Trapping laws

Ok in your state what is one trapping law that you just don't agree with at all....I'll go first in pa we can only use 2 bodygrip traps when trapping beaver ...there are a few wmus where that law dosnt apply not mine though ha

330s must be completely submurged. Many times an unnecessary PIA.

No conibear traps away from a watercourse. That means no leaning post sets in the woods for fisher or coon

The cable restraint. I rather snare a coyote and have it dead when I check,the Woke Wisconsin dnr won't let ya do it There no good reason why we have to go to leanths to make the dog comfy.

Guss, I wonder if that was when hunting with dogs was more prevalent. We have the same laws in Missouri and that is what I was told

No bait or lure outside of trapping season. Makes damage control tough

In ks when you turn 65 you still need a hunting fishing trapping license. Didnt use to be that way. You can buy a 40 dollar lifetime hunting and fishing license but trapping is still full price

Southern NY beaver trapping.
Trigger wires no longer than 6 1/2 inches, must be twisted together, and 8 inches off to one side.
No beaver trapping within 15 feet of dam,lodge or den measured at water level. Also no disturbing of the dam

In Wyoming no game animals or parts used for bait.

Beaver only snares.

We need the Collarum Device but anything with cable that is not a beaver snare is illegal and our trappers association will lynch you for talking about it.

Cage traps only and still a 24 hour check law. Not explicitly a 24 hour check, but the law states any captured animal must be removed within 24 hours. We have 72 hour checks on lethal sets(submerged sets or koro rat traps).

330 must be completely submerged.

660’s must be completely submerged to be legal.

Body grips 8 in or greater, foot holds 7 in or greater in water sets.

I'm with you on the cable restraints same bs here

No footholds, cages or snares only.

No hanging of snares for any purpose. Exceptions are 100% submerged or cable restraints.
I just want to run partially submerged for beaver where theft is a concern.

No Non Resident Trapping.

Our fishing laws are just as dumb.

Can touch the beaver dams for sets

We can only pick one? I would have to say posting trap signs on public land.

Actually, there’s really good reason why. Trappers share the ground with all outdoor enthusiasts. Including bird/coyote/bobcat/coon hunters using dogs and people who merely walk their dog. No one want’s their dog caught in a lethal snare.

Traps have to be 10'apart on land

This is why PA does it also

They use thoes snares in Mt, AK everyone in those States just stays inside?

Pretty sure that changed several years back.

Our fur may not be very good, but I don’t have a problem with our regs for the most part. If I had to complain, I wish we could get a longer check on lethal water sets.

I don’t think ours need any changes, they’re pretty reasonable.

Oh hogwash! Domestic dogs that are broke to the leash just sit down and wait for you to let them off. The only ones I have caught in snares do. Never even a catch circle.

X2

Cages only.
I would have multiple catches if it weren’t for critters not fully committing to my cages

Two… can’t trap Row and tagged traps which is common everywhere I think

Agreed

The claim here is that the hound hunters would go after footholds if we went for snares. Yet Florida to our south has snares without issue but can't use footholds. So which is it?

In Mo, you can buy a lifetime H@F Permit, but it doesn't include trapping.

2x - sounds like the anti's have him fooled.

Deer stops on snares are mandatory here, every snare and that sucks. Tags on traps is a stupid law as well.

If there 1 law it would be the 1 per trapper limit on otter / Fisher and eastern ND bobcat. There trying to turn trapping into deer hunting. I realize alot of you are states that already do all sorts of dumb stuff like this.

Also I have a question. Don't any of your states have legislation protection for agriculture? In ND it's in our century code a land owner operator or there agent can pretty well do whatever in season out of Season limited to a nuke to protect livestock or property. That's not exact wording but I can snare out of season to protect livestock or thermal hunt. Or set beaver traps on dry land if I want. Kinda grey area that game and fish hates but also no warden dumb enough to challenge agriculture and the century code.

Need comment on cable restraints as well. There a joke!! I use the most lethal snares I can get my hands on. Have a dog with me every day. Have never killed a hunting dog with a hunter. Have flattened a few wandering ranch dogs. Never a landowners dog tho. The dogs came from many miles away and we're not welcomed we're they were at. A good dog will not be a problem in a trap or snare. Now a 220 box might be a different story.

Same experience, regardless of breed.

Wow that is extra stupid goes to show you the people who write the rules know zilch

Actually it's that way to hunt, trap, fish on any land not your's in Georgia and Alabama. Generally not enforced on private lands outside of cause and enforced on state and federal lands that are open.

You need to set the trigger of 330 Offset from center which is 100% unsafe and will get your more body catches than anything. It's just wrong unless someone can tell me what I'm missing.

well in Michigan we would love Wisconsin cable restrain laws , ours are 41/4 inch loop , thanks to dog hunters , I have sat in state meetings, so I know firsthand that is the truth!

Man they run snares on these plantations in the spring time like it's going out of style. Not in trapping season and it's like no one cares. I understand these plantations are gonna bend the rules but to me that's a little overboard. Why don't the trapping assn. want to talk about it?

Actually, there’s really good reason why. Trappers share the ground with all outdoor enthusiasts. Including bird/coyote/bobcat/coon hunters using dogs and people who merely walk their dog. No one want’s their dog caught in a lethal snare.[/quote]


Oh hogwash! Domestic dogs that are broke to the leash just sit down and wait for you to let them off. The only ones I have caught in snares do. Never even a catch circle. [/quote]

True, every hound I have had caught in one has, and I've just had to go release it. But, I'm not sure how they would react if they were running jumped and the rest of the pack went on barking every breath, I suspect you would have some fight there. Every one I've ever had caught was cold trailing, and I've been able to grasp the lock and back off the snare with no issues. Usually resetting it so the trapper didn't even realize it was disturbed. Still with the multiple collars hounds are usually wearing unless it is a Power Ram you have small chance of choking one out. But most houndmen who are not trappers don't believe that, and trappers who try and deter houndmen from hunting in areas where they are trapping by telling them they have snares all over don't help.

In KY landowners are required to buy a landowner license to trap since fur is worthless I trap to reduce predators on my farms an area.

It’d be nice if submersion sets would get an extended check times instead of daily. That would make it much, much easier for people to use the tools that they need in situations that call for it.

No Trapping on public land, except for religious reasons if you are native american--I was born in the United States so Iam as native as a person can be, and I pray a lot ! I miss the Cougar season we had on private land, I have a new dog that I am hopeful will work out, I pray a lot for her too!

This for me also^^^

I would guess it's to minimize accidental catches on otter ...

Bring in our otter season earlier now that we have one in 1B. Every year since we got a season here EVERYTHING is froze solid before the short season starts here in the middle of February.
Loosen up the distance restrictions on Beaver trapping, trapping dam crossovers is an extremely hot spot to catch them and otter. alot of times in beaver(and otter) season those are the only places where there is any "open" water to speak of around here. Now I would love to do a little old school under ice beaver trapping but work and everyday life doesn't allow for the time to do it anymore.
Cable restraints while I like using them they could also loosen up a few of the restrictions on them also.
Also, while we are able to keep incidental catches if they are in season but would really love to be able to specifically snare some coons also.
Allow us more than 1 Fisher also.
Well that's enough for now I guess, been trapping 47 years now and for the most part I can live with MOST of our trapping laws, these are just some places I think they could improve on. Have a good one everybody

You are right. It used to be that you had to put your name and address on the traps as well so the Tree Huggers knewwhere you lived until the 4 year old was burned alive when the Tree Hugger torched the house because he knew where he lived. NOW FINALLY WV just requires your WV ID Number on the trap.

Im still not sure how close I can set to a deer carcuss here in Pa?

Because back when snares weren't regulated some coonhound got caught, or so I'm told, or for whatever reason the hound hunters got their panties in a wad and set out to do away with anything and everything they didn't like. Again I was told all this after the fact, but the houndhunters and GTA went to war and the GTA caved on snares as long as footholds were left alone. I got the distinct odor of fear whenever one of the old trappers spoke of this. And threats are and have been made by the GTA to trappers who lobby for snares or collarums.

And the plantations are a rule unto themselves. What goes on behind the fence the DNR lacks the political clout to touch.

I have it from sources that a raccoon just being a raccoon does not constitute a nuisance under our NWCO permit. Yet in practice our NWCO permit is carte blanche on how we determine whether an animal should be trapped.

Back to the snare thing though. Most of those who fought that fight are dead and gone now and those that still stand in the way were just kids when it went down and are just preserving things as they've known it to be. Times have changed. Hound hunting is not what it once was. The Winter Classic has moved on from Albany and the fox hounds are now in the pens. And if the pens ever get known to the Atlanta crowd they will be gone.

The future, I hate to say, is urban nuisance work and snares have a place in NWCO work.

Houndhunters are one of the trappers worst enemy.They are responsible for a lot of trapping restrictions in Southern Ontario.
Nothing to do with safety of their animals,more to do with trying to monopolize the resource.(get rid of competition).
The worst ones are those who pretend to be trappers and work as moles inside trapping orgs to curtail trapping for the benefit of hunting.

What Boco said!

This is the winner! Wow, how obtuse can they be?

Would you please give me more details about this? Any names, years, locations, etc that will let me find more to read about it? I’d like to read more and haven’t found any articles online.


Thank you very much

Snares only for beaver.

Laws for cable restraint/snares suck in Michigan:

Can I use cable restraints for coyote and fox?
Yes, nonlethal cable restraints may be used from Jan. 1 - March 1 to take fox and
coyotes, provided:
• Cable restraints are not placed on publicly owned land or Commercial Forest
lands.
• All cable restraints in possession or carried afield have a metallic identification
tag affixed with the owner or user’s name and address or Michigan driver’s
license number or DNR sportcard number.
• As steel cable 1/16 inch or larger is used.
• The cable restraint loop does not exceed 15 inches in diameter.
• The top of the loop is not placed more than 24 inches above the ground. In
snow, 24 inches is measured from the compacted snow in a trapper’s footprint
established by the full body weight of the trapper.
• Cable restraints are equipped with a relaxing lock. A relaxing lock is defined
as a lock that allows the loop to loosen slightly to reduce the possibility of
strangulation. Cable restraints also must be equipped with a stop to prevent
the loop from closing to a diameter less than 4.25 inches.
• Cable restraints are equipped with a breakaway locking system with a breaking
point not greater than 285 pounds. The breakaway device must be attached to
the relaxing lock.
• Cable restraints are affixed to a stake or object sufficient to hold a fox or
coyote. It is unlawful to use any type of drag.
Winter Fox and Coyote Non-lethal Cable Restraints
2022 Fur Harvester Digest 33
• Cable restraints are equipped with two swivels, including one swivel at the
anchor point.
• Spring poles, counterbalanced weights, springs, or other similar devices are
not used to close the cable restraint.
• Cable restraints may be up to 60 inches in length, not including a cable anchor
extension. A cable anchor extension may be up to 36 inches in length.
• Cable restraints are not attached to a fence or set in a manner that would
allow an animal to become entangled in a fence.
• Cable restraints may be anchored to woody vegetation provided that the
stem is free of branches and stubs to a height of 5 feet above the ground or
compacted snow. Branches and stubs must be cut flush with the outer bark of
the stem.
• Cable restraints may not be set so that a restrained animal is suspended with
two or more feet off the ground

I agree with Boco this happened to me a 550 was swiped by a houndsman easy to tell I caught his dog so took trap , tag and all and I was the one with sole permission. I called the warden and said my concern is the tag because all the thief has to do is set it illegally and call you and a ticket for me that is why I don’t like tags. We don’t have wardens like Swamp Wolf who actually knows anything about trapping… Jon

The trapping laws in Idaho for the most part benefit the trappers and Rusty Kramer, the president of the Idaho Trappers Association, has a good relationship with the Idaho Fish and Game. One law that was recently changed was to eliminate setting large body grip traps on dry land. Some trappers were against it, however, we needed this law for the survival of trapping here in Idaho. Dogs were being killed in these traps set on dry land.

Just something for the WMU's that allow otter trapping:
BEAVER TRAPPING DURING OTTER SEASON
* Where beaver season overlaps with otter season by calendar date within WMU's 1A, 1B, 2F, 3C & 3D, it is unlawful for beaver trappers to set, tend or operate more than a combined total of 5 traps or snares, no more then two of which may be body-gripping traps.
So in these WMU's if you're only trapping beaver you are still limited to 5 traps. Asked a game warden and he first said if trapping beaver only than this didn't apply but then he returned call and said yes it does apply.
Don't see it now but there had been something about 5 days after the otter season you were still limited to 5 for something like meeting harvest #'s???

1. Mink and Muskrat seasons linked together...I believe mink season should be with 'coon and other land animals. Currently, Mink and Muskrat goes out Jan 8 while you can trap 'coon until Feb 19.
2. The safety zone for trapping and gun hunting are the same. Therefore, I cannot set a bottom edge mink set with a 150 Bridger without the permission of every residence within 150 yards.
3. Beaver traps that are limited to a 6.5" jaw spread. Should be unlimited size if trap is underwater.
4. Body Grips of ANY size must be set within a waterway. It sure would be nice to run those leaning pole sets for fishers where the trap is wayyyy off the ground.
5. Fisher and Bobcat seasons start the same date but Fisher stops a week earlier. Why can't they give us that extra week? Would it make that much of a difference.
6. As other PA'ers have mentioned, an Otter season in the middle of February when, traditionally, every body of water is very locked up with ice.

That's enough for now....

You’re painting with a pretty wide brush, Boco.

Okay I want to change my answer. I want to be able to trap lions

Not being allowed to keep or use or sell any beaver or part of one that has been caught doing damage control. You are supposed to leave or dispose of it on site. It would seem to me then you are performing wanton waste and littering at the same time so in essence you would be violating two other laws in order to comply with one.

Is every hounds men an anti?No.But as a group I'd say he's dead nuts on.My experience has been even the ones that profess unity with us take a dim view of us or our regs privately.Those cable restraint regs in our state,which can't get anymore restrictive with out an out right ban,were brought on by the houndsmen.And those regs are for private property,setting on public land is prohibited.I've yet to meet a hounds men who actually liked these regs,they went along with them because that's all they could get.They'd just as soon see them outlawed totally like they were in the past.

The hound hunter’s prayer…Forgive me Lord for I hunt with hounds. My ethics are the absolute worst on the planet. I pray that you will look past my flaws because I’m a trapper too! Amen.

Now correct me if I'm wrong. Our west river muskrat season is year round but our east river season stops at the end of April, which doesn't make any sense to me since west river has little to no population of them. I do like how beaver is year round east river since it will help them write fewer nuisance permits.