DNR Offers Trapper Education Class September 22

Grantsville, Md. (August 8, 2012) ─ The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a one-day Trapper Education Class starting at 9 a.m. on September 22 at the Casselman Valley Sportsman’s Club in Grantsville. The class will cover basic trapping techniques with a strong focus on the responsible treatment of animals, legal trapping methods, safety, selectivity, and ethical trapper behavior.

“Participants who successfully complete the course and earn a passing grade on the exam will receive a Certificate of Trapper Education and become eligible to obtain a Furbearer Permit, which enables them to trap in Maryland,” said Clarissa Harris, DNR’s regional wildlife response manager for western Maryland. “It’s also a great way for beginners to learn about our State’s trapping heritage.”

The one-day course will consist of a short classroom session followed by a field session that will demonstrate proper trap handling and setting. A written test will be given at the end of the course.

Interested participants must pre-register and obtain a Trapper Education manual and student workbook prior to September 14. This can be done by calling or visiting the Regional Wildlife & Heritage Service Office in Cumberland at 3 Pershing St., Room 110; phone 301-777-2136. The student workbook must be completed and brought to the September 22 class for instructor review. More information is available by calling Cumberland Wildlife and Heritage office.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov