South Dakota has a long and proud history surrounding furbearer harvesting. To support this history and assist in the development of future trappers, SDSU Extension 4-H partnered with Game, Fish & Parks and the South Dakota Trappers Association to develop ETHICS SD in 2019.
ETHICS stands for ecology, trapping, history, identification, conservation, and stewardship. This comprehensive furbearer education program goes beyond simply trapping to engage youth participants in a wide range of topics related to furbearer harvesting. Throughout the course of several months, youth learn about the history of trapping and its impact on the exploration of North America; animal identification through habitat, scat, tracks, and skulls; different types of traps and how they are best utilized; legal and ethical ways to trap and dispatch furbearers; and how to put up the fur. Each participant is also provided with a kit of traps and supplies to use for the duration of the course.
ETHICS SD is run at a county-level across South Dakota.
