Minnesota Administrative Rules
Agency 158 - Natural Resources Department
Chapter 6234 - SMALL GAME
USE OF TRAPS
Part 6234.2200 - USE OF TRAPS

Universal Citation: MN Rules 6234.2200

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.

A. Any trap, except a body-gripping or "conibear" type trap, capable of capturing a protected wild animal and not capable of drowning the animal must be tended at least once each calendar day and any animal captured must be removed from the trap. A body-gripping or "conibear" type trap need not be tended more frequently than once every third calendar day and any animal captured must be removed from the trap.

B. Foothold traps with a jaw spread of 4.75 inches or less or a rat type snap trap, contained entirely within a container with an opening of no more than two inches in height or width, need not be tended more frequently than once every third calendar day and any animal captured must be removed from the trap. This item applies only to sets that are designed to immediately kill the animal.

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:

A. at least three feet above the ground or snow level in a tree;

B. at least three feet above the ground or snow level on a leaning pole six inches or less in diameter; or

C. in a cubby box recessed at least seven inches from the box opening, which must be less than 50 square inches in opening size. A cubby box may be constructed of any material, but must be constructed and set in a manner that allows an animal to enter only through the cubby box opening.

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:

A. in a road right-of-way within 500 feet of a building occupied by a human or livestock without written permission of the landowner, except as a completely submerged waterset; or

B. in or within three feet of the opening of a six-foot-wide or smaller culvert, except as a completely submerged waterset.

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

A. placed as a water set; or

B. used by licensed wolf trappers during a wolf season.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Minnesota may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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