Virginia Trapping Season Opens November 15 for Land Furbearers and December 1 for Beaver, Otter, and Muskrat
November 15, 2026
Trapping season in Virginia 2026-27 is two seasons, not one. Land furbearers such as fox, bobcat, raccoon and opossum open on November 15, 2026, while beaver, otter, mink, muskrat and weasel wait until December 1. Both run through February 28, 2027, with extra open-season rules for cities, towns and a list of counties.
This page gives you the dates, the license and tag rules, the trap restrictions and the paperwork in the order you will need them. Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) publishes the controlling regulations, and its furbearer trapping page is the source for most of what follows.
Trapping Season Dates in Virginia 2026-27
DWR’s 2026-27 seasons list has two statewide start dates for trapping. According to DWR’s 2026-27 seasons listing, bobcat, red and gray fox and opossum run November 15 to February 28. Beaver, mink, muskrat, otter and weasel run December 1 to February 28.
Raccoon trapping follows the land-furbearer pattern in the same listing, with box-trap-only dates that start earlier in October. Trapping is allowed any day of the week, including Sundays, and no license beyond a valid Virginia trapping license is required unless you are license exempt.
- November 15, 2026: Bobcat, fox and opossum open.
- December 1, 2026: Beaver, mink, muskrat, otter and weasel open.
- February 28, 2027: Last day of the standard furbearer trapping seasons.
Furbearer Trapping Season Dates by Species in Virginia
Species dates matter because every furbearer is closed unless a regulation opens it. The table below pulls the statewide dates from DWR’s 2026-27 listing, and HuntingSeason.com shows the same November 15 and December 1 openings.
| Species | Trapping Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bobcat | Nov. 15, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 | Statewide |
| Red and gray fox | Nov. 15, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 | Closed in several counties (see below) |
| Opossum | Nov. 15, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 | Continuous in cities, towns and listed counties |
| Beaver | Dec. 1, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 | Continuous in cities, towns and listed counties |
| Mink and muskrat | Dec. 1, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 | Muskrat continuous in cities, towns and listed counties |
| Otter and weasel | Dec. 1, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 | Otter pelts can take a CITES tag on request |
The same listing shows a box-trap-only raccoon window that starts October 15 and ends January 31, alongside the Nov. 15 to Feb. 28 trapping season. Read the raccoon line in DWR’s current regulations before you set, because the box-trap dates differ from the standard season.
What’s New for the 2026-27 Trapping Season in Virginia
DWR redesigned its seasons book for 2026-27, and the trapping laws overview notes it now combines hunting, trapping and migratory bird seasons in one publication. The biggest furbearer change from the prior cycle is that opossum and raccoon trapping is continuously open on private land where the landowner has given permission to trap.
DWR’s what’s new notice also records that people taking otters can request a CITES tag through DWR’s Customer Service Section and affix it to the pelt. DWR was also taking public suggestions in October 2026 on changes for the 2027-28 seasons.
Trapping Zones, Units and Open Counties in Virginia
Virginia does not divide trapping into numbered zones. The county rules that matter are the closures for fox and the continuous-season list.
Fox trapping is prohibited in Clarke County (except on G. R. Thompson WMA), Fauquier County (except on C. F. Phelps and G. R. Thompson WMAs), Loudoun County and Rappahannock County. Check the county before you set for fox, because a legal statewide season does not override a county closure.
A continuous open season to trap beaver, muskrat, opossum and raccoon applies inside the incorporated limits of any city or town. It also applies in the counties of Arlington, Chesterfield, Fairfax, Henrico, James City, Loudoun, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Roanoke and York.
Species You Can Trap Year-Round in Virginia
Four species have a year-round window in the places named above: beaver, muskrat, opossum and raccoon. That applies inside city and town limits and in the listed counties, and DWR’s own rule for those areas is the reason a trapper in Henrico can run lines in July while one in a rural county cannot.
Coyote is a separate case. Coyote is not a furbearer by definition in Virginia, so it sits outside the furbearer trapping seasons, but the license, trap-type and trap-check rules still apply to the act of trapping, as Coyote Hunting 101 summarizes from DWR’s regulations.
Pro Tip: Year-round does not mean permit-free. A DWR nuisance permit can add conditions, so read it before you set outside the standard dates.
Trapping License and Permit Requirements in Virginia
You need a valid Virginia trapping license to trap furbearers. DWR’s rule is that no additional license is required beyond the trapping license unless you are license exempt.
Residents under 16 do not need a license when accompanied by someone 18 or older who holds a valid trapping license. A resident junior trapping license lets a trapper under 16 work without a licensed adult along.
Some DWR-owned or controlled lands post rules that can require written authorization to trap. Buy your license through DWR before the November 15 opener so you are not trying to purchase it on the first day.
Trapper Education Requirements in Virginia
The DWR furbearer trapping page does not list a mandatory trapper education course as a condition of buying a Virginia trapping license. DWR does stress that trappers must fully understand and comply with all regulations, especially the rules on snares.
Education still pays off in practice. Trap size limits, submersion rules and check intervals are where most violations start, so a course or a mentor before your first line is worth the time.
Nonresident Trapping in Virginia
Nonresidents trap under the same season dates, trap rules and tagging requirements as residents. The junior-license provisions on DWR’s page are written for residents under 16, so a nonresident youth should confirm their path with DWR before setting.
If you are crossing from West Virginia, do not carry over your home dates. West Virginia’s 2026-27 raccoon, fox and bobcat trapping opens November 7, per StateHunting.org, which is eight days before Virginia’s November 15 start.
Hunters planning a mixed trip can also check the West Virginia deer season and Virginia deer season pages.
Trapping vs. Hunting Furbearers in Virginia
Trapping and hunting seasons for the same animal do not always match. In DWR’s 2026-27 WMA listing, red fox firearms season starts November 1 while red fox trapping starts November 15, and gray fox firearms season runs January 1 to February 28.
The practical rule: check the method line, not just the species. You may be able to hunt a species before you can trap it, and a county closure can apply to one method and not the other.
Trapped animals may be shot to dispatch them on any day, according to the Virginia trapping laws summary of DWR’s rules.
Bag Limits, Quotas and Season Limits for Trapping in Virginia
Virginia’s furbearer trapping rules on DWR’s page are built around season dates, trap types and reporting rather than a published statewide per-trapper quota for the species above. Do not assume a limit exists or does not exist without reading the species entry in DWR’s current regulations.
The one reporting duty to plan around is for gray fox. HuntingSeason.com’s summary of DWR rules says all harvested gray foxes must be reported within 24 hours, and the gray fox firearms season is closed in Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier (except Quantico), Loudoun, Louisa and Rappahannock counties.
Legal Traps, Snares and Cable Restraints in Virginia
Virginia allows body-gripping traps, foothold traps, box traps and snares within DWR’s size and set rules. DWR warns that trappers must fully understand every regulation on snares, so read the snare section before you build a line.
- Body-gripping trap enclosure openings cannot exceed 60 square inches.
- Body-gripping traps with a jaw spread over 7½ inches are prohibited unless at least half submerged in water.
- Above-ground body-gripping traps over 5 inches cannot be baited, lured or scented, unless set in a qualifying enclosure.
Those limits come from eRegulations’ Virginia furbearer trapping page, which reproduces the DWR rules.
Banned Traps and Trap Restrictions in Virginia
The main prohibition is size. A body-gripping trap over 7½ inches is illegal on dry ground, and the exception is water, where the trap must be at least half submerged.
Baited sets get the tightest control. A baited body-gripping trap with a jaw spread from over 5 up to 7½ inches can be used only inside an enclosure with openings no greater than 60 square inches and the trigger recessed at least 12 inches from every opening.
On Featherfin WMA, DWR’s listing adds a posted rule: no above-ground body-gripping traps over 5 inches. Posted WMA rules can be stricter than statewide rules.
Trap Check Requirements and Trapping Hours in Virginia
Virginia sets no daily trapping hours on DWR’s furbearer page. Trapping is allowed any day of the week, including Sundays.
Check intervals are the tight part. Under the 4 VAC 15-40-195 rule cited in DWR’s nuisance permit form, body-gripping traps that are completely submerged must be visited at least once every 72 hours.
If you use a remote trap-monitoring device that fails and does not report in its 24-hour check-in period, the user must physically check the trap within 24 hours of the last communication, according to the eRegulations summary.
Trap Tags, Labeling and Marking Requirements in Virginia
Traps and snares must be marked with a nonferrous metal tag bearing the owner’s information, under 4 VAC 15-40-170 of the Virginia Administrative Code, as cited in DWR’s nuisance permit form. Use a stamped aluminum or brass tag rather than paint or paper, since ferrous tags do not meet the rule.
Check the Virginia Administrative Code for the exact information the tag must carry before you tag your first trap.
Bait, Lure and Set Restrictions in Virginia
Bait rules attach to trap size and placement. You cannot set an above-ground body-gripping trap with a jaw spread over 5 inches using any bait, lure or scent, except inside the recessed enclosure described above.
For water sets, Virginia opens a December 1 to the last day of February window for traps set in water, per the trapping laws overview. The exception is inside city and town limits and the listed year-round counties, unless a DWR permit says otherwise.
Pro Tip: Keep a water-set checklist: trap size, at least half submerged, tag attached, 72-hour check date written down.
Trapping on Public Land vs. Private Land in Virginia
Public land and private land follow different access rules. Trapping on DWR-owned or controlled lands and waters is allowed under Board regulations unless posted rules prohibit it, and posted rules may require written authorization on some areas.
National Forest lands are open during the regular trapping seasons. Always confirm WMA rules at the sign or on the area page, because some, like Featherfin, add trap-size limits.
| Land Type | Trapping Rule |
|---|---|
| DWR lands and waters | Allowed unless posted rules prohibit; some areas need written authorization |
| National Forest | Open during regular trapping seasons |
| Private land | Requires landowner permission; opossum and raccoon trapping is continuous with permission |
Landowner Permission for Trapping in Virginia
Landowner permission is what opens continuous opossum and raccoon trapping on private land under the new rule. Without that permission you have no standing to set, and the open season does not apply to you.
Get permission before you set and keep the landowner’s name and contact details with your trapping records. Written permission avoids disputes if a neighbor or warden asks.
Trap Setbacks From Roads, Trails and Homes in Virginia
DWR’s furbearer page does not publish a fixed statewide setback distance in feet from roads, trails or homes. It does tell trappers to check with the Virginia Department of Transportation and local authorities before trapping near highways.
Local ordinances can be stricter than state rules, especially in the cities, towns and counties that have continuous seasons. Call the locality before you set near a trail or a house.
Protected Species and Nontarget Catches in Virginia
Only species opened by regulation can be taken. Anything not listed as a furbearer with an open season is off limits, so a nontarget catch of a protected animal means release it if you can do so safely and stop using that set.
Size and placement rules exist to reduce nontarget catches. The 60-square-inch enclosure and the 12-inch recessed trigger on baited sets are designed to keep larger animals and pets out.
For raccoons and rabbits taken in box traps for human consumption, DWR requires all parts not saved for consumption to be disposed of according to regulations.
Pelt Tagging, Sealing and Harvest Reports in Virginia
Virginia’s furbearer page does not require pelt sealing for the standard species, but two items matter. Otter pelts can carry a CITES tag you request through DWR’s Customer Service Section, and no CITES tag is needed to have an otter mounted by a Virginia taxidermist or to ship an otter pelt out of state for tanning unless the tannery’s state requires one.
Gray fox taken by firearms must be reported within 24 hours, according to HuntingSeason.com’s summary of DWR rules.
Lower Jaw and Tooth Sample Requirements in Virginia
DWR’s furbearer trapping page does not list a lower jaw or tooth sample requirement for the standard trapped species. Do not mail samples unless DWR or a biologist specifically asks for them as part of a monitoring program.
If you are contacted for a sample, send what is requested using the instructions DWR gives you.
Selling Furs and Fur Dealer Rules in Virginia
Furs taken legally by licensed trappers during the open season can be sold. Furs or carcasses from animals taken outside the legal season under a nuisance permit cannot be bought, sold, traded or exchanged, per DWR’s nuisance permit form.
That is the line to remember: a raccoon trapped in season is a legal pelt, and a raccoon taken in July under a permit is not. Contact DWR about fur dealer licensing before you start selling to a buyer.
Trapping Nuisance Wildlife Outside the Season in Virginia
Wildlife conflict work outside the season runs on DWR’s nuisance permit. Allowed methods can include live trapping, kill trapping and shooting, using legal methods recommended in the National Wildlife Control Training Program.
The same tag rule applies: traps and snares must be marked with a nonferrous metal tag. Completely submerged body-gripping traps must be visited at least every 72 hours.
Carcasses of animals taken outside the legal furbearer season must be disposed of in accordance with state and local laws, such as burial or incineration. The permit also contains a bat maternity season from May 1 to August 15 that limits some work.
Trapping Season in Virginia 2026-27: Frequently Asked Questions
When Does Trapping Season Start in Virginia?
Bobcat, fox and opossum trapping opens November 15, 2026, and beaver, mink, muskrat, otter and weasel open December 1, 2026, per DWR’s 2026-27 listing.
When Does Trapping Season End?
The standard furbearer seasons end February 28, 2027.
Can You Trap on Sundays in Virginia?
Yes. DWR says trapping is allowed on any day of the week, including Sundays.
Do You Need a License to Trap in Virginia?
Yes, a valid Virginia trapping license, with an exception for residents under 16 accompanied by a licensed adult 18 or older.
What Animals Can You Trap Year-Round?
Beaver, muskrat, opossum and raccoon, inside city and town limits and in Arlington, Chesterfield, Fairfax, Henrico, James City, Loudoun, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Roanoke and York counties.
Can You Trap Fox Everywhere in Virginia?
No. Fox trapping is prohibited in Clarke, Fauquier, Loudoun and Rappahannock counties, with exceptions on named WMAs.
For more hunting dates in the state, see the Virginia pheasant season page.