MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • September 4, 2022
The number of licensed trappers in Maine has dropped steadily from about 7,000 in 1980 to about 4,000 in 2019. Several species can be trapped legally in Maine: fox, coyote, muskrat, beaver, bear, bobcat, fisher, mink, opossum, otter, raccoon, red squirrel, marten, skunk and weasel. Animals found in a trap are killed instantly, typically with a shot to the head using a handgun or a blow to the skull with a blunt, heavy object. The general trapping seasons in Maine in 2022 runs from Oct. 31 to Dec. 31, although some species can be trapped in September and earlier in October and beaver can be trapped through the winter until April 30, 2023. “We are an essential part of wildlife management,” said Neil Olson of Bethel. Advocates for animal protections in Maine are not surprised by the downward trend in trapping, and say it should be banned.