Choosing trapping gear

Trapping supplies are the traps and gear used to catch a target species. The same trap that’s legal and effective in one state can be restricted or banned in another. Check local regulations before matching gear to species.

The short answer

Trapping gear is legal-method-specific before it’s species-specific

Species and trap type

Species determines the suitable gear; trap size and type built for one animal can injure or fail to hold a different one.

Legal trap type by jurisdiction

Legal trap type varies by jurisdiction. What’s standard gear one state over can be illegal to set where you are.

Anchoring and legal requirements

Anchoring keeps equipment where you intended it, which matters for both effectiveness and for staying within legal check requirements.

Interval and local rules

Check intervals follow local rules, and those rules exist for animal welfare as much as regulation. Know them before you set the first trap.

What the listings actually show

The current catalog includes 116 trapping supplies from 12 brands. Nearly every listing states species and legal trap type.

Before you buy

Confirm current local regulations before the season, not from memory.