Furbearer Trapping

Trapping Regulations

Furbearing mammals in Indiana include beaver, coyote, gray fox, red fox, long-tailed weasel, mink, muskrat, opossum, raccoon, and striped skunk.

You must have a valid Indiana trapping license to set traps.

Traps must be checked and animals removed at least one time every 24 hours with the following exception: Traps that are designed to capture and kill the animal as a result of submerging the animal in water or crushing or asphyxiating the animal must be checked at least one time every 48 hours. The DNR recommends checking every trap within 24 hours.

Traps may be set at any distance from openings to tile drains or entrances to beaver or muskrat lodges. Tree-climbing equipment may not be used as an aid in removing wild animals from trees. The use of motor-driven watercraft is permitted for purposes of setting or checking trap lines.

There are no daily bag or possession limits, except for river otters.

Furbearers (except for raccoons, foxes, and coyotes that can be retained alive) and river otters that are trapped must either be released into the wild in the county in which they were captured within 24 hours of capturing the animals or be euthanized immediately after removal from the trap or immediately upon transporting from the trap site.

Trapper Education

The DNR offers trapper education courses that describe basic methods for trapping furbearers, handling the catch, and the responsibilities of the trapper.

To find information on classes in your area, go to register-ed.com/programs/Indiana.

Body Gripping Traps

A person must not take a wild animal with a Conibear, Dahlgren, Bigelow, or other body-gripping trap on land if the widest inside jaw-spread measured at the horizontal center of the trap’s jaws (Figure 1) and the widest horizontal inside jaw-spread measured at the vertical center of the trap’s jaws (Figure 2) is:

1. Larger than 7.5 inches if square or
2. Larger than 8 inches if round

Otherwise, when set, at least 50% of the opening of the trap must be submerged in water.

Snares

It is only legal to use a snare to trap a wild animal on land you own or with the written permission of the landowner. The maximum legal circumference for snare loops is 15 inches, unless at least half of the snare loop is covered by water or if the snare employs a relaxing snare lock. A relaxing snare lock allows the snare loop to loosen slightly to reduce the possibility of strangulation. Regulations on snare size and lock are designed to prevent accidental loss of domestic animals.

Box Traps

Furbearers may be captured in box traps used on land or underwater.

Foothold Traps

It is illegal to use a foothold trap with saw-toothed or spiked jaws. It is illegal to take a wild animal with a foothold trap if the widest inside jaw-spread measured perpendicular to the trap’s base plate and the inside width between the trap’s hinge posts (both measurements) is greater than 5¾ inches and less than or equal to 6½ inches, unless the jaws of the trap have at least a 1⁄8-inch offset, the gap of the offset is filled with securely attached rubber pads, or the trap is completely covered by water.

Securely attached rubber pads are those attached with bolts or rivets. The trap’s hinge posts must be maintained at a 90-degree angle to the trap’s base plate. It is illegal to take a wild animal with a foothold trap on land if the widest inside jaw-spread measured perpendicular to the trap’s base plate and the inside width between the trap’s hinge posts is greater than 6½ inches.

It is illegal to set or place a stake, chain, drag, or another portion of a trap that is designed to take a wild animal, except during a season established for trapping that wild animal.

Measuring Your Foothold Trap

1. Measure the widest inside jaw spread perpendicular to the trap’s base plate as in Figure 3 and circle the measurement (or closest measurement) in Column 1.
2. Measure the inside width between the trap’s hinge posts as in Figure 4 and circle the measurement (or closest measurement) in Column 2.
3. If both measurements fall in Box 1, then the trap can have standard jaws (offset jaws are not required).
4. If either measurement falls in Box 2, then the jaws of the trap must have at least a 1⁄8 inch offset or the gap of the offset can be filled with securely attached rubber pads. “Securely attached” means with bolts or rivets, not tape.
5. If either measurements fall in Box 3, then the trap must be completely covered by water.