Trapping compulsory reporting and inspection

Last updated on July 3, 2024

Compulsory Reporting

Trappers must, within 15 days following the end of the trapping season, report the harvest of:

  • Fisher in all Management Units (MUs), when trapped in a fisher open season
  • Wolverine in regions 5, 6, and 7A and 7B
  • Bobcat in region 2
  • Wolf in region 1 and MUs 2-5, 2-6, 2-11 to 2-16

Trappers must complete sections A through C of the Trapper Compulsory Reporting form (PDF, 2.2MB) and return this form by mail, or report by phone or in person, to offices identified on the form. This document contains reference to previous ministers or ministries responsible for wildlife at the time of publication. Periodic transfer of authority for natural resource management may not be reflected in this document.


Compulsory Inspection

For furbearers trapped outside of an Open Season:

  • Trappers must submit the carcass and pelt of furbearers that are killed incidentally in areas or times with no open season
  • Fishers that are killed incidentally in areas or times with no open season must be submitted within 30 days of the kill date
  • All other incidentally trapped furbearers must be submitted by June 30 of the licence year that the furbearer was killed
  • These animals cannot be reclaimed by the trapper and may be donated by the Province to the Trapper Education Program

For furbearers trapped during an Open Season:

Trappers must submit the pelt of the following species trapped in the described region or MU to a regional office or Compulsory Inspection center, within 15 days following the end of the trapping season:

  • Wolverine in region 3
  • Lynx in regions 4, 5, and 8
  • Bobcat in regions 4, 5, and 8

For all Compulsory Inspections, trappers must provide the following information:

  • Name, address, and Assigned Trapper Number
  • Location and date of kill
  • Type of trap and set used
  • Number of days the trap was set before the animal was killed, and
  • The sex and age class of the animal

Compulsory Inspection Reports

Trappers will receive a copy of their finalized Compulsory Inspection Report. Starting in 2023, the report will be made available to the trapper through their Fish and Wildlife profile in WILD.

On-line Licensed Trapping Harvest Report

This is a reminder that licensed trappers must also submit a Trapping Harvest Report each trapping licence year in addition to any Compulsory Reporting and Compulsory Inspection requirements there are for the specific species in specific regions noted above. See Trapping Reporting - Province of British Columbia for more information.