Trapping Regulations

Trapping Season: Nov. 1 - Feb. 28

(All furbearer and nuisance species)

Bag & Possession Limits: No daily or season limit

Licenses:

Trapping and Fur Dealer
Licenses may only be purchased at selected MDWFP Office, State Parks, State
Lakes, on-line and by calling 1-800-5GO-HUNT.

Trapping License:

Resident $25.00

Non-Resident $205.00

Fur Dealer's License:

Resident $50.00

Non-Resident $205.00

TRAPPING

General Regulations

A trapping license is required of anyone 16 years of age or
older who traps furbearers (bobcat, mink, muskrat, opossum, otter, raccoon, and
weasel), or nuisance animals (beaver, coyote, fox, nutria, skunks, and wild
hogs) in the State of Mississippi.

Except landowners trapping on land deeded in their name
are not required to be licensed. This
license shall also be required of each assistant or helper 16 years of age or
older employed or used by a trapper.

Trappers are required to have an identification number,
which is registered with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries,
& Parks (MDWFP), attached to ALL traps by a metal tag or permanently
inscribed, etched, or stamped on the trap.
The identification number shall be the MDWFP Customer Number located on
each trapper's hunting or trapping license. Except, persons having been issued
a "Trapper ID Number" prior to July 1, 2012 may use either their MDWFP Customer
ID Number or their previous Trapper ID Number.
Any trap found without a registered identification number will be in
violation and subject to removal by a conservation officer.

• Resident and non-resident Trapping Licenses and Fur Dealer
Licenses may be purchased at any MDWFP Office, State Park, or State Lake,
including 1-800-5GO HUNT, and on-line via the MDWFP Website (www.mdwfp.com).

• A trapping license is required to sell the pelts and/or skins of nuisance animals and furbearers, and may be sold only during the trapping season and for 10 days thereafter, subsequent to other applicable statutes and regulations, to include Mississippi Code Ann. §49-7-13(6).

• Trappers must have permission to trap on any land other
than their own.

• All traps must be attended at least once every 36-hour
period.

• No traps may be placed on or set within 100 feet of any
street or public road. It shall be
unlawful for any person to disturb the traps of another or to take
furbearing/nuisance animals from them unless authorized by the owner. Except, a
municipality or county, or any person who has contracted with a municipality or
county, may place or set only snare traps within one hundred (100) feet of any
road or street located within such municipality or county. The governing
authority of the municipality or the board of supervisors of the county shall
make a finding that such placement of snare traps is reasonable and necessary
to protect the public safety by removing fur-bearing and nuisance animals that
threaten the safety of public roads and bridges. Snares shall be submerged at
least fifty percent (50%).

• It is illegal to trap with the aid of bait, recordings of bird or
animal calls, or electrically amplified imitations of calls of any kind.

Liquid scents may be used.

• Lure is allowed for trapping furbearers, beaver, nutria, coyote, skunk, and
fox, provided that no more than two and one-half (2.5) cubic inches of such
lure may be placed or located within twenty (20) feet of any trap. (The lure amount of 2.5 cubic inches is
approximately the volume equivalent of a regulation-sized golfball). All lure within twenty (20) feet of any trap
must be covered and not visible from above.
However, there are no lure restrictions when used inside live-cage type
traps that do not exceed forty-two (42) inches in length, fifteen (15) inches
in width, and twenty (20) inches in height.

• It is unlawful to trap any animal, except beaver, coyote,
fox, nutria, skunk, and wild hogs in any period other than the trapping season
on furbearing animals

• Beaver, coyote, fox, nutria, skunks, and wild hogs are
classified as "nuisance animals" and may be taken year-round on private lands,
and open public lands that have statewide seasons without special regulations
as allowed according to Public Notice LE6-3779 (see Nuisance Wildlife
Regulations pamphlet or Public Notice LE6-3779).

• Fox may be trapped during the closed season on property
owned or leased by the person trapping.

• The carcasses of raccoons, muskrats, and opossums may be
sold for food during the open trapping season and for ten (10) days after the
close of trapping season.

• The holder of an All Game License, Sportsman License, or
Trapping License may sell any part of any nuisance animal year-round.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Annual Trapper
Harvest Survey

• Each trapper is required to complete and return a Trapper
Harvest Survey to the MDWFP annually.
The survey will be provided by the MDWFP, after the trapping season has
concluded, and must be satisfactorily completed and returned. Any trapper failing to return a completed
harvest survey may be denied a trapping license the following year. Trappers are urged to keep accurate records
of their harvests during the season.

Tagging of Otter and Bobcat

Federal regulations which require tagging to account for
harvest of bobcat and river otter are in effect. The Commission requires the tagging of otter and bobcat, to account for harvest of these species, which are subject to
federal export regulations (CITES Tags). Bobcat and river otter harvested in
Mississippi must be CITES tagged prior to shipping or transporting out of Mississippi.

Effective November 2012: It is no longer required to present the
carcass or pelt to the MDWFP in order to purchase CITES tags.

CITES tags (via over-the-counter purchases) are available
for purchase at the following MDWFP locations: Jackson Office, North Region
Office, Central Region Office, South Region Office, Buccaneer State Park,
Clarkco State Park, Hugh White State Park, J. P. Coleman State Park, John Kyle
State Park, Legion State Park, Leroy Percy State Park, Natchez State Park, and Paul
B. Johnson State Park. Tags are $0.25 each. Quantities
at each location may be limited, therefore, it is recommended to call in
advance.

CITES tags (via mail purchases). Please send a request for
the desired number of bobcat and/or otter tags along with a check made payable
to MDWFP. Tags are $0.25 each. Each mail-in request is limited to no more
than 40 total tags. Please allow 5-7
working days for processing.

Send request and check to:

MDWFP

Attn: WL Bureau - CITES Tags

1505 Eastover Dr.

Jackson, MS 39211

FUR DEALING

General Regulations

• Any person, whether a resident or a non-resident of this
state, who is a fur dealer, or who regularly buys furbearing animals from
trappers or hunters, shall be required to obtain a fur dealing license. Licenses may only be purchased at the Jackson
Office, any Regional Office, State Lake, or State Park. Such license shall be valid for one (1) year
from the date of issuance unless suspended or revoked earlier, and it is
renewable upon payment of the fee.

• Dealers or persons who regularly buy furbearing animals
from trappers or hunters are authorized to possess inventories of dried or
stretched furs and skins at any time.
However, dealers or other fur buyers are authorized to buy, transport,
sell, or offer for sale inventories of fur for only ninety (90) days beyond the
close of the trapping season set by the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and
Parks. The Commission may, at its
discretion, extend the 90-day period.

• Persons acquiring fur for the sole purpose of tanning,
dressing, manufacturing, or otherwise preparing finished fur products are
authorized to buy, sell, possess, and transport inventories of fur and finished
fur products at any time for these related purposes.

Special Requirements

• All licensed fur dealers must keep permanent records of
the number and kind of each raw fur, skin, or pelt sold and the name and
address of persons to whom all raw furs, skins, or pelts are sold or consigned.

• Dealers shall be required to maintain accurate records,
and fur houses shall be open to conservation officers upon request for
inspection without warrant. These
records shall be subject to examination and inspection by an agent of the MDWFP
upon request.

• A completed and returned fur dealer survey may be required
from each licensed dealer. The MDWFP
will provide a survey form, if required.

TRAPPERS MUST HAVE PERMISSION TO TRAP ON ANY LAND OTHER THAN THEIR OWN.

FUR SALE INFORMATION:

Contact: Mississippi Trappers Association

ph. 662-413-4191

ph. 601-535-2806

www.mstrappers.org/

MTA FUR SALE DATES:

Annually, on the last Saturday in February

Kosciusko Coliseum

Kosciusko,
Mississippi