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Family dog killed by trap during an afternoon walk
Dec 2022 - Anne McKinsey was walking with her dog, Clara, on one of their usual trails in early December. Clara was ahead of her and went to sniff something behind a log. Then there was a yelp.
Clara had been caught in a conibear trap set off the trail. Anne was unable to remove the trap, so she picked her up with the trap attached to get her back to the car.
“I was talking to her the whole time: ‘Clara, stay with me. Stay with me, girl,’” said McKinsey, who’s 65. “By the time I got her back to the car, she was dead.”
Read the full story in VT Digger:
Governor signs wildlife bills
June 2022 - We would like to thank our members and all wildlife advocates for their continued efforts to address wildlife issues in Vermont. According to multiple surveys by UVM’s Center for Rural Studies (https://www.uvm.edu/crs), the vast majority of Vermonters strongly support laws to prevent the inhumane treatment of our wildlife. See our Wildlife Bills page for more details.
New bill aimed at protecting wildlife
A bill introduced in January 2024 has a dual purpose:
Restrict hunting coyotes with dogs and hunting coyotes using bait.
Reform the Fish & Wildlife Board
Eastern Coyote
Second annual Vermont Wildlife Education art awards winners and exhibit
April 2023 - The purpose of the competition is to celebrate Vermont wildlife. See this site for details.
A painting by Rob Mullen, VWC Board of Directors
The otter painting at the top of the page is also by Rob Mullen. Visit Rob’s website: https://www.paintnpaddlestudio.com to see more of his wildlife art
Recreational trapping: the basics
See our Trapping FAQs for answers to the most common questions. Please contact us if you have a question!
Land traps: Traps on land and on or near trails can be set from the 3rd week of October to December 31st.
Water traps: Traps can be set under water or ice for animals such as beavers, muskrat, and otters from the 3rd weekend of October to March 31st.
Leg-hold/foot-hold or body-crushing “quick” kill traps: Traps can be set anywhere in the State of Vermont on most State and Federal land. Quick is defined as less than 5minutes for 70% of trapped animals, and 30% for an indefinite period of suffering. Kill traps do not kill quickly. WATCH: See for yourself in this brief compilation. The video shows both kinds of traps.
Baited traps: Under Vermont law, baited traps can be set ANYWHERE — there are no hiking trail or other set-backs required.
Non-targeted species: Traps are just as likely to catch a “non-target” animal, including birds and domestic pets. Traps cannot differentiate between a 40lb. dog and a 40lb. coyote, for example. (See story on the left side of this page.)
Location of traps: There does not have to be any notification that traps are set.
Trapping data: Trapping data collected by the F&W Department is self-reported by trappers. (This is a case of the fox guarding the henhouse.)
Important note: Property owners have the right to use traps to protect their property and livestock from predators any time of the year, regardless of trapping seasons. This is not considered “recreational” trapping.
READ MORE about trapping and the experience VWC’s board chair had with trapping in his Vermont town.