2012 - 2013 Trapping Season Dates

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Trapping Regulations

Except for river otters, there are no restrictions on bag limits.

All traps and snares must be checked and all animals removed every 24 hours.

All furbearers shall be killed immediately and reduced to the person’s possession.

All flesh baits must be totally covered.

Foothold traps set on land must be covered.

Foothold traps set on land shall not have an inside diameter jaw spread greater than 5-5/8 inches.

Body gripping traps set on land, or in a tile, den, or burrow on land shall not have an inside diameter jaw spread greater than 5 inches in diameter.

Body gripping traps with an inside diameter jaw spread greater than 5 inches but less than 7 inches must be set in water; those with a jaw spread greater than 7 inches must be completely submerged in water.

Except for cage traps, no traps or snares may be set within 150 feet of another person’s occupied residence without advising the resident.

No person shall disturb a trap or snare or remove a furbearing animal from a trap or snare of another person without permission.

Traps with teeth in the jaws are prohibited.

Deadfalls are illegal.

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First-Time Trappers

All first-time trappers, except apprentice license buyers, must successfully complete a hunter and a trapper education course offered through the Division of Wildlife before purchasing a hunting license and fur taker permit to trap furbearers.

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You CANNOT do the following:

1. Pursue, hunt, trap or snare furbearing animals between sunset and sunrise without use of a continuous white light visible for at least a 1/4 mile. However, persons hunting fox, coyote, or raccoon with a call from a stationary position may use a continuous single beam light of any color. When two or more people are hunting or trapping together for these animals only one light is required and can be carried by any member of the party.

2. Use or possess climbers, or any other device, except climbing tree stands, that can be used for climbing trees while hunting, trapping or pursuing furbearing animals.

3. Set, use, or maintain a trap or snare to take a wild animal, unless that trap or snare has attached to it a durable, waterproof tag bearing the name and mailing address or the unique Division of Wildlife customer I.D. number of the user in English letters that are legible at all times, or which has the name and mailing address or the unique Division of Wildlife customer I.D. number of the user stamped into the trap in English letters that are legible at all times.

4. Set, maintain, or use a trap or snare in or upon any cart or wagon road, or in or upon any path ordinarily used by domestic animals or human beings.

5. Attach a snare to a drag. Snares must be staked or otherwise attached to an immovable object.

6. Set, use or maintain a snare on public hunting areas, except for beaver and river otter (see Beaver and River Otter Trapping regulations).

7. Use any snare constructed of any material other than multi-strand or single-strand steel cable.

8. Set a snare with a loop diameter of more than 15 inches.

9. Have attached to a snare any spring loaded or mechanical device to assist the snare in closing.

10. Set, use, or maintain any snare that does not comply with the requirements listed above.

11. Set traps on state public hunting areas, including state parks and state forestsm for a beaver or river otter without a permit (see Beaver and River Otter Trapping on Public Hunting Areas).

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You CAN do the following:

1. Set, use, and maintain snares for the purpose of taking furbearing animals. All snares must have a relaxing lock and a stop to prevent the opening of the snare from closing to a diameter of less than 2 1/2 inches in diameter, or a relaxing lock system with a breaking point of not greater than 350 pounds.
2. Attach a drag to a foothold trap.
3. Trap coyotes without a fur taker permit. However, anyone hunting, trapping or snaring coyotes must have a valid hunting license.

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Beaver Trapping Regulations

Beaver trapping is permitted within American Electric Power’s recreation area, known as ReCreation Land, Avondale Wildlife Area, and Conesville Coal Lands, with a special beaver trapping permit, which is in addition to the normal user’s permit. This special beaver trapping permit is issued from the AEP Land Management Office in McConnelsville, Ohio. Beaver trapping on state public hunting areas, including state parks and state forests, without a special beaver trapping permit from the Division of Wildlife is prohibited.

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River Otters

A publication (Publication 88, River Otter Trapping Regulations) detailing all trapping and tagging requirements for Ohio’s river otter trapping season will be available at all wildlife district offices and the Internet, or call 1-800-WILDLIFE to obtain a copy.

Otter trapping on state public hunting areas without a special beaver/otter trapping permit from the Division of Wildlife is prohibited.

Open counties for trapping river otters are: Adams, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Coshocton, Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Gallia, Geauga, Guernsey, Harrison, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Mahoning, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Portage, Richland, Ross, Scioto, Stark, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Vinton, Washington, and Wayne counties (see map).

The pelt of each river otter must be checked in with a wildlife officer or taken to a wildlife area headquarters (8 a.m. to 9 a.m. M, W, F or by appointment) or district office during business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) within 72 hours (3 days) of capture. All legally checked otters will receive a CITES tag that allows the pelt to be sold outside Ohio.

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River Otter Bag Limits

No more than three (3) river otters may be taken by any trapper and no more than one (1) river otter may be taken from Zone B.

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Controlled Trapping Opportunities

The Division of Wildlife conducts permitted trapping events for beaver and river otter (where allowed) on publicly-managed areas, where beaver trapping is not otherwise allowed. Participation is determined by random drawings. The application period is September 15 through October 15. Get more information.

In addition, sealed bids will be accepted in September for beaver and otter trapping within the wildlife refuge portions of Killbuck Marsh and Mosquito Creek wildlife areas. For official bid proposal forms and other information contact the Division of Wildlife District Three Office in September at (330) 644-2293.

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Beaver and river otter trapping on state publicly managed areas, including state parks and state forests, without a special beaver and/or river otter trapping permit from the Ohio Division of Wildlife is prohibited. The Ohio Division of Wildlife will allow controlled trapping of beaver and river otter on some of the publicly managed areas. The dates and locations of these permits for trapping may change from year to year. Check wildohio.com or call your nearest district office in early September. In most areas, permits will allow for both river otter and beaver trapping; however, some permits may be limited to beaver only. Snares may be set using these permits. Snares set for beaver or river otter on public hunting areas must have a minimum loop diameter of 10 inches and the bottom of the snare must be covered by at least 1 inch of water at all times.

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