Vermont Has No Beaver Hunting Season, but Trapping Runs October 24 Through March 31 With No Bag Limit
November 14, 2026
Beaver trapping season in Vermont 2026-27 opens on October 24, 2026, and the state sets no bag limit on beaver. What Vermont does not offer is a hunting season, so every legal beaver is taken with a trap.
That shapes everything in this article. You will find the season dates, trap rules, setback distances, reporting duties and nuisance-beaver options that apply to you as a Vermont trapper, built from the state’s own regulations and Fish and Wildlife Department notices.
Vermont’s trapping rules changed in recent years, so trap specifications matter as much as dates. Read the sections that match your sets before you head to the water.
Beaver Trapping Season Dates in Vermont 2026-27
According to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, regulated land and water trapping seasons open on October 24, 2026. Beaver, muskrat and otter can be trapped in the water or under ice through March 2027.
The department’s seasons page lists the beaver trapping window as October 24, 2026 through March 31, 2027. Vermont’s rule sets the season as the fourth Saturday in October through March 31, which is why the opener moves from year to year.
| Season | Dates |
|---|---|
| Beaver trapping, 2026-27 | October 24, 2026 to March 31, 2027 |
| Beaver trapping, 2025-26 (previous season) | October 25, 2025 to March 31, 2026 |
| Land trapping for fox, coyote, raccoon and others | October 24 to December 31, 2026 |
Pro Tip: Vermont bars setting traps between December 31 and the following fourth Saturday in October unless the trap is in the water, under the ice, or on a float. After New Year’s, your beaver sets need to be water sets.
Beaver Hunting vs. Trapping Seasons in Vermont
Vermont’s regulation lists beaver as “by trapping” with no limit, and “by hunting” as no open season with a bag limit of zero. The department’s seasons table repeats this: beaver sits under the “No Open Season” hunting list and under the furbearer trapping list.
In practical terms, you cannot shoot a beaver during the trapping season for sport or fur. Shooting a beaver outside a nuisance authorization is not a legal harvest method, so plan your season around traps.
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife regulation for furbearing animals defines trapping as taking or attempting to take furbearers with traps, including dispatching the lawfully trapped animal.
Beaver Trapping Zones, Units and Open Counties in Vermont
Vermont does not divide its beaver season into trapping zones or county-by-county openings. The season dates in the state regulation apply statewide.
The state does use Wildlife Management Units for other species, such as deer and turkey, so do not carry those unit boundaries over to your beaver sets. Your limits on where to trap come from land ownership, landowner permission and the setback rules covered later, not from a unit map.
Beaver populations are tracked by watershed. The trapper group VT Trappers notes that the department collects beaver carcasses from watersheds across the state each year for monitoring.
Beaver Trapping License and Trapper Education Requirements in Vermont
You need a Vermont trapping license to trap beaver. Trapper education or proof of prior trapping licensure is required, so first-time trappers should complete the course before buying a license.
The department also requires every licensed trapper to file an Annual Trapping Activity Report. For details on current license fees and course dates, go to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department directly, since fees change.
- Complete trapper education, or hold proof of earlier Vermont trapping licensure.
- Buy your trapping license before you set a trap.
- Carry it while you run your line.
- File your annual report after the season, even if you did not trap.
If you also plan to hunt deer this fall, see our Vermont deer hunting season guide so your licenses and calendar line up.
Beaver Permits, Lotteries and Quotas in Vermont
Vermont does not run a permit lottery or a quota system for beaver trapping. Your trapping license covers the season, and the regulation sets the bag limit as “No Limit.”
Moose and some deer permits do use lotteries in Vermont, but beaver is not among them. If you need to resolve a beaver problem on a specific property, the separate nuisance process described below applies.
Beaver Bag Limits and Season Limits in Vermont
There is no daily, weekly or seasonal bag limit on beaver taken by trapping in Vermont. The state regulation lists the limit as none for trapping and zero for hunting.
No limit does not mean no responsibility. You still have to check traps on time, tag or handle pelts as required, and report your activity in the annual report.
Nonresident Beaver Trapping in Vermont
Vermont’s trapping regulation does not carve out a separate beaver season for nonresidents. Whatever your residency, the same season dates, trap specifications and setback rules apply.
License fees and eligibility for nonresidents are set by the Fish and Wildlife Department. Check with the department before you travel, and bring proof of trapper education or prior licensure from your home state if you have it.
Legal Beaver Traps and Trap Size Limits in Vermont
Vermont’s trapping rules, adopted by the Fish and Wildlife Board in December 2023, require traps that reduce harm to captured animals. Most of the new specifications target land sets, which matters because beaver sets are usually in water.
The department’s rule overview sets these land-trap standards, which apply if you run a bank or land set:
- Foothold traps on land need a 12-inch minimum and 18-inch maximum chain to the anchor.
- They must be padded, offset, laminated or fully encapsulate the foot, and have a spread of no more than 6-1/4 inches.
- Body-gripping traps under 40 square inches are allowed on land if unbaited.
- Larger body-gripping traps (40 to 60 square inches) must be set 5 feet or more above the ground or inside a qualifying anchored enclosure.
The state’s report to the legislature noted that conibears can still be used underwater for beaver, muskrat and river otter. Toothed foothold traps and snares are not allowed under the older furbearer rule.
Pro Tip: Measure your traps against the square-inch limits before the season. A size 330 on a bank set is a land-set problem, while the same trap fully submerged is a water set.
Water Sets, Submerged Traps and Setbacks From Beaver Dams and Lodges in Vermont
Water sets are where Vermont’s beaver season lives. The regulation allows traps in the water, under the ice or on a float even after land trapping closes on December 31.
The setback rule changes in March. The Vermont furbearer regulations state that you cannot set traps for beaver within 10 feet of the nearest point, above water, of a beaver house or dam during March.
| Rule | What It Means for You |
|---|---|
| March setback | No traps within 10 feet of a beaver house or dam, measured at the nearest point above water |
| Houses and dens | Do not disturb or destroy a beaver or muskrat house or den, or place a trap in, on or at its entrance |
| Dams | Do not interfere with dams or lodges without prior written approval from the Commissioner |
| Muskrat in March | Body-gripping traps limited to 5 inches or less |
The March muskrat limit matters if you set for both species in the same water. A trap that works on beaver in February may be illegal for muskrat in March.
Trap Check Times and Trap Tagging in Vermont
Vermont’s regulations require land sets to be checked once every calendar day. Check the current regulations for the interval that applies to water and under-ice sets, because it differs from the land rule.
Trap identification rules also apply to all traps. Review the current furbearer regulation for what your tags or markings must show before you set a line.
Traps must also stay at least 100 feet from public buildings, parking lots, shelters, schools, camps, campgrounds, designated wildlife viewing areas and recreational facilities on municipal, state or federal land, unless the school, camp or campground gives explicit permission.
Where You Can Trap Beaver in Vermont: Public Land, State Land and Private Land
You can trap on public land and, with landowner permission, on private land. A Fish and Wildlife Department wildlife biologist said trappers may be using the same public lands as hikers and skiers, so expect to share ground.
Get permission from private landowners before you set anything on their property. Beaver ponds often sit on town, state and private parcels at once, so confirm who owns each stretch of water and bank.
The 100-foot rule near buildings, parking lots and recreation areas applies on public land. If your best pond sits beside a trailhead or campground, you may have to move your sets.
Fall hunters share these woods too. Our rifle deer season guide for Vermont shows when the woods fill up with hunters.
Beaver Trapping Season Closures and Closed Areas in Vermont
The season closes on March 31, 2027. After that date, taking beaver is limited to the nuisance process.
The 100-foot setback from public facilities, and the written approval requirement for dam and lodge interference, work as closed areas inside the season. Check the property rules for state wildlife management areas, parks and town land before trapping.
If you work near wetlands, state wetland rules can also apply to dam work. The department’s beaver management guidance notes that dam removal can implicate Vermont’s Water Quality Standards and Wetlands Rules.
Protected Species and Incidental Catches When Trapping Beaver in Vermont
Marten, lynx and wolf have no open trapping season in Vermont, and fisher, bobcat and otter are open only in their own windows. Any of them can turn up in a water set, so know the dates before you place a conibear.
Otter is the species most likely to share beaver water, and its trapping season matches beaver’s, running October 24, 2026 through March 31, 2027. Other incidental animals, such as a pet, require a different response.
The department says anyone whose pet is caught in a trap should free it, then report the incident to a game warden. It is also illegal to interfere with a lawfully set trap, so call a warden if you find one that looks out of compliance.
Trapping Nuisance Beaver Outside the Season in Vermont
Beaver cause flooding, culvert blockage and tree loss, and the season is not always the right time to solve the problem. Vermont’s beaver best-management-practices document says the legal beaver trapping season runs from the fourth Saturday in October, and that removal outside it needs notice to the department.
That document tells landowners to contact a Fish and Wildlife warden, a regional office or USDA Wildlife Services for beaver problems outside the season. Vermont rules also prohibit interfering with beaver dams, dens or houses without the Commissioner’s written approval.
- Contact a game warden or regional Fish and Wildlife office first.
- Get the Commissioner’s written approval before touching a dam or lodge.
- Consider flow devices and other non-lethal options in the state’s best-management-practices guide.
- Check wetland rules before any dam work.
Beaver Pelt Tagging, Sealing and Registration in Vermont
Vermont’s furbearer regulations in the search results do not describe a general beaver pelt sealing or registration requirement. Contact the department if you plan to keep, transport or sell pelts, since requirements can change.
The department does collect beaver carcasses and other data for management, so you may be asked to cooperate with biologists. Keep records of your harvest to make your annual report easier.
Reporting Your Beaver Harvest in Vermont
Every licensed Vermont trapper must file an Annual Trapping Activity Report. The department’s rules say that even if you held a license but did not trap, you must still submit a report so staff can verify compliance.
Track each beaver as you take it. Note the date, watershed and method so the report takes minutes instead of an evening of guesswork.
Selling Beaver Pelts and Fur in Vermont
Vermont describes its trapping seasons as sustaining regulated trapping for fur and food, so selling legally trapped beaver fur is part of the tradition. Rules on who may buy and how fur must be documented are set by the department, so confirm with them before you sell.
Prices change from year to year and fur markets are volatile. Talk to local trappers and fur buyers for current rates before you invest time in skinning and fleshing.
The department’s rule on trapping for compensation matters if you take money for nuisance work. The revised overview states that interfering with dams, dens or beaver houses is prohibited, including trapping for compensation.
Best Time to Trap Beaver in Vermont
The season gives you five months, and the best window depends on ice and fur quality. Early season, from late October into November, lets you work open water and fresh dam activity. Fur is generally better by December, and from January you will likely set under the ice.
VT Trappers notes a traditional beaver season that begins December 1 and runs through February, which reflects when many trappers prefer prime fur. Late March has an extra restriction, the 10-foot setback from dams and lodges, so plan accordingly.
Pro Tip: Scout ponds before the opener. Fresh cuttings, active dams and food piles tell you where beaver are working before you commit traps.
Ticks and wet-weather hazards are lower in winter, but early-season trappers should read our Vermont tick season guide before wading in October.
Beaver Trapping Season in Vermont 2026-27: Frequently Asked Questions
When Does Beaver Trapping Season Open in Vermont in 2026?
It opens October 24, 2026, and runs through March 31, 2027.
Is There a Beaver Hunting Season in Vermont?
No. Vermont lists beaver as open by trapping only, with no open hunting season.
Is There a Bag Limit on Beaver in Vermont?
No. The state regulation lists no limit for beaver taken by trapping.
Can I Set a Trap Near a Beaver Dam in March?
Not within 10 feet of the nearest point, above water, of a beaver house or dam during March.
Can I Trap After December 31?
Yes, but only in the water, under the ice or on a float until the fourth Saturday in October.
Do I Have to Report If I Did Not Trap?
Yes. Every licensed trapper must submit the Annual Trapping Activity Report, even with no activity.
Heading out for other seasons? Compare neighboring-state rules in our guides to Pennsylvania deer season and Ohio deer season.