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Trapping Laws & Rules
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Index
- Trapping License Information
- Definitions and Descriptions
- General Trapping Regulations
- Regulations for Specific Types of Traps
- Killer-Type (Conibear) Trap Rules
- Trap Tending Laws
- Landowner Permission Requirements
- Regulations for Specific Species
- Biological Samples
- Lynx Protection and Trap Restrictions
- Tagging Requirements
- Bear Trapping
- Beaver Trapping Closures
- Identifying Rare Mammals
- Fur Tagging Stations
- Reminders for the 2025-2026 Season
- Trapping Seasons
- Wildlife Management Districts
Reminders for the 2025-2026 Season
Beaver Trapping Closures: View an updated list of open and closed areas to beaver trapping here.
Spring Otter: All otter trapped during the spring beaver season (January-April) must be tagged within 10 days of harvesting the animal. Remember that IFW staff must tag otter and bobcat.
Trap Identification: You can now label your trap set with either the trapper's full name and address OR MOSES ID.
Jaw/Tooth Sample Requirement: Trappers and hunters must submit a lower jaw or canine tooth for fisher, marten, and river otter and a lower jaw, canine tooth, or lateral incisor tooth and meat sample for bobcat at the time of fur registration . Partial jaws are not acceptable because they have resulted in too many broken canines over the past several years. Learn more about biological samples.
Mandatory Trapper Harvest Reports: Fall and Spring Harvest Reports are due for all licensed trappers 16 years and older, by January 31 and May 31, even if a trapper did not trap. Complete your surveys online or view instructions (PDF)
New this year, please report weasels by species. Short-tailed weasels (ermine) have a tail length that is typically less than half their body length (including head) and long-tailed weasels have a tail longer than half their body length.
Trap Restrictions to Protect Lynx: Canada lynx are a federally listed Threatened Species. There is no open season for the trapping or hunting of lynx in Maine. To protect lynx and to help Maine trappers avoid accidentally taking lynx, the Department has delineated a lynx protection zone in northern Maine where special regulations are in effect. Learn about the lynx protection zone and trap restrictions here. Two recent updates to requirements for exclusion devices:
- When there is a joint, there must be a secure attachment point on two opposite sides of the device to ensure the device does not separate when set.
- The trap must be securely anchored independent of the exclusion device. Learn more.
2026-2027 Trapping Seasons
Beaver trapping season dates as well as open and closed areas are subject to change annually.
| Season | Area | Season Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Early Raccoon, Fox & Coyote | Statewide | October 18, 2026 - October 31, 2026 |
| Early Muskrat | WMDs 1-6 & 9-11 | October 25, 2026 - October 31, 2026 |
| Beaver | WMDs 1-4 | October 18, 2026 - April 30, 2027 |
| WMDs 5, 6 & 8-11 | October 25, 2026 - April 30, 2027 | |
| WMDs 7 & 12-29 | October 25, 2026 - April 15, 2027 | |
| Bear | Statewide | September 1, 2026 - October 31, 2026 |
| General Trapping (bobcat, coyote, fisher, fox, mink, muskrat*, opossum, otter, raccoon, red squirrel, marten, skunk, weasel) | Statewide | November 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026 |