License required:

  • A furbearer license is required of anyone to take or attempt to take furbearers (raccoons, beavers, bobcats, otters, opossums, coyotes, skunks, nutrias) using traps or snares, and when selling the hides, pelts, and meat of furbearers, whether taken by traps, snares, or gun.    
  • A fur dealer and buyer’s license , is required to buy or possess green or dried furbearer pelts for commercial purposes. A fur dealer is any person who solicits business through the mail, or by advertising, or who travels to buy or employs or has other agents or buyers.  

NOTE: A hunting license, is required when hunting (taking or attempting to take by methods other than trapping) furbearing animals.  

Season Dates and Bag Limits:

The following rules apply to lands outside of the wildlife management system. Trapping seasons on wildlife management areas vary from statewide seasons and other WMAs, so carefully review the WMA regulations brochure for the area you're interested in. Locate WMA regulations brochures using WMA Finder.

  • Bobcat and otter may be trapped statewide from Dec. 1 through March 1. No limits.
  • Raccoon, opossum, coyote, beaver, skunk and nutria may be trapped statewide year-round.  No limits.

NOTE: Bobcat hunting (taking or attempting to take by methods other than trapping) is allowed from Dec. 1 through March 31. Find furbearer hunting season dates and bag limits.

Prohibited

  • Taking or possessing mink (all subspecies), red and grey fox, weasel, and round-tailed muskrat.

  • Transporting live captured wild raccoons within, into or from the state, except under FWC authorization.    

     

Equipment Rules:

  • Only live traps and snares (including power snares) are allowed.
  • Use of other types of traps (foothold, body-gripping, or dog-proof raccoon) is prohibited, except under FWC authorization.

  • Live traps and snares must be checked every 24 hours.

     

Tapping Requirements:

  • Bobcat and otter pelts taken to buy or sell the meat or pelts must be tagged with a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-issued CITES tag.
  • Licensed fur buyers and dealers and their agents must tag otter and bobcat pelts immediately upon taking possession of those pelts. CITES tags are also required when transporting pelts of bobcat or otter across state lines.
  • Possessing bobcat and otter pelts is prohibited from April 1 to Nov. 30 unless pelts have been tagged. Tags are distributed to trappers and dealers upon request.
  • To obtain CITES tags, call the FWC at 850-488-5878.
  • Fur dealers are held accountable for the number of tags they are issued and are required to return unused tags by April 15.