What Are Best Management Practices?

Best Management Practices (BMPs) are a set of standards developed through a comprehensive research project conducted by experienced, responsible trappers and state fish and wildlife agency personnel.

• The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) coordinated the BMP study in order to maintain and/or improve the welfare of captured wildlife and to ultimately ensure the continued use of trapping as a legitimate wildlife management tool.
• The purpose of the BMP process is to scientifically evaluate the traps and trapping systems used for capturing furbearers in the United States. These evaluations are based on animal welfare, efficiency, selectivity, practicality, and safety. Results of this research are provided as information to state and federal wildlife agencies and trappers.
• BMPs establish standards for trap specifications, including cable devices, for most of the furbearers that are trapped in North America. These standards provide trappers with the best recommendations for the types of traps to use on specific animals and the best methods of deployment for those traps. This information, when adopted and used by trappers, allows trapping to remain an effective, responsible, and humane method of wildlife management and outdoor activity.