Needing to know what your state is for Trapper education. Voluntary or mandatory? Opinions welcome also. Thanks guys and gals!

Missouri is voluntary. The Mo. trappers association holds clinics all over the state as well as our wildlife commission.

WI Is mandatory for first time trappers.

Georgia has no TE in place/use.

To get a trapping license in Ohio you either need to have a trapper ed class or show/sign affidavit you've previously held a license or have taken a trapper ed class in another state.

I personally would like to see a mandatory trapper education.
Unfortunately you can't teach common sense. But educating those without may avoid unforseen problems.
On the same note , I'd like to see it made mandatory to take a dog owners education course. Especially for those desiring to take there dogs on public land. Like I said you can teach common sense.
Unfortunately our society seems to progressively be losing it.

Good info and input. Keep it coming.

ND is voluntary. As said above, you can not teach common sense, but lets make it mandatory? I do not really agree with mandatory hunters ed. More laws/rules won't fix anything. Who will teach mandatory classes? Will there be enough volunteers to have enough classes across the state?

PA you have to complete the education course or show that you’ve had prior licenses. There was very little information about trapping on the online course. I learned more at a little Trapping school the PTA offers for free in September. But even that school still doesn’t allow you to get your license. You still have to take the course.

When I first started trapping back in the 60s,you had to buy a license but no course was needed to get it.Now the trapping course is mandatory to get the license.Those like me who already have a license are grandfathered in and don't need the course.I went to the course any way when I took my two sons that wanted their licenses.

Maine is now mandatory for first time trappers.Anyone under 10 years old has to be accompanied by licenced adult or adult that has held a trapping license.Anyone over 10 can trap alone as long as they have taken the trapping course.If not they have to be accompanied by same adult as under 10 years of age.

NYS DEC instituted mandatory trapper education in 1981/1982.

I was a DEC wildlife technician at the time and was
heavily involved in teaching some of the 1st courses
offered to aspiring 1st time trappers.

It was a good, well thought out program back then.

w

It was the late 90s when I took my boys to the course.It was a very well thought out and worthwile course for first time trappers in my opinion.

MS doesn't have a trapper's ed program.

I would be extremely hesitant to support mandatory trappers ed. I think it can really reduce the number of trappers, and that's the last thing we need. It might work IF you could guarantee a class be offered in every county, but that would be hard to pull off.

When I was a kid, I started trapping at the age of 7. I took the mandatory course at 8 years old. Luckily for me, NY held trappers ed classes in all counties back then, so the trip for me to take it was only 5 minutes. Conversely, when I lived in IL, the nearest trappers ed course (also mandatory) was over 2 hours from where I lived. If that had been the case when I was a kid, there's no way I could have attended. My single mom could barely afford gas to go to work, there was no way she could make a 4 hour round trip for me, if the car would have even made it that far, which was doubtful. So either I would have not trapped, or would have trapped illegally. While many people may think nothing of a 2 hour drive, for some people it's a deal breaker.

I've never been to Wyoming but I assume that all the towns are way spread out with hundreds of miles between them in some places. I don't think mandatory trapper's ed would be a good idea there.

Minnesota is mandatory for people born after 1989 if I am not mistaken.

TN is voluntary but the TFHA and the TWRA conduct trapper training classes in parts of the state each year.

Jeff is correct for MN. The course is online through the MN Trapper’s Association and then a field day is required put on by the Association at no charge. We may not have a class in every. County but usually you can find a class that is closer then where you would drive to register your fur.

Michigan is voluntary

Arkansas doesn’t require a class just buy hunting license and get free trappin license

No trapper Ed program in Kentucky.