Washington Trapping Laws

[skippy3031]

Im a trapper currently living in the midwest, but i'll be moving to washington this coming summer as thats were my wife is from and she misses home. Anyways i found this forum and was reading thru it and found out that you can only legally use cage traps in washington. I reread it 4 or 5 times in hope that i was missing something, but after further investigation it appears that is correct. Thats a real disappointment, i'm a big fan of bridger coil spring traps. Oh well enough complaining, i will just have to adapt. I think im gonna go ahead and get some cage traps now so i can get use to using them and then be ready for next year. So i have a couple dumb questions. First, how do you dispatch the animal once you have it in the cage? Just shoot it thru the cage with a .22 or try and get it out, then shoot it? Also, do you have problems of cages getting stolen when trapping on puplic land? I currently trap on all public land and will be doing the same in washington. Thanks and sorry this so long.

[rasbo]

Im a trapper currently living in the midwest, but i'll be moving to washington this coming summer as thats were my wife is from and she misses home. Anyways i found this forum and was reading thru it and found out that you can only legally use cage traps in washington. I reread it 4 or 5 times in hope that i was missing something, but after further investigation it appears that is correct. Thats a real disappointment, i'm a big fan of bridger coil spring traps. Oh well enough complaining, i will just have to adapt. I think im gonna go ahead and get some cage traps now so i can get use to using them and then be ready for next year. So i have a couple dumb questions. First, how do you dispatch the animal once you have it in the cage? Just shoot it thru the cage with a .22 or try and get it out, then shoot it? Also, do you have problems of cages getting stolen when trapping on puplic land? I currently trap on all public land and will be doing the same in washington. Thanks and sorry this so long.

lets see some of your pics from trapping.....and any pics of your sets?How did dispatch your  animals

[3nails]

 Pop them right through the cage. But now that you mention it it might be a fun little rodeo to open the door and see what happens. I've never had one stolen yet. What part of WA.?

[skippy3031]

I don't have any photos, but ill see about using my dads camera this weekend and getting some photos of my sets and hopefully i'll get some coyotes and few foxes. This is only my second season of trapping, I do all land sets, mainly the dirt hole set. I shoot them with a .22

[skippy3031]

Thanks 3nails, i figured shooting them right thru the cage was the way to go. Im glad u have never had one stolen. We will be moving to the centalia/chehalis area as thats were my wifes parents and siblings live. We'll probally live in one of the small rual towns in the area as im not a big town kind of guy. I wanted to move somewhere on the north east side of the state because they have more of the weather i perfer, but i told her since she was willing to move to the middle of nowhere in kansas id be willing to give western wa a try.

[Machias]

Well being from Missouri, you're going to hate the trapping here.  Maybe it won't be so bad since you've only trapped for two seasons (I doubt it though since trapping gets in your blood pretty quick!)  I miss running a line so bad.  Yes I get some traps out but it's just not the same.  Cage traps do get stolen, you'll have to be very careful where you set your traps.  They are big, bulky and expensive.  Also the fur on the westside is not always the best, BUT all that whinning aside, it's better than not trapping at all.  Welcome to WA.

[skippy3031]

Yes it does get in ur blood quick, makes it hard to focus at work when all u can think about is trapping. Seems like it would be hard to set up much a trapline, or at least hard to get very far from the truck with all the cages, but what do i know. Im going into it with a good attitude. Also,  i live in western kansas not missouri.

[Machias]

Also,  i live in western kansas not missouri.

I know, I wasn't holding that aginst you!   

Well good luck on your move and make sure you share your trapping and hunting photos with us when you get up here.

[Kain]

Here are the trapping rules and season.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/00769/wdfw00769.pdf

Good luck out here and take lots of pictures to share with the rest of us.. 

[skippy3031]

I know, I wasn't holding that aginst you!   

Well good luck on your move and make sure you share your trapping and hunting photos with us when you get up here

Glad your not holding it against me!
Thanks, i'm definately looking forward to my last winter here, hopefully we will get lots of snow, and then i'll be heading out west hopefully by the end of may before the heat kicks in here.

here are the trapping rules and season

  Thanks!

[trapperguy22]

Skippy,
 I to moved here from the midwest, wheere i could trap. It has taking 6 years but i am now enjoying it live traps are not the best but you do get used to them. i live in napavine so when you get here let me know i will try to help you out with sizes of traps and little things i have learned. I am no expert but i will help you if i can. I also am a receiving agent for north american fur auctions when you need to sell you stuff.

[skippy3031]

Skippy,
 I to moved here from the midwest, wheere i could trap. It has taking 6 years but i am now enjoying it live traps are not the best but you do get used to them. i live in napavine so when you get here let me know i will try to help you out with sizes of traps and little things i have learned. I am no expert but i will help you if i can. I also am a receiving agent for north american fur auctions when you need to sell you stuff

Thanks so much trapperguy22! That would be a great help, i will definately look you up once im there as im sure i'll have lots of questions.

[dayn]

Skippy,
 I to moved here from the midwest, wheere i could trap. It has taking 6 years but i am now enjoying it live traps are not the best but you do get used to them. i live in napavine so when you get here let me know i will try to help you out with sizes of traps and little things i have learned. I am no expert but i will help you if i can. I also am a receiving agent for north american fur auctions when you need to sell you stuff.

Hey trapperguy22,  I'm just down the road in winlock, have you done any colony traps for muskrats?

Been thinking about making some and trying it out.

[trapperguy22]

dayn,
 i have witth a little sucess, i have not found a lot of rat areas yet and i tales just the right spot for the colony traps, but they do work. i have been spending most of my time after beaver and otters this year.

[east cascade]

are colony traps legal in wash. and you know were i can find some used live traps for cats     Packwood

[Humptulips]

Yes, colony traps are legal. Usually a few at the fur sale but that's a little late for this year.

[east cascade]

how you doing bruce this is eric from packwood wonder if you can catch them marten in live traps im sure then could you use a coniber to kill them hope alls well

[Humptulips]

Well, my trapping is pretty much a joke. I'm really making the big money. I caught two beaver this week and broke the tailgate handle on my PU which cost $104.

Mike Matney said he caught marten pretty easily.

Nope not legal to use a conibear for dispatch. Asked about it a few years ago and WDFW said no'