If you haven't been checking Trap Talk, I've been whining and crying about trapper education in the lower 48. I will be in Montana in another week. Was going to teach my nephew about trapping. Him and his wife are good conservatives but know little about hunting/trapping. He lives in Helena. I assumed he just had to pony up some money to get a license. Not true! Mt. resident has to take an online test, a written test of some sort AND..................attend an in person 8 hour training course. This year the course is only given in Missoula and only on 1 day. It only has 20 spots. So Montana will only get 20 new legal trappers this year.
Here in Alaska you can go online, pay money, and get a trapping license. Alaska does have Hunter Ed. for people under a certain age and for specific hunts. Does anyone think we need Trapper Ed. in Alaska? Should we make new trappers jump through hoops. Should we require them to take an in person test? That would be impractical, I think, given the size of the state. But online?

you can thank the Montana trappers association and Footloose Montana(anti trapping) for implementing the new regulations. Seems they like to sleep together from time to time.

No. I think ATA does a good job reminding everyone to trap with common sense, and offers instruction if it’s wanted

I already stated my thoughts on Trap Talk, but I agree with you. Idaho made Trappers Ed mandatory less than ten years ago and while I was grandfathered in, I have sat through the class twice with new trappers. It is in person only (and wasn't offered for almost two years during Covid, shortly after it was implemented, so no new trappers could obtain a license) an all day class and written test. It is frankly a joke, no trapping techniques are taught, it is entirely about ethics, which may be helpful/influential for very young trappers, but otherwise is in my considered opinion a waste of time. Those adults with ethics already have them, and those without are going to ignore some random guy at the front of the room preaching to them about them, because they don't care. When they first opened a wolf trapping season here, they made a wolf trapping class mandatory, I attended one of the first ones, and they were not bad, taught by Jack Whitman or a couple other government trappers, at that time the only trappers to have trapped wolves legally in the lower 48, since we were the first to open a wolf trapping season in a long time. There was actual trapping demos and instructions as well as much other useful info disseminated. I have since sat through a couple others with said new trappers (a separate wolf class is still required, it is not part of the general trapping class) both were taught by the same guy who did the standard trapping class, no demos or trapping instructions, and the instructor tried to avoid admitting it, but after repeated questioning, not only has he never trapped wolves, but the only trapping he has ever done is some water trapping, he had never trapped land animals at all!

The wolf trapping class became mandatory in Montana. Again pushed by the antis and backed by the Montana Trappers Assoc. I attended because I had to in order to be certified. It was a many hour class. Lots of people in attendance and not all trappers. The course consisted of the presenter trying to brain wash you with the ethics take. Trappers in attendance asked several times when he was going to offer a demonstration on methods. He kept staling for hours and at the end took people out back for a half hour presentation on a dirt hole set. To this day I am still furious and no longer belong to the Montana trappers association. For years I stood side by side with them and fought against the antis.

I like that ATA offers one but I’m glad it’s not mandatory

There has been trapper education field days all over Montana in 2026. As it turns out you waited til the very end and there is only one class left.

Alaska provides trapper education via ATA and others over the years. Usually when someone wants govt. to control an activity. It was because a few people in that activity. Don't like the competition, they don't like how someone else participates in an activity. Don't like other participants values, and they want penalties of non-compliance. That said, there are trappers who are very emotionally tied to trapping and their values and methods are the only ones that should be considered, taught, tested, and wrote into law. I have seen this for many years. Now it has even become more of issue our own ATA. Their are members that want state to take over trapper education. I do not understand why trappers want govt. to build an education system. How good has govt. been building programs??? Lastly, if you are a trapper and feel new trappers or people interested in trapping need education. Step up and offer classes or get involved in a trapper class. Keep govt. from educating our life style.

Every time someone pitches one of these new regulation schemes like mentioned above. I listen to the long emotional pitch. Then I ask one short simple question. "Is there a Conservation concern?" That usually ends the conversation.

Voluntary trapper edc is great. Especially as handled by ATA and the various chapters.

But mandatory trapper edc, or for that matter, ANY trapper edc designed by ADFG is a very poor idea.

Pete

Mandatory here as of about 10-15 years ago. Like the others, it’s more about ethics. A lot of info tossed at a fella over 2 days that mostly winds up flying out the other ear. If this is their first dabble into the trapping world, it’s useless. The terminology, gear, trinkets, ever changing regs, how to legally market your catch…..
Our problem is instructors. A line up of 2-300 people that want a licence……. Only a couple courses with 15-20 people a year. Our MTA is asking why our membership is low, and how we can get more, but they were in charge of the training………which will bring in new trappers……..anyway, that’s a whole different topic…..

Hey, speaking of terminology, I’m surprised nobody’s made a trappers dictionary yet. With the same trinket called something else if I drive 50 miles west……it’d be a great idea……make a fortune!