United Trappers of Kentucky

There are a number of laws and regulations in place to ensure safe, ethical, and humane harvest of Kentucky
furbearers. Many of these have been enacted as a result of the efforts of individual trappers and organizations
such as the United Trappers of Kentucky, Inc.

• Furbearers enjoy a closed season, during which they can reproduce in order to     sustain their numbers. Trapping is conducted in the late fall and winter     months, when the fur is prime and furbearers have grown to maturity.
• Traps have smooth jaws without teeth and limitations are placed on legal size     in order to ensure the safety of domestic animals.
• Traps must be checked every day and all catches removed.
• Trappers must have permission of the landowner in order to trap on private     property.
• All traps must be tagged with the user’s name and address.
• All trappers must be licensed.
• Traps may not be set on trails or paths commonly used by humans or    domestic animals.
• Deadfalls, wire cages and box traps are permitted for land trapping.
• Legal foothold traps with a maximum inside jaw spread of 6 inches measured     perpendicular to the hinges.
• Legal body-gripping traps with a maximum inside jaw spread of 7-1/2 inches     measured parallel with the trigger.
• There are no restrictions on traps used as water sets.
• A person trapping on dry land shall not set traps closer than 10 feet apart.
• Snares are legal providing they are not power or spring assisted.