General Trapping Restrictions

It is unlawful to:
  • Sell or otherwise transfer ownership of the carcass or pelt of a bobcat or otter without first tagging it with the appropriate tag available from the Wildlife Resources Commission. The fee is $2.20 for each bobcat or otter tag. You may purchase these tags by tele phone, (888) 248-6834, using a VISA or MasterCard credit card, or you can mail your request along with the fee to: NCWRC, Bobcat/Otter Tags, 1707 Mail Service Center, Raleigh,NC 27699-1707. Include your name, address, date of birth and WRC number. NOTE: All bobcat and otter fur must be tagged within 10 days of the close of the applicable season.
  • Open or damage a beaver lodge without a permit from the Wildlife Resources Commission. You should also read the “Game Lands” section of this digest for trapping restrictions on certain game lands.

Trapping Regulations and Information

Trapping seasons are designed to allow the sustainable harvest of furbearers during a time of year when the fur is prime and can be utilized as a renewable natural resource. The trapping season also occurs when the annual rearing of young is past and the young are independent from their parents. That is why you cannot trap outside the regulated trapping season unless an animal is causing damage and you have a depredation permit. 

2011 - 2012 Season Trapping Map

Trapping Seasons

In and east of Hertford, Bertie, Martin, Pitt, Green, Lenoir, Duplin, Pender and New Hanover counties.

It is legal in North Carolina to trap armadillo, beaver, coyote, groundhog, mink, muskrat, nutria, opossum, otter, raccoon, skunk, weasel and bobcat during this trapping season. In addition, it is legal to trap coyotes during any fox-trapping season.

Note: This season does not include foxes; see fox local laws to see if there is a fox trapping seasons in your county. 


In and west Northampton, Halifax, Edgecombe, Wilson, Wayne, Sampson, Bladen, Columbus, and Brunswick counties

It is legal in North Carolina to trap armadillo, beaver, coyote, groundhog, mink, muskrat, nutria, opossum, otter, raccoon, skunk, weasel and bobcat during this trapping season. In addition, it is legal to trap coyotes during any fox-trapping season.

Note: This season does not include foxes; see fox local laws to see if there is a fox trapping seasons in your county.

Statewide

November 1 through March 31

NOTE: Landowners whose property is or has been damaged or destroyed by beaver may take beaver on their property anytime by any lawful method without obtaining a permit from the Wildlife Resources Commission. The landowner may obtain assistance from other persons in taking the depredating beaver by giving those persons permission to take beaver on the landowner’s property.

Fox trapping is allowed in Caswell, Clay, Graham, Henderson, Macon and Tyrrell counties with a daily bag limit of 2 and a season bag limit of 10. Trappers must have fox tags prior to taking foxes, and the sale of live foxes under this season is prohibited.

There are no open fox-trapping seasons in any other county, except where provided by local laws. To see if there is a fox trapping season in your county, click here. 

There is no closed season and no bag limit for trapping nutria east of I-77.