Highlights of Changes for the 2009-10 Trapping Seasons
DEC has made several changes to trapping regulations and seasons for 2009-10. Please review the information below and the trapping season maps before you go afield.
Season Date Changes
DEC has revised the seasons for beaver, otter, and in some WMUs, mink and muskrat. Beaver seasons were adjusted to meet management needs in southeastern, central, and western New York. In the Northern Zone, seasons were consolidated to promote simplicity in season dates. Otter seasons were adjusted to open with the beaver seasons. In the Northern Zone, the otter season will run concurrently with the beaver season. In southeastern New York, the otter season will close before the beaver season but remain the same length as in previous years. Mink and muskrat seasons will remain the same except in southeastern New York where the season is lengthened to provide additional open water opportunity for these species. Click here to view the maps for the beaver, otter, and mink and muskrat season zones.
Northern Zone Water Trap Check Duration
Now in the entire northern zone, including WMU 6K, traps set in water for mink, muskrat, beaver, and otter must be checked once in each 48-hour period.
Trigger Regulation for Beaver Trappers
If you trap beaver in a southern zone WMU during a closed otter season and use a body-gripping trap larger than nine inches, you must use a trigger with the following specifications:
- must be a two-way trigger - tension-adjustable trigger is optional
- trigger stop no longer required
- trigger length must be 6 ½ inches or less
- trigger wires must be joined together
- trigger must be moved to the side to create a minimum 8-inch space between the triggerwires and the opposite side of the trap
Also, on page 55 of the 2009-10 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide, the caption for the picture on how to measure a body-gripping trap should read as follows: "Greater than 9 inches".
Use of Body-grip Traps on Land
The following restrictions shall apply to any body-gripping trap set on land without the use of baits, lures, or other attractants:
- No person shall set on land a body-gripping trap that measures more than six (6) inches unless the trap is placed a minimum of four (4) feet above the ground level.
- No person shall set on land a body-gripping trap that measures between five-and-one-half (5½) inches and six (6) inches unless it is set so that no part of the body-gripping surface of the trap is eight (8) inches or more above the ground.
This regulation was modified to make it clear that the only restriction on body-gripping traps that measure less than 5½ inches set on land is that they cannot be set within 100 feet of a public trail except on wildlife management areas.
Marten Trapping
A special permit is required for trapping marten. Contact DEC's Wildlife Office at Warrensburg 518-623-1240 for details. This information was inadvertently omitted from the 2009-10 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide.
Incidental and Accidental Capture of Trapped Animals
There are no provisions in the Environmental Conservation Law allowing trappers to possess animals that are taken outside of the open trapping season. The DEC seeks information on all accidentally taken bobcat, otter, fisher and marten. You must attempt to release any animals that are accidentally captured when the season is closed or if the area is not open for trapping that species. If the animal is injured to the extent that it may not survive, humanely dispatch it, and remove it from the trap. Contact your regional wildlife office as soon as possible for further instructions.