No person shall hunt, pursue, take or trap a mink or otter in this State at any time, except during such period as provided by the State Fish and Game Code, or, in the absence of such provision in said code, except from six o'clock post meridian, on November thirtieth in each year to March fifteenth of the following year. No person shall hunt, pursue, take or trap a muskrat in this State at any time, except from six o'clock post meridian, on November thirtieth in each year to March fifteenth of the following year. This section shall not prevent the destruction at any time of muskrats which are damaging dams or canal banks by the owners or agents thereof, or the setting of traps after three o'clock post meridian on November thirtieth in each year. No person shall hunt, pursue, take or trap a mink, muskrat or otter on any of the State owned public shooting and fishing grounds, at any time, or by any method, except during such period and by such method as provided by the State Fish and Game Code, or in the absence of such provision in said code, except from six o'clock post meridian, on November thirtieth in each year to March fifteenth of the following year.
N.J.S. § 23:4-39