New York Trapping Season Dates, Rules & Pelt Sealing

To trap legally in New York, you need a Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) trapping license, which costs $20 for most resident adults, and you have to follow the state’s rules on New York trapping regulations covering seasons, trap sizes, check intervals, and mandatory pelt sealing for certain species. The rules vary by Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) and by whether you’re setting on land or in water, so the details below matter before you set your first trap of the season.

Who Needs a License and What It Costs

Anyone 12 or older who sets traps for furbearing animals in New York needs a DEC trapping license. Annual licenses run from September 1 through August 31.¹ Current fees:

Resident, ages 16–69: $20
Resident, age 70 and older: $5
Resident, ages 12–15: $5
Non-resident, age 16 and older: $275
Non-resident, ages 12–15: $5

Children under 12 can’t hold a license, but they can accompany and assist a licensed trapper with at least three years of experience through the DEC’s trapper mentoring program.²

Two groups are exempt. Resident landowners primarily engaged in farming, along with their lessees and immediate family members, don’t need a license to trap on farmland they occupy and cultivate. Native Americans living and trapping on reservation land are also exempt.¹

Trapper Education Requirement

First-time applicants have to complete a Trapper Education Course before buying a license. In-person courses are free and cover trapping techniques, safety, regulations, and pelt preparation. Residents can also take the course online.³

What You Can Trap, and What You Can’t

New York allows trapping of 14 furbearing species: beaver, bobcat, coyote, fisher, marten (pine marten), mink, muskrat, opossum, river otter, raccoon, red fox, gray fox, skunk, and weasel. Each species has its own open season, and the dates vary by Wildlife Management Unit to reflect local population conditions. Seasons generally open in the fall and close in winter or spring.⁴

Two species that look tempting to a casual observer are completely off-limits. The Canada lynx is listed as threatened in New York and is protected under Environmental Conservation Law section 11-0535 and 6 NYCRR Part 182.⁵ Wolves have been documented in the state on rare occasions and are fully protected as well. Because wolves and coyotes can look similar, DEC advises trappers to use care when identifying large canids.⁴ Taking a protected species, accidentally or otherwise, can result in equipment forfeiture and criminal charges.

A marten trapping permit is required in certain regions and must be obtained by contacting the DEC Region 5 Wildlife Office. Some Wildlife Management Units also issue controlled permits for beaver and river otter through an in-person lottery.⁴

Trap Size and Placement Rules

New York regulates three categories of traps: leg-gripping (foothold) traps, body-gripping traps, and cage or box traps. The size and placement rules are specific, and getting them wrong is one of the fastest routes to a violation.

Leg-Gripping (Foothold) Traps

Maximum jaw spread is 5¾ inches. The one exception: traps up to 7¼ inches may be used when set under water during the open season for beaver or otter. No leg-gripping trap may have teeth on its jaws, and no trap may be set in a way that would leave the animal suspended.⁶

Body-Gripping Traps

Body-gripping traps used on land can’t exceed 7½ inches. Larger sizes are allowed only in water sets during beaver or otter season. Teeth on the jaws are prohibited, and no body-gripping trap may suspend the captured animal.

Placement rules on land depend on bait:

Baited traps 5½ inches or larger must be placed at least four feet above ground level, or inside a container that restricts the trap opening to prevent non-target captures.
Unbaited traps over 6 inches are prohibited on land entirely.
Unbaited traps between 5½ and 6 inches must be positioned so that no part of the body-gripping surface sits eight inches or more above the ground.

The two rules for 6-inch body-gripping traps run in opposite directions. A baited 6-inch trap has to go at least four feet up; an unbaited 6-inch trap has to stay below eight inches. Confusing them is a common source of violations.⁶

Cage or Box Traps

Cage or box traps fully enclose the captured animal in a wood, wire, plastic, or metal structure. They’re classified as restraining traps and are commonly used in suburban settings because they’re non-lethal and reduce the risk of catching pets or non-target animals.⁶

How Often You Must Check Traps

In the Southern Zone, all traps set for wildlife must be visited once every 24 hours. The Northern Zone is more complicated: certain WMUs (including 5A, 6A, 6C, 6G, 6H, and 6K) require 24-hour checks for restraining traps like foothold, cage, and box traps, while other areas and trap types follow different intervals.⁶ If you’re trapping in the Northern Zone, confirm the interval for your specific WMU before you set a line. It’s not uniform.

Where You Can Set Traps

Trapping is allowed on many state-owned lands, including Wildlife Management Areas, State Forests, and portions of the Adirondack and Catskill Parks. Some areas require special use permits, particularly in high-traffic zones, and some public lands have designated no-trapping areas to protect sensitive habitats. Two setback rules apply statewide on public land: you may not set a trap on a public road, and body-gripping traps set on land can’t be placed within 100 feet of a public trail, except on Wildlife Management Areas where different rules apply.⁷ Check with your regional DEC office for the specific rules where you plan to trap.

On private property, you need the landowner’s permission. Written consent isn’t legally required, but getting it in writing avoids disputes. Trapping without permission exposes you to trespassing charges under New York Penal Law 140.05, which classifies simple trespass as a violation.⁸ If you entered with intent to commit an additional offense, the charge can escalate to criminal trespass, a misdemeanor or felony depending on the circumstances. Landowners can set conditions on your trapping, such as limiting the number of traps or restricting certain areas. If your traps injure livestock or domestic animals, you can face civil liability, so keep sets well away from barns, pastures, and kennels.

Pelt Sealing and the 10-Day Deadline

Four species require pelt sealing in New York: bobcat, fisher, marten, and river otter. Whether you trapped or hunted the animal, you must complete a furbearer possession tag and bring the pelt or unskinned animal to a DEC regional office for sealing within 10 days after the close of the trapping season in the WMU where the animal was taken.⁴⁹ At the appointment, a DEC representative collects your possession tag and attaches a permanent plastic seal to the carcass or pelt.

DEC also collects information on accidentally taken bobcat, otter, fisher, or marten. If the animal is dead, a biologist will want the carcass. Contact your Regional Wildlife Office or an Environmental Conservation Officer as soon as possible after an accidental catch. Trappers working under special permits may also be asked to submit carcasses or skulls so biologists can assess age, reproductive rates, and population health.

Selling or Shipping Pelts Out of State

State rules aren’t the whole picture if you sell pelts. The federal Lacey Act makes it illegal to transport, sell, or acquire wildlife in interstate or foreign commerce if the animal was taken in violation of state law, and any container or package holding wildlife shipped across state lines must be clearly marked and labeled according to federal regulations.¹⁰ False records or labels are a separate federal offense. Felony violations can carry up to five years in prison and fines up to $250,000 for individuals. Even legally taken pelts can create federal exposure through sloppy paperwork.

Exporting bobcat or river otter skins internationally requires compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Each pelt must have a U.S. CITES tag permanently attached through the skin and locked in place, showing the US-CITES logo, an abbreviation for the state of harvest, a standard species code, and a unique serial number. Pelts without a permanently attached tag cannot be exported. Replacement tags are available from the state of harvest or from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement with documentation that the fur was legally acquired. Finished fur products, as opposed to raw pelts, don’t require CITES tags.¹¹

Penalties for Violations

Environmental Conservation Officers actively patrol trapping areas and run compliance checks. Trapping without a valid license can result in fines and revocation of future trapping privileges.¹² More serious violations, such as illegally taking big game or protected species, are classified as misdemeanors under Environmental Conservation Law 71-0921, with penalties that vary by offense. Illegal taking of big game outside the open season or with artificial light, for example, carries fines of $500 to $3,000 and up to one year in jail.¹³ Repeat offenders and those using prohibited methods face enhanced consequences, including confiscation of traps and equipment. A Lacey Act felony conviction stacks federal exposure on top: up to five years in prison and fines up to $250,000.¹⁰

Disease and Handling Safety

Furbearers in New York carry a range of zoonotic diseases, including rabies, tularemia, and leptospirosis. Tularemia can penetrate bare skin through small cuts or abrasions you may not notice. Never handle a dead or injured wild animal with bare hands. Wear heavy rubber or nitrile gloves when skinning, and wash your hands thoroughly after any animal contact to keep pathogens away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. Be wary of animals that behave abnormally: a raccoon or fox that shows no fear of humans may be rabid.¹⁴ If a potentially rabid animal is in one of your traps, don’t try to handle it. Contact your regional DEC office or local animal control for guidance on safe dispatch and disposal.

1
Department of Environmental Conservation. Trapping Licenses
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Department of Environmental Conservation. Opportunities for Junior Hunters and Trappers
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Department of Environmental Conservation. Hunter Education Program Courses and Certifications
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Department of Environmental Conservation. Trapping Seasons
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Department of Environmental Conservation. Species Assessment for Canadian Lynx
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Cornell Law School. New York Comp Codes R and Regs Tit 6 6.3 – General Regulations for Trapping
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Department of Environmental Conservation. Trapping Regulations
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New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 140.05 – Trespass
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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Furbearer Possession Tag and Pelt Sealing Instructions
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 16 US Code 3372 – Prohibited Acts
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eCFR. 50 CFR 23.69 – How Can I Trade Internationally in Fur Skins
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New York State Senate. New York Environmental Conservation Law 11-1209
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New York State Senate. New York Environmental Conservation Law 71-0921 – Misdemeanors
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NCBI Bookshelf. Preventing and Living With Zoonoses