badger 11 x 11 x 36 Muskrat, Raccoon, River otter, American badger 12 x 12 x 36 Muskrat, Raccoon, River otter, American badger 15 x 15 x 48 Muskrat, Raccoon, River otter, American badger, Beaver, Red fox 15 x 20 x 42 Muskrat, Raccoon, River otter, American badger, Beaver, Red fox, Bobcat 20 x 28 x 72 Muskrat, Raccoon, River otter, American badger, Beaver, Red fox, Bobcat 20 x 26 x 48 Muskrat, Raccoon, River otter, American badger, Beaver, Red fox, Bobcat Trap P reparation New traps t ake some preparation before they are ready for the trap line. Many trappers go over them to make sure the triggers work properly and there are no holes in the traps . Trap tags should be attached at this point to ensure each trap has the required informatio n attached to it. A good rule of thumb on trap tags i s to attach two tags to each trap, one on top and one on the bottom. This way you are always in compliance with the law. Trap M odification Some trappers today cho o se to make modifications to commercially available traps. However , with the cage traps currently legal in Washington s tate, modifications are not needed. Trap modifications cannot be used to modif y a cage trap to become a body gripping trap . Other T rapping E quipment In addition to traps, there are other pieces of equipment that are just as important on the trapline. This section will identify some of the standard equipment that most Washington trappers utilize. Remember that the following equipment is what h as historically worked for most trappers and you need to find what works for you. As with most other pieces of equipment, buying the best quality usually pays off in the long run. Some trapping equipment you may want to invest in includes : Hip boots or waders Packbasket Axe Knife Pliers Digging tool Extra trap tags Gloves Lures and baits Rain gear Survival gear Hip boots or waders Trappers who are working around water will want to invest in hip boots or chest waders. These items are waterproof and will make trapping more comfortable and enjoyable. It is always a good idea to carry an extra pair (if you own multiple pairs) in your ve hicle along with an extra set of clothes .
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