Minnesota Administrative Rules
Agency 158 - Natural Resources Department
Chapter 6234 - SMALL GAME
USE OF TRAPS
Part 6234.2200 - USE OF TRAPS
Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 39, March 25, 2024
Subpart 1. Trap-tending hours and use of lights.
Trap-tending hours and use of lights are regulated as provided by Minnesota Statutes, section 97B.931.
Subp. 2. Trap-tending interval; nondrowning sets.
Subp. 3. Trap-tending interval; drowning sets.
Except for traps set under the ice, any trap capable of drowning the captured animal must be tended at least once each third calendar day and any animal captured must be removed from the trap.
Subp. 4. Exposed bait.
A person may not set or maintain any leghold trap within 20 feet of bait located in such a manner that it may be seen by soaring birds.
Subp. 5. Size restriction on body-gripping traps.
A person may not set, place, or operate, except as a waterset, any body-gripping or "conibear" type trap that has a maximum jaw opening, when set, of greater than 7-1/2 inches measured from the inside edges of the body-gripping portions of the jaws.
Subp. 5a. Body-gripping traps; Lynx Management Zone.
In the Lynx Management Zone, a person may not set, place, or operate, except as a water set, any body-gripping trap that has a maximum jaw opening, when set, of greater than five inches and less than or equal to 7-1/2 inches measured from the inside edges of the body-gripping portions of the jaws, unless the trap is set:
Subp. 6. Size restriction on leghold traps.
A person may not set, place, or operate any leghold trap that has a maximum jaw opening, when set, of greater than 8-3/4 inches measured from the inside edges of the jaws.
Subp. 7. Placement of body-gripping traps.
A person may not set, place, or operate any body-gripping or "conibear" type trap that has a maximum jaw opening, when set, of greater than 6-1/2 inches measured from the inside edges of the body-gripping portions of the jaws:
Subp. 8. [Repealed, 22 SR 292]
Subp. 9. Marking trapping site.
Prior to the opening of the trapping season for any protected species of wild animal, no trap, either set or unset, may be placed or staked and no flag, stake, or other device may be placed for the purpose of marking or preempting a trapping site. During the muskrat trapping season, no flag, stake, or other device may be placed in or on a muskrat house for the purpose of marking or preempting a trap site unless an operational trap is set at the site at the time it is first staked or marked.
Subp. 10. Removal of traps.
A trap placed for a protected wild animal may not be left in place, either set or unset, after the close of the applicable trapping season.
Subp. 11. [Repealed, 22 SR 292]
Subp. 12. Authorized agent.
A trapper may authorize, in writing, an agent who possesses all necessary licenses to check, pick up, and reset, at the same site, traps set by the trapper. An authorized agent may remove a trapped animal and, if the animal removed from the trap is required to be validated as provided by part 6234.2600, must validate the agent's own site validation coupon as prescribed at and prior to removing the animal from the site of the kill.
Subp. 13. Trap staking and tethering; Lynx Management Zone.
In the Lynx Management Zone, except for water sets and weasel boxes as described in subpart 2, item B, all leghold traps must be staked or otherwise secured by tethering chains or cables not more than 18 inches long, in a manner that prevents captured animals from removing the trap from the trap site.
Subp. 14. Trap tether swivels; Lynx Management Zone.
In the Lynx Management Zone, except for water sets, all leghold traps must have two or more swivels in the tethering chain or cable.
Subp. 15. Bait restrictions; Lynx Management Zone.
In the Lynx Management Zone, the use of fresh meat, rabbits or hares, or parts of rabbits or hares is prohibited. Other meat may be used as bait if it has been unfrozen and exposed to air for at least 24 hours before being placed in a trap.
Subp. 16. Sight attractant restrictions; Lynx Management Zone.
In the Lynx Management Zone, the use of suspended flags or other sight attractants within 20 feet of a trap is prohibited.
Subp. 17. Foothold traps; Lynx Management Zone.
In the Lynx Management Zone, a person may not set, place, or operate any foothold trap that has a maximum jaw opening, when set, of greater than 6-1/2 inches measured from the inside edges of the jaw, except when