Minnesota Administrative Rules
Agency 158 - Natural Resources Department
Chapter 6234 - SMALL GAME
USE OF SNARES
Part 6234.2400 - SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF SNARES

Subpart 1. Scope.

The provisions of parts 6234.2300 and 6234.2400 apply to the use of snares capable of taking a wild animal protected under provisions of Minnesota Statutes, sections 97B.601 to 97B.671 or 97B.901 to 97B.945.

Subp. 2. Farmland Furbearer Zone restrictions.

In the Farmland Furbearer Zone, a person may use snares as follows:

Subp. 3. Snaring in culverts.

A person may not set, place, or operate a snare in a culvert, except as a completely submerged waterset.

Subp. 4. Removal of snares.

A snare set for a protected mammal may not be left in place after the close of the applicable trapping season.

Subp. 5. Prohibition on snares placed in deer trails.

Snares, including wolf snares, may not be set in deer, elk, or moose trails.

Subp. 6. Use of spring poles.

Snares may not be used with spring poles or other devices where an animal caught in the snare will be wholly or partly lifted from the ground.

Subp. 7. Snare height.

A snare may not be set so that the top of the loop is more than 20 inches above the first surface beneath the bottom of the set snare loop. During the wolf season, licensed wolf trappers may use wolf snares but a wolf snare may not be set so that the bottom of the loop is more than 18 inches above the first surface beneath the bottom of the set snare loop.

Subp. 8. [Effective until 1/9/2022]Snare loop diameter.

The diameter of a snare loop may not exceed ten inches. In the Lynx Management Zone, the diameter of a snare loop must be at least eight inches when set on land.

Subp. 8. [Effective 1/9/2022] Snare loop diameter.

The diameter of a snare loop may not exceed ten inches.

Subp. 9. [Effective until 1/9/2022]Snare cable diameter.

Snare cable or wire may not exceed one-eighth inch in diameter In the Lynx Management Zone, snare cable or wire must be at least 5/64 inch in diameter when set on land.

Subp. 9. [Effective 1/9/2022] Snare cable diameter.

Snare cable or wire may not exceed one-eighth inch in diameter.

Subp. 10. Tending snares.

All snares not capable of drowning the captured animal must be tended at least once each calendar day and any animal captured must be removed from the snare.

Subp. 11. Snare separation.

Licensed wolf trappers shall set wolf snares for wolves no closer than 500 feet to another wolf snare set by the same licensed wolf trapper.

Subp. 12. [Effective until 1/9/2022]Snare breakaway devices.

Snares capable of taking a wild animal must include a breakaway device that causes the snare loop to disassemble at 350 pounds pull or less as measured by a static load test, except for snares set under ice.