Hunting & Trapping Digest 2008-2009 - (Page 82) FURTAKING SEASONS & BAG LIMITS Foxes & Raccoons: Oct. 25-Feb. 21, 2009 Unlimited Opossums, Skunks & Weasels: No Closed Season Unlimited Coyotes: (Statewide) - No Closed Season. Outside of any deer or bear season may be taken with a hunting license or a furtaker’s license and without wearing orange. (During Any Archery Deer Season) - May be taken while lawfully hunting deer, or with a furtaker’s license. (During The Regular Firearms Deer Season and Any Bear Season) May be taken while lawfully hunting deer or bear, or with a furtaker’s license while wearing 250 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange-colored material visible in a 360-degree arc. (During Spring Gobbler Season) - May be taken by persons who have a valid tag and follow shot size requirements. Need a furtaker license to trap coyotes. Opossums, Skunks & Weasels may not be hunted on Sundays and prior to noon during the spring gobbler season and, along with Foxes & Raccoons, not during the regular antlered and antlerless deer season from a half-hour before sunrise to one halfhour after sunset. Bobcats (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D & 4D): Oct. 25-Feb. 21, 2009 Requires a furtaker license and a Bobcat Hunting-Trapping Permit. Limit of one cat per permit. Applications for a bobcat permit may be submitted by using the form provided in this Digest; by going through the PGC website www.pgc.state.pa.us and clicking on “The Outdoor Shop,” or by downloading the application found on the PGC website. It is unlawful to take bobcats during the regular antlered and antlerless deer season between the hours of one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Firearms For Hunting Furbearers: It is unlawful to take furbearers, including bobcats, with shotguns using shot larger than size number 4 buckshot. Manually operated rifles or handguns of any caliber can be used. Persons hunting for furbearers, including coyotes, foxes, bobcats, raccoons, skunks, opossums and weasels, may use gun-mounted lights that do not project a laser-light beam. Dogs: Dogs are permitted to hunt furbearers. HUNTING a cage or box trap capable of capturing more than one animal at a time. Tending Traps: Traps must be visited by the owner once every 36 hours, and each animal removed or released. Exporting Furs: It is unlawful to ship furs or harvested furbearers outside the state unless an official “Shipping Tag” is properly attached. Tags are available from Game Commission offices and licensed fur dealers. Importing Furs: Furs and furbearers taken outside of Pennsylvania must be tagged according to laws of the state or country where harvested. Firearms While Trapping: To dispatch trapped animals during deer season, trappers are limited to a manually operated 22 caliber or smaller rimfire rifle or handgun. Persons under 12 may use only a manually operated 22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearm and only when accompanied by an adult. BEAVER TRAPPING REGULATIONS TRAPPING Mink & Muskrat: Nov. 22-Jan. 11, 2009 Unlimited Beavers: Dec. 26-March 31, 2009 In WMUs 2E, 2F & 2G (Combined), 20 daily, 20 per season In WMUs 1A, 1B, 3A, 3B, 3C & 3D (Combined), 20 daily, 40 per season In WMUs 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A, 5B, 5C & 5D (Combined), 10 daily, 10 per season Coyotes, Foxes, Opossums, Raccoons, Skunks & Weasels: Oct. 26-Feb. 22, 2009 Unlimited Coyotes & Foxes (Cable Restraints): Jan. 1-Feb. 22, 2009 Unlimited Bobcats (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D & 4D): Oct. 26-Feb. 22, 2009. Requires a furtaker license and a Bobcat Hunting-Trapping Permit. Limit of one per permit. Trapping Methods: In addition to general trapping regulations, it is unlawful to 1) destroy, disturb or interfere with a beaver dam or house; 2) use other than raw, native wood and stone materials to direct the travel of beavers (man-made materials may be used only to support traps or snares); 3) except in WMUs 3B, 3C & 3D, place, check, reset or tend a trap or snare on an established beaver dam or beaver house, or within 15 feet of either a dam or a house. Measurement shall be from directly above the trap or snare, across the water, ice or land to the nearest point of the structure; 4) in an area where beavers are known to inhabit, set, tend or operate more than a combined total of 20 traps or snares, no more than 10 of which may be traps. No more than two of the traps may be body gripping traps, except in WMUs 3A, 3B, 3C & 3D, where the two body gripping trap limit does not apply; 5) check or maintain a beaver trap, or remove a beaver unless the person who owns the trap is present; 6) Set body gripping traps larger than 10 x 10 inches. As a reminder, although the 15-foot restriction has been lifted in WMUs 3B, 3C & 3D, only underwater sets may be closer than five feet of any hole or den. A legal snare for beaver trapping must be looped galvanized or stainless stranded steel cable 3/32 inches in diameter, equipped with a mechanical sliding metal release lock. A metal ferrule shall be crimped on the cable to prevent the snare loop from closing to a circumference less than seven inches. It is unlawful to equip snares with a spring-activating mechanism or any device designed to aid in closing the snare loop. Snares used for taking beavers must be set completely or partially submerged in water within a waterway, watercourse, marsh, pond or dam. There shall be one durable identification tag attached to each trap or snare by means of an extension wire of sufficient length so that the name tag or identification number is completely above the water or ice level and totally visible. The tag shall list the owner’s first and last name and legal home address, or a number issued by the Commission. Season Limit: Trappers may legally take up to 70 beavers with the combined harvest in multiple Wildlife Management Units in a season. When trapping in multiple WMUs, a trapper may not set or tend more than a total of 10 traps and 10 snares. Beavers or pelts do not need to be tagged. Avoiding Otter Captures: The river otter population continues to increase through natural expansion of existing populations and reintroduction efforts. Trappers are urged to learn to identify otter sign and, where otters exist, to adopt the following recommendations to avoid the accidental capture of otters while trapping beavers: When using snares, set snare loops at 10 to 12 inches in diameter. use baited sets for beavers where feasible. Avoid main channels in ponds and primary crossings where otter sign is present. (Note: setting on the dam is only permitted in specified areas; see beaver trapping regulations.) Report accidental otter captures to your local wildlife conservation officer through your PGC region office. REGULATIONS Setting Traps: It is unlawful to 1) stake or set traps prior to 7 a.m. on the first day; 2) set traps within five feet of a hole or den, except for underwater sets; 3) use pole traps, jaw-toothed traps, deadfalls, poison, explosives, chemicals, or traps with a jaw-spread exceeding 6.5 inches; 4) set body-gripping traps outside a watercourse, waterway, marsh, pond or dam; 5) set a trap not marked with a durable identification tag attached to either the trap or chain showing the first and last name and address of the trapper, or a number issued by the Game Commission; 6) set a trap with bait visible from the air; 7) smoke or dig out a den or house or cut den trees; 8) disturb traps or remove any wildlife from the traps of another without specific permission; and 9) on the closing day, traps must be removed by sunset. Possession: It is unlawful to 1) possess green pelts, except during open season and for 10 days thereafter; 2) possess live, wild furbearers, except foxes, for which a permit must be issued by the Game Commission; and 3) buy, sell or possess furbearers or parts unlawfully taken, transported, imported, exported or improperly tagged. Cage and Box Traps: It is unlawful to 1) use a cage or box trap in water; and 2) use http://www.pgc.state.pa.us
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