Benefits of trapping
A 1995 Gallup poll found that 63 percent of all Missourians agreed with the statement, "Trapping is okay as long as it is carefully regulated." Most Missourians recognize that modern trapping has many benefits for people and for nature.
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Animals are trapped for a number of reasons. Wild animals may be trapped to protect people's property or to control unwanted damage. Wildlife biologists use foot-hold traps to catch many kinds of animals so they can be studied. Traps are sometimes used to catch animals for re-establishment in other states. Trapping is also a way to capture sick animals quickly before they can spread disease to other wild and domestic animals or people. In addition, trapping provides a renewable resource for clothing and fashion.
Regulations and Seasons
Trapping in Missouri is carefully regulated by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Wildlife laws only allow people to trap mammals that are common or abundant. These laws make sure that even though some animals may be trapped every year, their populations will remain healthy.
Careful regulation of trapping and the use of trapping as a tool for research and management enables the Missouri Department of Conservation to successfully manage Missouri's wildlife in a manner that is safe, wise and humane.
Permits
Trappers can choose from a variety of permits and pick the ones that best fit their needs. The trapping permits are valid from date of purchase through the last day of June 2009.
To take, possess and transport wildlife and to sell furbearers taken by hunting or trapping you will need, unless otherwise exempted, one or more of the following:
- Resident Trapping Permit
- Resident Cable Restraint Permit
- Resident Fur Handlers Permit
- Nonresident Furbearer Hunting & Trapping Permit
Seasons
| Season | Open Date | Close Date | Bag Limit | Possession Limit | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver and Nutria |
Sat, Nov 15, 2008 | Tue, Mar 31, 2009 | Any number | Any number | See Wildlife Code for limits and restrictions |
| Furbearers |
Sat, Nov 15, 2008 | Sat, Jan 31, 2009 | |||
| Otters and Muskrats |
Sat, Nov 15, 2008 | Sat, Jan 31, 2009 | Closing date varies by location. Otter Management Area E closes on February 20. |
- Badger, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, red fox, mink, opossum, raccoon, striped skunk
- Bobcat pelts must be registered or tagged. Weasels and spotted skunks may not be taken.
- Rabbit
- Daily limit includes no more than 2 swamp rabbits; possession limit includes no more than 4 swamp rabbits. Carcasses may not be sold. Jackrabbits may not be taken at any time.
- Beaver and nutria
- Killer or Conibear-type traps with a jaw spread less than 8 inches and foothold traps with an inside width at jaw post less than 6 inches are prohibited for trapping beavers after Jan. 31 in otter zones A, B, C and D and after Feb. 20 in otter zone E.
- Otters and muskrats
- Missouri is divided into five zones for otters and muskrats. Properly licensed trappers may take the limit of these species in each zone.
General Provisions
- The homes, nests or dens of furbearers must not be molested or destroyed.
- No person shall accept payment for furbearers taken by another.
- Wildlife held in traps, snares or cable restraint devices may be killed or removed only by the user.
- Furbearer pelts may be possessed, transported, consigned for processing and sold only by the taker from Nov. 15 through Feb. 15. Beaver pelts may be possessed, transported, consigned for processing and sold by the taker from Nov. 15 through April 10.
- Date Change! The Resident Fur Handlers Permit allows trappers from Feb. 16 through June 1 to possess, process, transport and ship pelts they have taken themselves. Pelts sold to fur dealers in Missouri must be fleshed, stretched and dried.
- Bobcats and otters or their pelts must be delivered to an agent of the Conservation Department for registration or tagging before selling, transferring, tanning or mounting by Feb. 15, except otters taken in Zone E must be tagged by March 4. Tagged bobcats, otters or their pelts may be possessed by the taker throughout the year and may be sold only to licensed taxidermists, tanners or fur dealers. It is illegal to purchase or sell untagged bobcats, otters or their pelts. Tagging tip: To make it easier to tag a pelt without damaging it, put a pencil or stick through the upper lip and eye socket before freezing the skin. The tag can be easily placed in those holes when the pelt is registered.
- Restrictions on possession do not apply to tanned pelts, mounted specimens or manufactured products.
- Skinned carcasses of legally taken furbearers may be sold throughout the year.
- To see if trapping is allowed on conservation areas, contact the area manager at the regional office.
Traps:
- may be placed and set for furbearers at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 15 and must be removed by midnight of the last day of trapping season.
- must have smooth or rubber jaws only, and may include foot-hold, Conibear
or
other killing-type, foot-enclosing-type, cage-type, colony traps with openings
no
greater than 6 inches in height and 6 inches wide, snares set underwater
only,
and cable restraint devices. You may not use snares in a dry land set or
pitfalls,
deadfalls or nets. - must be plainly labeled on durable material with the user’s full name and address. Wildlife must be removed or released from traps daily; except for colony and killing-type traps, which must be checked every 48 hours.
- may not be set in paths made or used by people or domestic animals. Killing-type traps may not be set along public roadways, except underwater in permanent waters. Within communities having 10,000 or more inhabitants, only cage-type or foot-enclosing-type traps may be set within 150 feet of any residence or occupied building.
- may be used in conjunction with electronic calls.
Killer or Conibear-type traps:
- with a jaw spread greater than 5 inches may be set underwater, but not in any dry land set.
- with a jaw spread not greater than 8 inches may be set 6 feet or more above ground level in buildings.
- may be used adjacent to public roadways only if set underwater in permanent waters.
Snares must:
- be set underwater.
- have a loop 15 inches or less in diameter when set.
- have a stop device that prevents the snare from closing to less than 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
- made with cable that is between 5/64 inch and 1/8 inch in diameter.
- have a mechanical lock and anchor swivel.
Training required to use cable restraint devices
When used correctly, cable restraint devices hold animals alive and allow trappers to release non-target animals unharmed. The devices can be used to take furbearers from Dec. 15 through Jan. 31 by holders of a Resident Cable Restraint Permit.
To purchase this permit, you must:
- possess a Resident Trapping Permit, unless exempt.
- have successfully completed a cable restraint training course, validated by a certified instructor. For information on the training course, contact a regional office.
- Submit application and permit fee to the Jefferson City administrative office.
Cable restraint devices must:
- be made of stranded steel cable, not greater than 5 feet long (not including extension, with a diameter of not less than 5/64 inch and equipped with a commercially manufactured breakaway rated at 350 pounds or less, a relaxing-type lock, a stop device that prevents it from closing to less than 2 1/2 inches in diameter, and an anchor swivel. Note: Compression-type chokes and other mechanically powered springs are prohibited.
- have a loop size of 12 inches diameter or smaller when set.
- have the bottom of the cable loop set at least 6 inches or greater above the ground.
- be anchored solidly or staked in a location not allowing entanglement.
- be checked daily.
Cable restraint devices must not be:
- capable of extending to within 12 inches of a fence.
- set using a drag.
- set with a kill-pole.
- used within 150 feet of any dwelling or driveway leading to a dwelling.
Possessing, Transporting, Storing Wildlife
You can possess and transport wildlife as part of your personal baggage. It may be stored at your home, camp, place of lodging or in a commercial establishment. If you store wildlife other than deer or turkey taken in Missouri, it must have the owner’s full name, address, permit number, species and the date it was placed in storage. If you transport wildlife, it must have the full name, address and permit number of the taker and the date it was taken. Commercially processed deer must be claimed or stored by the owner by May 1 following the season taken or the owner shall be in violation.
Unless federal regulations prohibit, you may buy, sell or barter feathers, squirrel pelts, rabbit pelts, groundhog pelts, turkey bones, turkey heads, deer heads, antlers, hides or feet. They must be accompanied by a bill of sale showing the seller’s full name, address and the number and species of the parts, and the full name and address of the buyer. Wildlife and wildlife parts, after mounting or tanning, also may be bought and sold.
