It is unlawful to possess or use any cable-restraining device (snare) or trap during open furbearing animal seasons (Addendum A1.05) without complying with the following restrictions:
- Bait Restrictions: Animal matter, including meat, skin, feathers, hair, or any other solid substance that used to be part of an animal, except for bones cleaned of all tissue and viscera, may not be used as bait within 20 feet of a trap setunless it is adequately covered to prevent it being seen from above. The cover also must withstand wave and wind action or other normal environmental conditions that could cause the bait to become visible.
- Permissible Land-Set Traps:
- Smooth-jawed traps with a jaw spread of 6 1/4 inches or less (traps in excess of 5 inches, measured from the inside edge of the trap at the dog, must have offset or rubber-padded jaws);
- Size 110, 120, and 160 or comparable body-tripping traps, with a jaw spread of 6 inches or less (measured on the inside edge of the trap from hinge-to-hinge and from top-to-bottom at the dog and may not exceed the specified maximum size either horizontally or vertically); and
- Box traps.
- Permissible Water-Set Traps:
- Smooth-jawed traps with a jaw spread of 8.5 inches or less (measured from the inside edge of the trap at the dog);
- Body-gripping traps with a jaw spread of 11 inches or less (measured on the inside edge of the trap from hinge-to-hinge and from top-to-bottom at the dog and may not exceed the specified maximum size either horizontally or vertically); and
- Box traps.
- Snare (Cable Restraint Device) Restrictions:
- Snares are allowed in water sets;
- Snares are allowed as land sets provided that snares set more than 20 feet from a permanent body of water have a functional “deer lock” that will not allow the snare to close smaller than 2.5 inches;
- Land snares must be constructed of braided cable with a loop no more than 12 inches in diameter (side-to-side) and a lower loop no more than 10 inches off the ground. Only snares with single-piece locks may be used on land;
- Leg snares are prohibited;
- No snare shall be set or maintained in any public road; and
- Fully extended snares may not touch any fence.
PENALTY: Class 1