Trapping Regulations AND INFORMATION
• Take wild animals by trapping upon the land of another without having in possession written permission issued and dated within the previous year by the landowner or their agent. This restriction does not apply to pub- lic lands on which trapping is not specifically prohibited, including tidelands, marshlands, and any other untitled land. • Remove or disturb any lawfully set trap or remove any furbearing animal from a trap without permission of the trap owner. Statewide Trap Regulations • All traps must have a weather-resistant permanent tag attached with either the trapper’s name and address or the trap- per’s Trapper Identification Number (TIN) and the Commission’s phone number (800- 662-7137). The TIN can be found on your trapping license. • If a trap is placed on the property of another and identified by the TIN, the Commission is required to disclose the identity of the trapper to the landowner upon request. • Unlawful to set or use a trap so that animals or birds will be suspended when caught. • Unlawful to set or use a hook of any sort or type to take wild animals or wild birds. Legal Trap Types • Box/cage traps and colony traps • Conibear™-type traps • Foothold trap • Snares (for beaver only) Conibear ™–type Traps • Must be smooth-edged and without teeth or spikes. • Jaw Spread: » To measure the width and height of a Conibear™-type trap, measure from in- side jaw to inside jaw (Figure 1).
TRAPPING SEASONS SEASON APPLICABLE AREA
Statewide. In addition to this statewide trapping season, coyotes may be taken in counties, areas, and times where fox trapping is allowed by statute. Landowners whose property is or has been damaged or destroyed by beaver may take beaver on their property anytime by any law- ful method without obtaining a permit from the Wildlife Resources Commission. The landowner may obtain assistance from other persons in taking the depredating beaver by giving those persons permission to take beaver on the landowner’s property. Fox trapping is allowed in Clay, Graham, Henderson, Macon and Tyr- rell counties with a daily bag limit of two and a season bag limit of 10. Trappers must have fox tags prior to taking foxes, and the sale of live foxes under this season is prohibited. Visit ncwildlife.gov/foxseasons to see if there is a local fox trapping season in your county.
Oct. 1 – Feb. 28
Jan. 2 – Jan. 23
There is no closed season and no bag limit for trapping nutria east of I-77. Outside of the regulated trapping season shown above, animals can only be trapped under a Depreda- tion Permit. This is a free permit obtained from a Wildlife Enforcement Officer, District Biologist, or Wildlife Control Agent issued when an animal is causing property damage. When trapping under a Depredation Permit, the permit holder must follow all trapping regulations and state laws.
General Information During the regulated trapping season, it is legal in North Carolina to trap: • armadillo
phone, 833-950-0575, using a Visa or Mas- terCard, or you can mail your request along with the fee to: NCWRC, Bobcat/Otter/Fox Tags, 1707 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1700. Include your name, address, date of birth and WRC number. *except where local laws do not require fox tagging. • Open or damage a beaver lodge without a per- mit from the Wildlife Resources Commission. • Sell, keep or transfer ownership of any live animals, except foxes or coyotes, which can be sold live by licensed trappers to licensed fox preserves during the applicable trapping season for that species. Live-trapped foxes and coyotes shall not be held for more than 30 days after capture and shall be provided drinking water, food of a type and quantity appropriate for the species, and shelter that protects the foxes and coyotes from direct sunlight and precipitation. Licensed trappers and any individual(s) transporting live foxes and coyotes for live sale shall have a current and valid transportation permit prior to tak- ing possession of the live foxes and coyotes, including removing the animal from the trap. Licensed trappers shall keep accurate written records on a form provided by the Commis- sion for each fox or coyote sold or transferred to a licensed fox preserve • Take red and gray fox except where provided by state or local law. For more information on fox trapping seasons, visit ncwildlife.gov/ foxseasons .
• raccoon • skunk • weasel
• mink • muskrat • nutria • opossum • otter
• beaver • bobcat • coyote • groundhog
Gray and red foxes may only be trapped where provided by state or local law. For more in- formation about fox trapping seasons, visit ncwildlife.gov/foxseasons . Coyotes may be trapped during the statewide regular trap- ping season and during any fox trapping season established by statute or by local law using methods described in statute, even when those seasons open prior to and extend after the regular trapping seasons. Statewide Trapping Restrictions It is unlawful to: • Sell or otherwise transfer ownership of the carcass or pelt of a fox*, bobcat or otter with- out first tagging it with the appropriate tag available from the Wildlife Resources Com- mission. Bobcat and otter tags are free of charge and $2.25 for fox*. Up to 50 bobcat tags and 150 otter tags may be issued per re- quest. You may purchase these tags by tele
Figure 1. To measure the width and height of a Conibear™-type trap, measure from inside jaw to inside jaw.
» On dry land, cannot have a jaw spread greater than 7 ½ inches. » If totally covered by water, it can have an inside jaw spread (width or height) greater than 7 ½ inches and no larger than 26 inches in width and 12 inches in height. » In areas of tidal waters, the mean high water is considered covering water. » In reservoir areas, covering water is the low water level prevailing during the pre- ceding 24 hours.
52 2026–2027
Please note: Major regulation changes appear in RED
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