Trap Types: Current Status and Possible Changes
Regulated trapping is an effective, species-specific and humane way to manage wildlife for the benefit of people and wildlife populations. It can minimize human-wildlife conflicts, reduce impacts from non-native, invasive species, and help protect threatened and endangered species. Trapping also is used for relocating animals to restore populations in areas where conditions are suitable for the species to thrive. In addition, trapping allows for the regulated, sustainable harvest of animals for food and other uses. See an infographic about the uses of regulated trapping.
The FWC is evaluating existing rules and exploring possible changes that would modernize trapping rules to align with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ best management practices in support of effective, species-specific, humane trapping methods. Modern trapping practices and equipment prioritize animal welfare and are based on decades of scientific research and a commitment to providing trapper education. The following information shows Florida's current rules for the various types of traps as well as possible changes.
General Rules
Rules not related to any specific trap type.
General Rules
Check Times
- Traps must be inspected at least once every 24 hours
- Nuisance wildlife must be relocated or humanely killed off-site within 24 hours following capture
Remote Monitoring Requirements
- Remote inspection is not currently allowed
Registration Requirements
- No trapper registration is currently required
Education Requirements
- Taking the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ North American Basic Trapper Course is encouraged but not required
Reporting Requirements
- Limited data is collected from trappers
Live Bait
- Currently allowed
Check Times
- Traps being physically monitored must be inspected at intervals not exceeding 24 hours
- No captured animal shall remain in a trap longer than 24 hours
- Traps must be checked no later than 12 hours after a trapper becomes aware of a captured animal in a trap
- Nuisance wildlife must be relocated or humanely killed off-site within 12 hours following physical inspection of a trap containing wildlife
Remote Monitoring Requirements
- Remote inspection will be allowed and must include the use of an electronic device that, at a minimum, provides a real-time image of the entire trap every 12 hours to the trapper
- When a trapper is aware of any captured animal by remote inspection, the trap must be physically inspected no later than 12 hours from notification
- In the event of device failure, the trapper must physically inspect the trap within 24 hours of the last image provided by the device or the last physical inspection of the trap, whichever occurs more recently
Registration Requirements
- Must have a no-cost Wildlife Trapping Permit
Education Requirements
- Anyone setting or checking a foothold or foot enclosed trap, body-gripping, cage, corral, or cable restraint traps to take wildlife shall have successfully completed a trap-specific course and the FWC's trapping rules course
Reporting Requirements
- Anyone setting or checking foothold traps is required to maintain a daily log and submit an annual report (due April 1 of each year) containing the following information:
- Trap types and numbers used
- Types and numbers of species captured
- General location (i.e., county)
- Disposition of captured animals
- Purpose for trapping
- Date traps were set
Live Bait
- Not allowed
Deviations
- Deviations from rule would be allowed in very limited, specific circumstances by additional permit and only issued to a government entity or property owner with a Commission-approved state or federal wildlife conservation program management plan
Trap Types
Foothold or Foot Enclosed
Devices designed to capture and hold an animal alive by the foot
Foothold
Status
- Allowed only by special use permit provided under rule
- Special use permit eligibility is limited to certain situations, consistent with FWC guidelines
Where Allowed
- Specified by permit
Trap Requirements
- Permit specific to include target species, location, duration, and reporting
- Traps must meet Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' best management practices criteria and foothold traps must have offset or padded jaws
Status
- Would be allowed by rule (see requirements below)
Where Allowed
- Land
- Shall not be set within 300 feet of:
- A structure used as a residence or business, unless granted written permission by the structure owner or lessee
- A federal, state or county-maintained road, sidewalk, campground, picnic area, trail, boat ramp, or observation area, unless being set to capture wildlife posing a risk to airport operation safety
- The legal property boundary where the trap is set, unless granted written permission by the adjacent landowner or lessee (this restriction does not apply to properties of 10 acres or more)
- Shall not be set within 30 feet of a carcass
- Must be anchored to ground or on a drag
- If set near water, it must be anchored so that the captured animal cannot drown
- Shall not be set in such a way that the captured animal or restraint device could become entangled in another trap, another captured animal, or any part of a fence (except for woven wire fences with manufactured openings no greater than 7 inches)
- Exceptions to fence:
- Airports
- Accredited captive wildlife facilities
- FWC-licensed game farm
- FWC-licensed hunting preserve
- Exceptions to fence:
Trap Requirements
- Foothold trap maximum jaw spread is limited to 5.75”
- Foothold traps must have smooth, offset jaws with at least a three sixteenths of an inch gap when the trap is closed or have manufacturer-installed padded jaws
- Foot-enclosing traps may have an opening up to 1.75" in diameter and must have a pull trigger only.
- An exception to the size and placement requirements would be allowed by a Beaver Foothold Trap Permit for capturing beavers causing a nuisance
- This permit will only be issued when other legal traps for beavers have been shown to be unsuccessful and when other non-target animals that could be captured by the device have not been documented in the proposed trapping area
- The permit allows for use foothold traps up to 7.25" and requires a submergence set
Purpose
- Provides clarity on allowed uses
- Limiting maximum jaw spread and requiring a three sixteenths of an inch gap when the trap is closed or have manufacturer-installed padded jaws on foothold traps reduces injury to captured wildlife
- Limiting opening on foot enclosed trap reduces unintended (nontarget) animal captures
- This trap type could be used by all those who have registered and completed the required training
Body Gripping
Devices designed to close on an animal’s head, neck, or torso and quickly kill it
Body Gripping
Status
- Allowed only by special use permit provided under rule
- Special use permit eligibility is limited to certain situations, consistent with FWC guidelines
Where Allowed
- Specified by permit
Trap Requirements
- Permit specific to include target species, location, duration, and reporting
- Permits require traps meet Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' best management practices criteria
- Trap must be submerged underwater
Status
- Would be allowed by rule (see requirements below)
Where Allowed
- Water only
- Shall not be set within 300 feet of:
- A structure used as a residence or business, unless granted written permission by the structure owner or lessee
- A federal, state or county-maintained road, sidewalk, campground, picnic area, trail, boat ramp, or observation area, unless being set to capture wildlife posing a risk to airport operation safety
- The legal property boundary where the trap is set, unless granted written permission by the adjacent landowner or lessee (this restriction does not apply to properties of 10 acres or more)
- Must have an anchor chain attached to the ground
- Must be fully submerged in water at the time of set
Trap Requirements
- Maximum trap opening cannot exceed 10"
Purpose
- Provides clarity on allowed uses
- Unintended (nontarget) animal captures would be reduced by:
- Limiting trap opening size
- Requiring traps to be submerged underwater at the time of set
- Restricting trap placement would reduce landowner/user conflicts
- This trap type could be used by all those who have registered and completed the required training
Snare
Status
- Allowed by rule
Where Allowed
- Land or water
Status
- Rule would prohibit snares that do not comply with the new requirements for cable restraints (see Cable Restraint below)
- The Wild Hog Foot Snare Permit will only be issued when other legal traps for hogs have been shown to be unsuccessful and when other non-target animals that could be captured by the device have not been documented in the proposed trapping area
- Snares under this permit must comply with the requirements of cable restraints with the exceptions they will not be required to have a minimum catch loop stop, relaxing lock, or breakaway device
Purpose
- Use of cable restraints that comply with the new requirements would:
- Improve animal welfare by reducing injuries
- Reduce unintended (nontarget) animal captures and allow for the unharmed release or escape of nontarget animals
- Allow for live restraint
Cable Restraint
Metal stranded cable devices consisting of a loop and relaxing lock designed to capture and hold an animal alive by a part of the body
Cable Restraint
Status
- Allowed by rule
Status
- Would be allowed by rule (see requirements below)
Where Allowed
- Land
- Shall not be set within 300 feet of:
- A structure used as a residence or business, unless granted written permission by the structure owner or lessee
- A federal, state or county-maintained road, sidewalk, campground, picnic area, trail, boat ramp, or observation area, unless being set to capture wildlife posing a risk to airport operation safety
- The legal property boundary where the trap is set, unless granted written permission by the adjacent landowner or lessee (this restriction does not apply to properties of 10 acres or more)
- Shall not be set within 30 feet of a carcass
- Shall not be set in such a way that the captured animal or restraint device could become entangled in another trap, another captured animal, any part of a fence (except for woven wire fences with manufactured openings no greater than 7 inches), pole, or rooted woody vegetation greater than 0.5” in diameter
- Exceptions to fence:
- Airports
- Accredited captive wildlife facilities
- FWC-licensed game farm
- FWC-licensed hunting preserve
- Exceptions to fence:
- An exception to the setback requirements would be allowed by Coyote Cable Restraint Trap Permit for the use of powered cable restraints, commonly called “Collarums®,” in urban areas for trapping coyotes that are creating a nuisance
- The Coyote Cable Restraint Trap Permit will only be issued when other legal traps for coyotes have been shown to be unsuccessful and when other non-target animals that could be captured by the device have not been documented in the proposed trapping area
Trap Requirements
- Must consist of:
- A relaxing lock
- An inline swivel
- Stops that limit the minimum and maximum loop sizes to approximately 3” and 11”
- A 285 lbs. or less breakaway device in 7x7, 7x19, or 1x19 stranded metal cable and cannot exceed 6’ in length
- 1/8” diameter cable or less
Purpose
- Provides clarity/transparency on allowed uses
- Cable restraint features would:
- Improve animal welfare by reducing the possibility of animals being injured or killed while in the trap
- Reduce the chance of unintended (nontarget) animal captures
- Design characteristics that would make it a live capture tool
- Restricting trap placement would reduce:
- Unintended (nontarget) animal captures
- Injury or drowning of captured animal
- Landowner/user conflicts
Corral
Fully open-topped devices designed to capture an animal and hold it alive
Corral
Status
- Allowed by rule
Where Allowed
- Land
Status
- Would be allowed by rule (see requirements below)
Where Allowed
- Land
Trap Requirements
- Rule would require that corral traps have a fully open top
- Overhang of 1 foot and jump bars would be allowed
- Must not exceed side wall height of 68 inches
Purpose
- Provides clarity/transparency on allowed uses
- Requiring a fully open top would improve species selectivity by providing an exit for nontarget animals
Cage
Fully enclosed devices designed to capture an animal and hold it alive
Cage
Status
- Allowed by rule
Where allowed
- Land or water
Status
- Would be allowed by rule (see requirements below)
Where Allowed
- Land
Trap Requirements
- Cage trap door cannot be larger than 20" in width and 28" in height - no restriction on cage width, height, or length
- Cage traps with doors larger than the dimensions above will be allowed only if they are equipped with remote monitoring and triggering mechanisms or are modified to have a 24” by 24” or 30” diameter opening on the top of the trap
- All other cage traps not meeting the door dimensions, remote monitoring/triggering requirements, or modification above will be phased out 3 years after the rule goes into effect
Purpose
- Provides clarity on allowed uses
- Smaller cage door sizes or modification to tops of cage traps compared to what is currently allowed would reduce the chance of unintended (non-target) animal captures or allow non-targets to escape if captured
Glue Trap
Any device using natural or synthetic adhesive typically applied to cardboard, plastic trays, or similar material designed to catch and hold an animal alive, excluding devices designed to capture flies
Glue
Status
- Allowed by rule
Where Allowed
- Land
Status
- Would not be allowed outdoors by rule (see requirement below)
Where Allowed
- Inside an enclosed building or conveyance
Purpose
- Provides clarity on allowed uses
- Reduces unintended (nontarget) captures
- Improves animal welfare