Discover the Challenge of Trapping
 Learning to trap will unlock exciting new opportunities as wildlife conservationists. Regulated trapping helps maintain healthy, abundant wildlife populations, allows habitats to thrive and provide ample food, and keeps a balance between wildlife populations and people.
Every year trappers provide wildlife biologists with valuable data for disease prevention, species management, and population monitoring. Trapping will teach you important problem solving and critical thinking skills to increase self sufficiency and provide you with a highly rewarding new challenge.
Maine is home to one of the longest beaver trapping seasons in the country. This is a privilege earned through generations of responsible and sustainable wildlife management. Thanks to this continued stewardship, our state supports a thriving beaver population, allowing trappers the opportunity to pursue them throughout the fall, winter, and spring.
Each season brings its own unique challenges. As the conditions change, so does beaver behavior. In the fall, we’re targeting beavers with open water sets as they start to prepare their food caches. Once winter arrives, ice starts to form, which requires a shift in tactics. Come spring, depending on where you are in the state, you may find yourself working both open water and under the ice during the same week. To stay effective, a trapper must be able to adjust their strategies and build sets that meet the conditions that are in front of them. Register for one of these Introduction to Beaver Trapping workshops to learn how.
This course is offered at two different dates and locations:
Introduction to Beaver Trapping: A Multi-Season Approach - Brewer
Friday, September 19, 2025 9am-1:30pm
Location: Penobscot County Conservation Association
570 North Main Street Brewer, ME
Introduction to Beaver Trapping: A Multi-Season Approach - Augusta
Saturday, Saturday 20, 2025 9am-1:30pm
Location: Sportsman's Alliance of Maine - Outdoor Center
2273 North Belfast Avenue Augusta, ME
Get Certified with Trapper Education
If you've decided to dive into trapping or are just interested in learning more about how trapping supports wildlife conservation, now is a great time to register for a Trapper Education course.
In these trapper education courses you will learn:
- Safe and humane trapping methods
- Valuable skills for procuring food and fur
- Wildlife management best practices
- Responsible trap setting and animal handling
- Habits and traits of furbearing species
Field exercises are included in this course! Participants will be required to pass a written exam to receive their Trapper Education Certification Card. Once you have completed the course and passed the exam, you will be eligible to purchase your trapping license.
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