Is it legal to trap in Alaska as a non-resident? Or do you just have to have permission on private ground?

I thought most traplines were registered up there.

What about federal ground?

Your thoughts!

Or can you trap on Powerlines and road right away?

Yes it is legal, not sure about now, but non resident licenses used to expire on December 31. If you were to be living in the bush, it "complicates" things. At one time state troopers took things like under consideration. I had a trooper sell me my new license AND tag a limit of beaver at the same time. At that time the season didn't open until January first for beaver.

No registered lines in Alaska. Just highly protective of traditional use lines.

You can find a lot about it by doing a little searching around.
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/regulations/wildliferegulations/pdfs/trapping.pdf

No, traplines are not registered in Alaska like they are in Canada. But, don't step on anybodies toes by moving in on an established trapline.

The only type of "private" land you will really have to worry about (unless you are suburban trapping around town) are the vast tracts of land owned by native corporation. I'm sure some of these tracts are larger than some states.

The various corporation have very different rules and customs.

You can trap on most Federal lands except in a couple of National parks.

Right of ways are usually fine to trap on except as noted in the regs. A few places in SE Alaska near town require you to be a certain distance off of particular roads.

Read the regs, you'll learn a lot right there.

Thanks Newhouse114

A non resident trapping and hunting license will also run you 405$.

Here's a place to start.

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/

Thanks White17.

One of the reasons I asked was a story in the American Trapper by Jeff Dunlap.

He was trapping in Alaska as one of his out of state ventures.

Jeff mentions his goals for 10 days. Then tells he stayed for 93 days!

It would be interesting as to if he stayed past the December dead line.

My buddy moved up there a little over a year ago. Even living there, he had a hard time finding open ground that wasn't already taken. Of course this always depends on the location but don't expect to have it all to yourself.

Without good ground to trap, you are probably limited to the road system. Where there is a lot of competition from other trappers, plus theft and sabotage by them and antis.

If you can get off the road a couple miles, it's much better. Most road trappers go in by foot--an arduous chore in snow that may be waist deep. If you have a snow machine, you are much better off.

Jim

Thanks guys.

I would guess he had to stay past the end of December end of season. Did he trap the entire time? You can also get a new license come the end of the year. The average lower 48 trapper that has never spent any amount of time in AK would be real lucky if they did worth a hoot in AK. There are tracks of land with no road that are bigger than the state most of you live in. I spent four years up there and went back eradicating arctic fox on Aleutian Islands three times. You count critter per mile there, or ten sq miles. It is not what everyone thinks. There are a lot of miles with little to nothing.

True story !! Lots of critters but the density is low

I know from my time In Delta I could catch 20 fox with out to much trouble and a few marten behind the house. I have a place to stay and a ATV and a snow machine and 9 sled dogs to haul me around. And my son In law could probably get me on to Ft Greeley.
And I know I could catch some beaver on the Clear Water river but I think I'll stay home.

When I was up in Fairbanks, there was a limit on beaver in some areas. You had to get them tagged to sell them. It seems like it was a limit of 25. But I can't remember for sure.

That's all true Beav but 20 fox and a few marten aren't going to cover the cost of license, fuel, transportation, maintenance etc.

Good decision to stay home.

Hey Seniortrap......WHEN are you thinking about doing this ?

It is actually possible to catch yourself a wolverine off the road system on the Kenai Peninsula south of here. I never caught one but I ran into another trapper in a parking area who caught one in a baited cubby set.

When I asked what kind of bait, he said a can of sardines from the supermarket.

I tried to catch one for five or six years without success, though I've seen their tracks and one grabbed a beaver I caught, eating it in the trap right on the bank.

Jim

Should be the State motto.