Trapping Regulations
The river otter trapping season in the Northern Zone will close early, effective April 1, 2024, at midnight. No river otters can be harvested on or after April 1. Registration can still occur on April 1, so long as the harvest occurred the prior day.
The river otter season in the Northern Zone was scheduled to run from Nov. 4, 2023 – April 30, 2024, or until the harvest quota was reached. Due to unusually warm winter weather and stable water levels, trappers are projected to reach the 2,500 harvest quota before the end of the season.
This closure changes the end date for the Northern Zone only. The river otter season in the Southern Zone will close as scheduled on March 31.
A summary of Wisconsin's trapping laws and how they affect you is contained in the pamphlets listed below. Also, the river otter is now a bag limit/quota species (since 2020). There will no longer be a drawing for the river otter.
2023-24 Wisconsin Trapping Regulations [PDF]
February 2021 Wolf Hunting And Trapping Regulations [PDF]
- Following a federal court ruling on Feb. 10, 2022, gray wolves are listed as an endangered species in the lower 48 states (excluding the northern Rocky Mountains region). As such, wolves are federally protected. Harvest, whether through hunting or trapping, as well as lethal depredation control, are prohibited.
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Note: Tiffany Wildlife Area has a special beaver/otter closed area. Please review the Tiffany Wildlife Area brochure [PDF] for more information and a map.