THOMSON – Trap tags for the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge in Thomson are now available for sale.

Trap tags can be bought for $30 using cash or check at the Savanna District office at 7071 Riverview Road in Thomson, or at other district offices in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and require a state trapping license. Refuge employees cannot access the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources electronic system, so Wisconsin residents need to provide printed proof of their trapping privileges.

According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, trap tags are used to identify trap owners trying to catch furbearers, which are wild animals typically hunted for their fur, that include beavers, badgers, foxes, minks and others. Tags must be marked with the owner’s name and address or a custom identification number from the IDNR.

Trappers in Illinois require a valid trapping license and a state habitat stamp. A trapper education course must first be completed prior to purchasing a trapping license for trappers born on or after Jan. 1, 1998. Trappers with a state-issued license can apply for a special-use permit allowing them to set up to 40 traps per day at the refuge.

Hunting or trapping bobcats requires a special permit and some furbearers, like otters and bobcats, require buying a pelt tag within 48 hours of their harvest. Pelt tags can only be purchased over the counter from licensed vendors.

Trapping licenses and habitat stamps can be purchased online through ExploreMoreIL, over the counter from a licensed vendor or by calling 1-866-452-4325.

The following are season dates for furbearer trapping:

Illinois – North Zone

• Muskrat: 9 a.m. Nov. 10 to Feb. 15
• Mink: 9 a.m. Nov. 10 to Feb. 15
• Raccoon: 9 a.m. Nov. 10 to Feb. 15
• Fox (Red or Gray): 9 a.m. Nov. 10 to Feb. 15
• Beaver: 9 a.m. Nov. 10 to March 15
• Otter: 9 a.m. Nov. 10 to March 15

Iowa

• Mink and muskrat: 9 a.m. Nov. 4 to Feb. 28
• Raccoon: 9 a.m. Nov. 4 to March 15
• Fox (Red or Gray): 9 a.m. Nov. 4 to Feb. 28
• Beaver: 9 a.m. Nov. 4 to March 15
• Otter: 9 a.m. Nov. 4 to Feb. 28

The Savanna District office is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday by appointment only. For information, call the office at 815-273-2732.