What Does the Future Hold for Trapping and Furbearer Management?

Why it Matters: Trapping plays a pivotal role in conservation in the United States that cannot be replicated or replaced effectively. While it may feel like an uphill battle, there are numerous collaborative state, regional, and national efforts that are actively working at multiple levels to protect and advance trapping, predator hunting and their valued place in wildlife management. Trapping remains a critical part of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CSF) mission, and CSF will continue working to ensure that trapping, predator hunting, and furbearer management maintain their position among our shared outdoor sporting heritage and time-honored traditions.

Highlights:

• At a national level, CSF generally saw more anti-trapping, anti-predator hunting, and animal rights legislative efforts than legislation aiming to support the trapping and predator hunting community during the 2023 session.
• It is of the utmost importance that trappers and predator hunters continue to participate in the legislative and regulatory process and educate members of the legislature, state fish and game commissions, outdoor sporting community, and the public to the countless economic, public heath, conservation, and public safety benefits of these activities.
• Without constant engagement and representation, the future of trapping and predator hunting will remain uncertain in many states.

The 2023 legislative session has had its fair share of trials and triumphs for the trapping and predator hunting community. At a national level, we generally saw more anti-trapping, anti-predator hunting, and animal rights legislative efforts than legislation aiming to support the trapping and predator hunting community. However, it was not all doom and gloom, as there were numerous legislative wins for the trapping and predator hunting community with the passage of good legislation and the defeat of bad legislation.

Trapping plays a pivotal role in conservation in the United States that cannot be replicated or replaced effectively. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) continues to work collaboratively with our partners like the National Trappers Association, the Fur Takers of America, and other members of the outdoor sporting community to ensure that trapping and furbearer management maintains its position among our shared outdoor heritage and time-honored traditions.

Below is a broad overview of the legislative and a few top priority regulatory trends that CSF saw nationally that have direct tires to the trapping and predator hunting community. The below summary is meant to give a taste of what CSF saw during the 2023 session to be able to better prepare for what to expect in the coming months and years. It is not meant to be a detailed account of every single bill and regulation in every state in 2023 thus far.

Anti Trends

1. Continued attempts to further restrict trapping and hunting methods, means, and species. This “death by a thousand cuts” approach can come in all shapes and sizes. Below is a breakdown of some of the more common ways CSF has seen in which anti-trapping and anti-predator hunting efforts are attempting to restrict access and opportunity.

1. • Trapping bans claiming animal cruelty
   • Trap/snare size reduction
   • Trap/snare type restrictions
   • Trap/snare location restrictions
   • Proximity to dwellings restrictions
   • Trap/snare season reductions
   • Loss if trapping or hunting opportunity due to presence of endangered species and perceived threat
   • Use of dogs and chase seasons restrictions
   • Increasingly burdensome timing of trap check requirements

2. County and/or municipality jurisdiction
3. Anti-interests infiltrating Commissions
4. Wildlife management reform efforts
5. Fur product bans
6. Hunting contest/tournament bans

Pro Themes

1. Right to hunt, fish, and trap constitutional amendments
2. Expansion of methods, means, season, and/or species
3. Protection of trapping data from FOIA requests
4. Increased hunting dog protections
5. Updated wanton waste statute
6. Expansion of Commission authority/purview to address issues related to trapping and predator hunting
7. Trapper education requirements
8. Trapping reciprocity and expanded options for fur buyer licensees

While it may feel like an uphill battle, there are numerous collaborative state, regional, and national efforts that are actively working at multiple levels to protect and advance trapping, predator hunting and their valued place in wildlife management. It is of the utmost importance that trappers and predator hunters continue to participate in the legislative and regulatory process and educate members of the legislature, state fish and game commissions, outdoor sporting community, and the public to the countless economic, public heath, conservation, and public safety benefits of these activities. Without constant engagement and representation, the future of trapping and predator hunting will remain uncertain in many states.