Welcome to New Mexico Trappers Association!

The New Mexico Trappers Association (NMTA) is a non-profit, family-oriented organization with a heavy focus on education and young trappers. We have come together as a group to provide education and training for all trappers to practice "Wise Use" of our renewable fur resources.

Wise use includes educating the public as to the necessity of trapping and harvesting fur-bearer populations. We work in close association with cattlemen and ranchers and especially with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

Our youth are our future. We strongly promote the education and training of our youth and others who desire to trap. We encourage all trappers to improve their techniques, to know the proper and safe use of their equipment, to know and practice the proper methods of taking the target animals, to be aware and informed of regulations and laws, and to improve their fur handling skills to increase their fur marketability.

Join the NMTA Now

Trappers - Stewards of the wild

Check out this great video addressing many of the myths surrounding modern trapping. This film is a fresh opportunity for the public to learn how Trappers serve science and the communities they live in, mitigate disease and human-wildlife conflicts and maintain healthy furbearer populations. This video focuses on Vermont but all of the tactics and misinformation pushed by the anti-trappers in Vermont mirror what has been done here in N.M. and across the U.S.

Learn How to Trap! - Best Management Practices

AFWA’s Trapping Program Manager, Bryant White, will explain the development of BMP’s and how they are used for Trapping.

Modified Traps

Best Management Practices (BMPs) and modifying your own traps

Selective Foothold Traps

Idaho DFG Furbearer Biologist demonstrates how to avoid non-target catches with trap placement, pan tension and baits

Cage Traps and When to Use Them

AFWA’s Trapping Program Manager, Bryant White, will demonstrate how cage traps work and best species to capture with them.

How to Use Cable Restraints for Trapping

Wisconsin DNR Wildlife Biologist, Jenna Malinowski, will give a basic overview of how cable restraints are used for trapping.

Responsible Use of Lethal Traps - Trapping Education

Idaho DFG Furbearer Biologist, Cory Mosby, will demonstrate how to avoid non-target species while using lethal trapping systems.

The Best Trapping Advice for Rookies - Predator Trapping 101

Join a family of trappers as they run a real line in tough, frozen conditions on a farm they've never trapped in western Kentucky. Along the way you'll learn the basics of making an effective dirt-hole set for coyotes, how to properly bed traps, and how to choose trapping locations in a new area. You'll get to see a couple coyote catches and a bobcat, too.

Step By Step Dirt Hole Set For Coyote Trapping - The Management Advantage

Our predator trapping methods, especially our dirt hole sets, have been the same for years. People are always asking for the “magic bean” to improve their success, but there isn’t one. Good tools, equipment, and location is what it’s all about. This week we take you through the step by step process of creating one of our favorite trapping setups, the dirt hole. A simple dirt hole setup is a great trapping set for the novice to seasoned.

Save The Turkeys: Spring Raccoon Trapping - The Management Advantage

See what happened on the first check day of a 30 trap line targeting nest predators this past spring.

Trapping Muskrats With Randy Newberg | How To (Part 1)

Randy Newberg is back out trapping muskrats this spring. He goes to a familiar spot where a landowner had has an overabundance of muskrats which has caused erosion along his creek. Randy spends the morning setting muskrat traps and explaining what he is doing along the way.

Eating Muskrats!? Randy Newberg, Hunter - How to Skin and Cook Muskrats

Hunting with Randy Newberg takes you on the final video of our muskrat trapping experience. In this episode we show how to skin, stretch, and prepare muskrats for the fur auction.

Fur Taker's of America Trapper's College

The Professional Trapper's College Furbearer Management Short Course.

What do Wildlife biologists say about trapping?

AFWA, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, WAFWA

The purpose of AFWA's Furbearer Management and Best Management Practices for Trapping Program (BMPs) is to improve regulated trapping by evaluating trapping devices and techniques used for the capture of furbearers and educating those who use traps about the most humane, safe, selective, efficient and practical devices. Traps are evaluated using standards and protocols developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Since the inception of this program in 1997, over 600 trap types have been evaluated for 23 species of furbearers with a North American investment of some $40 million dollars.

Learn more about AFWA

TWS, The Wildlife Society, Wildlife biologist

Founded in 1937, The Wildlife Society is an international network of over 11,000 leaders in wildlife science, management, and conservation who are dedicated to excellence in wildlife stewardship.

Read the Wildlife Society Position Statement on Trapping

New Mexico Trappers Association

Welcome to New Mexico Trappers Association!

Trappers - Stewards of the wild