Maryland is mandatory.

Great. Keep em coming. Lot of states left to hear from. Thanks everyone!

Va. Is voluntary
The VTA puts on classes to keep it that way.

just an online course for ks. our district started putting on a trappers Ed last yr and was a great turnout

New Mexico is mandatory, its all online

Voluntary in Michigan, as it should be. We don't need more hoops to jump though to simply trap. Our numbers are already struggling.

Lot of info from AFWA.....down under reports, there is a survey of states from 2016 (page 12 or 13 I beleive) that has a lot of the info you are looking for. A few years old, but might still be useful to you..?


https://www.fishwildlife.org/afwa-inspires/furbearer-management

CT - mandatory.

No clue about Alabama, use to not be mandatory but way the DNR guy run's things here who know's? Laws/regs seem to change each time the wind blows.

Ive got feed back from 20 states. Needing some more please and thankyou!

No mandatory class in Iowa. The ITA and IDNR do put on some beginner training sessions.

To expand on what elsmasho wrote: Pennsylvania has a mandatory Hunter Trapper Education (HTE) course that must be completed before legally obtaining a hunting or furbearer license. The course is a two-day affair or can be taken online for the last several years.

As she mentioned, the trapping portion of the course is cursory at best. At least it was in the five or six I've taken. I take the course along with my kids and grandkids every time one of the becomes old enough to get a hunting/trapping license.

An additional course is required in PA for using cable restraints. I took one with my daughter back when CR's first became legal in this state.

We took our courses at John Epler's shop (Epler Fur Company) and it was a very thorough, hands-on, all-day affair. We both enjoyed it despite it being very cold that day.

Illinois is mandatory, offers an online course. And something I always thought was helpful for what the situations Angela described, was that ITA used to offer a trappers ed. class at their state convention. That way a new trapper could knock out the class, meet with trappers and see actual sets demonstrated. Plus, if I know trappers and trappers associations... walk away with free samples of traps, lures, equipment etc. Our local Fur Takers Chapter 17-I offers a trappers ed. class and has the chapter Fall meet the next day and invites ALL newbies. Driving is a huge limitation as well as fuel costs are for not just kids anymore...throw getting permission in the mix for new trappers and it is VERY TOUGH to get started. Trapping schools like some state associations provide are excellent but require MONEY, people to help and a place to hold the school. It seems no matter how we try to help new trappers we run into obstacles. Just keep trying I guess....

New Jersey is a mandatory in person Trapper Education - separate from Hunter Ed. It was 2 days when I took it, and most still are, but they do sometimes have a 1 day version.

As KYtrapper said, KY doesn't require it but the United Trappers of Kentucky offers some classes that would help a new trapper out but they could be a pretty good drive for some folks and they are only a couple times a year. Based on what KY has done with their hunters education program, I don't really see them ever offering a trappers education program. I think the best avenue for that is through the state associations but I think they need to be more visible to people than what they are in most areas so that people know where to look.

South Dakota does not require it. But we do a trapping course in 10 different county's every year. It was put together by 4-H, Game Fish and Parks and South Dakota State Trappers Association. It is a 3 part class starting with the history of trapping. Then how to use certain kinds of traps. Last is how to put fur up they caught. Classes are limited to 10 kids so they get alot of hands on help. Roughly 100 kids a year go thru the class.

Texas requires a Texas hunter education course for anyone that was born after September 1,1971
Trappers have to have this same education course to trap
Thanks
Bubba Campbell

No mandatory in Nebraska.