09-137-17 Me. Code R. § 06

Current through 2024-51, December 18, 2024

Section 137-17-06 - Seasons and Specific Information for Trapping of Furbearing Animals

Table of Contents

1.Bear Trapping

2.Beaver Trapping

3.Muskrat Trapping

4.Early Fox and Coyote Trapping Season

5.Fisher Trapping

6.Marten Trapping

1.Bear Trapping*

A.Season Dates

The bear trapping season is set in accordance with M.R.S. Title 12 §12260.

B. The bag limit on bears by trapping is one bear per year. A person may not trap bear after that person has killed or registered a bear by trapping during that calendar year. A person may not possess more than 2 bears in any calendar year, except a person may keep more than two legally obtained bear in that person's home or as otherwise provided in law.

C.Restrictions for Bear Trapping

Except as otherwise provided by state law, no person may set, place or tend any bear trap that is not in conformity with 12 M.R.S. §12260 and the following provisions:

(1) No person may have more than 1 trap set for bear at any one time.

(2) Bear may be trapped only with the use of cable traps (foothold cable restraint) or cage-type live traps (see section 17.03 for definition) in accordance with the provisions of 12 M.R.S. §12260. The Belisle style and modified conibear traps are not legal.

(3) Whenever a cage-type live trap is used to trap for bear, the trap must be enclosed and must be heavily constructed to prevent damage from bears, and also must have adequate openings for ventilation and cooling inside when the door is closed. Traps must also be constructed with no sharp intrusions to injure bears, and be large enough for bears to turn around inside the closed trap.

(4) Whenever a cable trap (foothold cable restraint) is used to trap for bear,

i. the cable must be set at or below ground level in such a manner as to catch the animal only by the foot or leg;

ii. the cable must be at least 3/16 inches in diameter;

iii. the cable must include a swivel;

iv. the cable must be securely attached to a fixed anchor point;

v. if a tree is used as an anchor, it must be at least 6 inches in diameter at 4.5 feet above ground level and must be free of limbs for at least 7 feet above the ground;

vi. the distance from the anchor to the end of the closed cable loop (e.g. the catch circle) must be no greater than 8 feet; and

vii. the area within the catch circle must be clear of woody vegetation, debris and manmade material that could cause entanglement of a trapped bear. This restriction does not include a tree used as an anchor. Sticks and rocks, and rotten/decaying woody material may be used for stepping guides, blocking, and backing for trap sets, if they are not rooted to the ground.

(5) Whenever a cable trap (foothold cable restraint) is used in conjunction with a device that is designed to capture a bear when it reaches into the device to obtain bait (e.g. bucket, tube, or pipe-style traps):

i. the opening and inside diameter of the device must be no more than 6 inches;

ii. animal-based bait and/or lure may not be placed within the device. Animal-based bait is defined as animal matter including meat, skin, bones, feathers, hair or any other solid substance that used to be part of an animal. This includes live or dead fish;

iii. the trigger must be recessed at least 12 inches below the opening of the device;

iv. any bait and/or lure within the device may not be placed above the trigger, or between the trigger and the opening; and

v. the opening to the device must be covered by a weight of at least 30 pounds when set, placed, and tended to prevent access by non-target species.

(6) A bear caught in a trap must be killed or released and not moved away from the catch site. A bear caught in a trap may not be used in conjunction with a hunt or to train a dog(s) for bear hunting.

(7) The placement of bait when trapping for bear must be done in accordance with the provisions of M.R.S. Title 12 §11301, subsection 1.

*Data Collection for Bear

See section 17.07 for mandatory submission of bear teeth.

2.Beaver Trapping

A.Beaver Trapping Season:

Beaver Trapping Season Dates by WMDs
WMDs 1, 2, 3, 4	Opens on Sunday 2 weeks prior to the General Fall Trapping Season and extends through April 30th
WMDs 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11	Opens on Sunday 1 week prior to the General Fall Trapping Season and extends through April 30th
WMDs 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29	Opens on Sunday 1 week prior to the General Fall Trapping Season and extends through April 15th

B.Closed Areas for Beaver Trapping:

(See season dates chart for WMDs above in 2.A.)

1.Closed Areas within WMDs:

WMD 5 The following town shall be closed but with the excepted part of the town open:

Trout Brook Twp., except north of Trout Brook.

The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Ashland, except unnamed brook on land owned by Artemus and Rosemary Coffin located north of Goding Road and west of Route 11.

WMD 6 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Ashland, except section of Nowland Brook on land owned by Ronald Rushinal adjacent to the Nowland Road.

Castle Hill, except unnamed tributary to North Branch Presque Isle Stream on land owned by Melvin Johnson. Land located on east side of Haystack Mountain and south of Route 163.

Fort Fairfield, except the property of Jane and Mark Stanford at 122 West Limestone Road containing a portion of Hacker brook.

WMD 7 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Twp. 6 North of Weld, except Mud Pond and outlet.

Upton, except section of B Brook from the confluence with B Pond, downstream to the first road crossing.

WMD 8 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Blake Gore, except Capehorn Pond.

Forsythe Twp., except Turner Pond.

Holeb Twp., except Fish Pond and tributaries.

Johnson Mountain Twp., except Markham and outlet to Route 201.

Prentiss Twp., except Capehorn Pond.

Tomhegan Game Sanctuary, the Pittston Farm Game Sanctuary, the Moosehead Lake Game Sanctuary and Somerset Game Sanctuary shall all be open.

WMD 9 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

T2 R12 WELS, except for the property of Ben Bailey located from the intersection of the Sias Hill/Greenville Road and the western boundary of the T2 R12 WELS township line south to the T1 R12 WELS township line east along the southern boundary of T2 R12 WELS to the intersection the T2 R12 WELS southern boundary and Gulliver Brook. From this intersection the property line follows Gulliver Brook northwest to Big Fisher Pond where the property line runs west to east across the middle of the pond where it then continues along the road at the outlet of Big Fisher Pond in a south then northwest direction to the Sias Hill/Greenville Road where the property line follows the Sias Hill/Greenville road in a southwesterly line to the western T2 R12 WELS township line boundary.

WMD 12 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Gilead, except Carlton Brook.

Hartford, except part of the west tributary to Little Bear Pond that runs through the property owned by Sylvia Mahoney. The closed beaver flowage is located on the northeast side of the Mahoney Road.

Twp. 6 North of Weld, except Mud Pond and outlet.

WMD 13 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Concord Twp., except Owen's Marsh and outlet to Route 16.

WMD 15 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Brownfield, except Shuther Brook from Peary Mt. Road downstream to Shepards River.

Cornish, except that portion of "the heath", and eastern tributary of Brown Brook, one-half mile eastward from Watson Hill Road.

Porter, except Thurston Brook from Kennard Hill Road to Bickford Pond and Mill Brook from Maine/New Hampshire border to Bickford Pond.

Waterford, except portion of Kedar Brook upstream of Route 37.

Otisfield, except Coon Swamp and tributaries.

WMD 16 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Mercer, except the land of David P. Van Burgel and Kathy J. Scott, which is located between the Hampshire Hill Road and the Rome Road and includes a portion of Hilton Brook.

WMD 17 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Atkinson, except the flowage located on the east side of the Dorr Road and within the Bud Leavitt Wildlife Management Area.

Charleston, except the wetland located down the hill from the Charleston Correctional Facility and bordered by Route 15 and the Whiting Road, and completely within the Bud Leavitt Wildlife Management Area.

Hartland, except tributaries to Thompson Brook west and north of Route 23 that are on the property owned by John Studt.

Hermon, except the land of Herbert Bates bordered on the north by the Fuller Road, on the east by the New Boston Road, on the south by Route 2/100, and to the west by the Billings Road.

WMD 19 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

T3 ND, except Duck Lake Brook.

T4 ND, except Duck Lake Brook.

WMD 21 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Pownal, except tributary to Chandler River between Allen Road and Chadsey Road, and Chandler River between Poland Range Road and Lawrence Road.

WMD 22 The following towns shall be completely closed with no part of the town open:

Perkins Twp. (Swan Island)

WMD 23 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Montville, except the parcel of land owned by the Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance located north of the Burnham Hill Road, west of the Howard Road, south of the Penny Road, and east of the Halldale Road.

Montville, except land owned by the Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance located north of the Burnham Hill Road between Herb Jackson Road and the Mountain Road.

Searsmont, except the land owned by Ravenwood Collective Inc c/o Lily Fessenden located south of the Barret Road, between the town lines of Montville on the west, Morrill on the east, and encompassing Thompson Brook

Waldo, except the wetlands located on the property of Jeffrey S. Peters at 80 East Waldo Road in the town of Waldo.

WMD 25 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Bristol, except unnamed tributary to the Pemaquid River that passes through the land owned by James Deucher, north of the Rock Schoolhouse Road (Fire Road B 31-1).

Bristol, except Johnson's Meadow on Trout Brook, so called, to the Chamberlain Post Office.

Edgecomb, except the property of Lloyd Lawrence east of Parson's creek, and west of Parson's Point Toad.

Edgecomb, except Charles and Constance Schmid Land Preserve, a private land preserve that encompasses 766 acres located off of the Middle Road, Old County Road and Mount Hunger Road East, and Mount Hunger Road North.

Jefferson, except south of the Atkins Road, west of Route 215 to the town line, and west of the Egypt road to the Jefferson /Whitefield town line.

Northport, except the land of Ovid Santoro located east of State Route 52, north of the Northport/Lincolnville town line, north of Pitcher Pond, west of the thread of Sucker Brook, and south of Pitcher Road.

Rockport, except for the waterbodies known as "reflection ponds" located north of Park Street, on both the east and west side of Whitetail Drive, and on both the north and south side of Reflection Pond Road. All waterbodies within this subdivision shall be closed.

South Thomaston, except the land of C. M. Waterman, so called Towers Brook, west and north of Route 73, and south of the Grierson Road.

Whitefield, except the land owned by Lisa Tuttle, including the beaver flowage located along the west side of Weary Pond Road, just inside the boundary of the Jefferson-Whitefield Sanctuary.

Whitefield, except east of the Weary Pond Road to the Jefferson/Whitefield Town line, east of Hollywood Boulevard to the Jefferson/Whitefield Town Line, and south of the Hilton Road.

Note: Land in the Jefferson-Whitefield Sanctuary that is in the town of Whitefield will be open to beaver trapping except for the areas described above.

Woolwich, except the flowage located on the property of Yvonne Stanton east of Hockomock Road and South of Murphy's Corner Road.

WMD 26 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Searsport, except flowage on the property of Richard and Joyce Stevens located south and east of the junction of the Mt. Ephraim road and the Nickels Road.

Stonington, except the land of Richards Marital Trust and Richards Community Property Trust, including Ames Pond and a portion of its inlet.

WMD 29 The following towns shall be open but with the excepted part of the town closed:

Frenchboro, except Long Island.

C.Restrictions for Beaver Trapping

(1) Traps set for beaver are restricted to killer-type traps and drowning sets.

(2) Cage-type traps as defined within section 17.03 also include suitcase-type live traps, such as Hancock style traps. The setting of suitcase-type traps during the beaver trapping season is prohibited except, under the direct authorization of an IFW wildlife biologist or game warden as part of the department's animal damage control program. These traps must be set with the bottom portion of the trap in the water, and with the opening of the trap facing away from land.

(3) Measurements for dams, dens, and houses must be made from the trap itself. Sticks and poles used to construct the set are not considered part of the trap. See 17.09-2. for requirements on distances.

(a)Dams: must be measured from where the nearest edge of the dam meets ground, water or ice;

(b)Dens: must be measured from the nearest opening; and

(c)Houses: must be measured from where the nearest edge of the house meets water or ice. In the case of a capped cavity on the bank, the distance shall be measured from where the nearest intersection edge of the cap meets the ground, water or ice.

(4) No person shall use meat or fish as bait when trapping for beaver.

(5) Any otter, muskrat, or mink taken incidental to beaver trapping may be lawfully possessed

D.Destruction of Beaver and Muskrat House, Dams or Dens:

See section 17.04-6 for more information

3.Muskrat Trapping

A.Muskrat Trapping Season

Muskrat Trapping Season Dates by WMDs
WMDs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11	Early Muskrat Trapping Season Opens on Sunday 1 week prior to the General Fall Trapping Season and extending through the day prior to the opening of the General Fall Trapping Season.
Statewide	Opens the Sunday preceding the 1st day of the regular firearm season on deer through December 31st annually.
WMDs 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29	Ends April 15 (coincides with late beaver trapping season)
WMDs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11	Ends April 30 (coincides with late beaver trapping season)

See 17.06 - 3. B. for Muskrat Trapping Restrictions after February 28.

B.Muskrat Trapping After the Close of the General Trapping Season: After the close of the general trapping season a person may trap muskrat in any WMD open to beaver trapping.

C.Restrictions for Muskrat Trapping

(1)Early Muskrat Season: For WMDs that are open to muskrat trapping prior to the general trapping season the following restrictions apply:

(a) All traps must be set at or below ground or water level;

(b) The use of exposed bait or visible attractor at any trap site location is prohibited;

(c) Killer-type traps may be used for muskrat trapping and must have a jaw spread no greater than 5 inches;

(d) Foothold traps shall be limited to an inside jaw spread between 3 11/16 inches and 5 3/8 inches (measured at the dog when set, see section 17.08 1 -A for specific measuring instructions) for muskrat sets during this special season; and

(e) Colony traps can be used but must meet restrictions defined in Section 17.08-3.

(2)After February 28^th: in those (WMDs) open to beaver trapping the following restrictions apply:

(a) Only killer-type traps, foothold traps, and colony traps may be used and must be set, placed, and tended to remain underwater; or

(b) Foothold traps may be used when on "covered floats" with the following restrictions: (See the definition of "Covered Floats" within 17.03 definitions section).

i. Access to the float will be limited to openings at the extreme ends of the float and the openings will not exceed 7 inches in height, or 14 inches in width;

ii. The use of exposed bait or visible attractor on covered floats is prohibited;

iii. Only one trap may be placed per float;

iv. The trap must be recessed 3 inches or greater from any opening in the cover;

v. The trap chain or wire must be at least 3 feet long; and

vi. The maximum foothold trap size for covered floats sets shall be limited to a No. 1 1/2, or equivalent (maximum inside jaw spread no greater than 5 3/8 inches, when set) for muskrat sets during this special season.

(3) Measurements for dams, dens, and houses must be made from the trap itself. Sticks and poles used to construct the set are not considered part of the trap.

(a)Dens: must be measured from the nearest opening; and

D.Exemption to Incidental Catch Requirements When Trapping for Muskrat

Any otter, raccoon or mink taken incidental to muskrat trapping may be lawfully possessed.

E.Destruction of Beaver and Muskrat House, Dams or Dens

See section 17.04-6. For more information

4.Early Fox and Coyote Statewide Trapping Season Dates

A.Season Dates

There shall be an early fox and coyote trapping season statewide from the Sunday two weeks before the opening of the general fall trapping season through the day before the opening of the general fall trapping season.

B.Exemption to Incidental Catch Requirements for Early Fox and Coyote Trapping

Any raccoon, skunk or opossum taken incidental to fox and coyote trapping may be lawfully possessed. During this early trapping season, except as provided in this section, it is unlawful to take or possess any furbearing animal other than fox, coyote, raccoon, skunk and opossum.

C.Additional Restrictions for Early Fox and Coyote Trapping Season

In addition to department rules and state laws which affect trapping in general, the following restrictions also apply when trapping during the early fox and coyote trapping season:

(1) The use of exposed bait or visible attractor at any trap site location is prohibited;

(2) Killer-type traps are prohibited except as authorized within section 17.06-3 -C. when trapping for muskrat; and

(3) Foothold traps may not be set in the water except as authorized within section 17.06-3 -C when trapping for muskrat.

5.Fisher Trapping

A.Bag Limit

The harvest of fisher is limited to 25 fisher per trapper each year statewide.

B.Incidental Catch of Fisher

All fisher caught in excess of the annual limit (25) or outside of the fisher season must be immediately released alive, or if found dead in the trap, must be reported to a game warden as soon as possible and prior to removal of the animal from the trap and trap site location. Any such incidental catch found dead in the trap must be turned over to a game warden or biologist of the department within 48 hours from the time it was discovered. See section 17.04 for lynx specific information when incidental catch occurs.

C.Data Collection for Fisher

See section 17.07 for mandatory submission of fisher teeth.

6.Marten Trapping

A.Bag Limit

The harvest of marten is limited to 25 marten per trapper each year statewide.

B.Incidental Catch of Marten

Any marten caught in excess of the annual limit (25) must be immediately released alive, or, if found dead in the trap, must be reported to a game warden as soon as possible and prior to removal of the animal from the trap and trap site location. Any such incidental catch found dead in the trap must be turned over to a game warden or biologist of the department within 48 hours from the time it was discovered. See section 17.04 for lynx specific information when incidental catch occurs.

C.Data Collection for Marten

See section 17.07 for mandatory submission of marten teeth.

09-137 C.M.R. ch. 17, § 06