250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-60-00-9.14

Current through October 15, 2024

Section 250-RICR-60-00-9.14 - Furbearer Trapping

A. A current Rhode Island Trapping License is required to trap furbearers.

B. Furbearers are those species listed by R.I. Gen. Laws § 20-16-1

C. The trapping season for gray fox, red fox, mink (Neovison vison), muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), opossum (Didelphis virginiana), cottontail rabbit, squirrels, raccoon, skunk (Mephitis mephitis), and weasel (Mustela spp.) is from the first (1st) day in November to the last day in January, inclusive.

1. Traps may not be set, staked, or placed prior to sunrise on opening day.

2. All traps must be removed by the last day of the season.

D. Beaver (Castor canadensis) - The trapping season on private land is November 1 to March 14, inclusive. The trapping season for beaver on State Management Areas is December 1 to last day of February inclusive.

1. Bag Limit - The season bag limit for Rhode Island resident trappers is forty (40) beaver. The season bag limit for non-residents is twenty (20) beaver.

a. All beaver pelts must be presented for tagging in accordance with beaver permit requirements and as prescribed by the DEM.

2. All trappers participating in beaver trapping must first obtain both a Special Beaver Trapping Permit (no fee) from the Division of Fish and Wildlife as well as a current Rhode Island Trapping License as prescribed by the DEM.

3. Traps may not be set, staked, or placed prior to sunrise on opening day.

4. Setting traps within ten feet (10') of a beaver lodge/bank den is prohibited, unless specifically allowed under a nuisance permit issued by the Division.

E. Fisher (Pekania pennanti) - The trapping season is December 1 to 24, inclusive.

1. Bag Limit - The season bag limit is one (1) fisher.

a. All fisher pelts must be presented for tagging, in accordance with fisher permit requirements as prescribed by the DEM.

b. In addition, all fisher carcasses or any part thereof, as determined by the Division, must be turned in to the Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife.

c. No fisher pelts will be tagged without the submission of the carcass or required parts to the Division of Fish and Wildlife.

2. All trappers participating in fisher trapping must first obtain both a Special Fisher Trapping Permit (no fee) from the Division of Fish and Wildlife as well as a current Rhode Island Trapping License as prescribed by the DEM.

3. A fisher trapping log, provided by the Division of Fish and Wildlife, must be completed and returned to the Division of Fish and Wildlife at the close of fisher season in accordance with permit conditions.

a. Failure to submit the trapping log will result in denial of future permits until the completed log is received.

4. The Division of Fish and Wildlife reserves the right to alter the number of permits or the number of fishers harvested at any time.

5. All permittees may be subject to administrative penalties of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for violation of any of these Regulations pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-17.6.

F. Coyote - There is no closed season for trapping on private lands. The trapping season on State lands is November 1 to the last day of February inclusive.

1. The daily bag limit for coyote is unlimited.

2. The use of foothold traps (R.I. Gen. Laws § 20-16-8) or snares (R.I. Gen. Laws § 20-16-6) is prohibited. All other general trapping Regulations apply.

G. Body gripping ("e.g. Conibear") type traps with a jaw spread up to but not exceeding six and one half inches (6.5") as measured from hinge to hinge, are permitted on land or in water. Body gripping traps with a jaw spread larger than six and one half inches (6.5") but not exceeding eight inches (8") are permitted only if the trap is completely submerged in water in a vertical position or placed at least six feet (6') above the surface of water or ground (i.e., pole or tree sets). All other body-gripping type traps with a jaw spread exceeding eight inches (8") are prohibited.

1. For the taking of beaver, the use of body-gripping ("e.g. Conibear") type traps with a jaw spread up to but not exceeding ten inches (10") as measured from hinge to hinge is permitted. Such traps must be set completely submerged underwater and in a vertical position.

H. State Lands Trapping

1. A Permit to Trap State Management Areas is required to trap on DEM management areas, in addition to a current Rhode Island trapping license. Permits are available (no fee) from the Division of Fish and Wildlife.

2. The use of body-gripping (e.g. "Conibear") type traps or "box" (i.e. live) traps are permitted on State lands as specified. Body-gripping traps, with a jaw spread up to but not exceeding six and one half inches (6.5") as measured from hinge to hinge are permitted only if such traps are used in sets where all or a portion of the trap is in contact with or submerged in water or placed no less than six feet (6') above the surface of the ground. The use of body gripping traps with a jaw spread exceeding six and one half inches (6.5") but not more than ten inches (10") are only permitted if such traps are set completely submerged in water in a vertical position.

I. All traps must have the valid license number of the trapper embedded or cut into the trap, or a metal tag attached to the trap which, as a minimum, bears the owners trapping license number as designated in R.I. Gen. Laws § 20-16-7.

J. There is no open season on bobcat (Lynx rufus) or river otter (Lontra canadensis).

K. Possession, at any time, of a pelt or carcass of an otter, fisher, bobcat, or beaver that has not been tagged by an approved State or Federal agency is prima facie evidence of illegal taking. Otter or bobcat taken under R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 20-16-2, 20-16-8 or otherwise, shall not be tagged for personal use or ownership and must be presented to the Division of Fish and Wildlife or the Division of Law Enforcement within twenty-four (24) hours of taking.

L. It is unlawful to take or possess a road-killed furbearer (R.I. Gen. Laws § 20-16-1) unless with possession of a current Rhode Island trapping license and the furbearer is taken during the open season for the species, or as provided for under the provisions of a current Rhode Island Scientific Collector's Permit (R.I. Gen. Laws § 20-1-18). Exceptions may be granted at the discretion of the Division.

M. The translocation of protected furbearers (R.I. Gen. Laws § 20-16-1) is prohibited without prior written approval of the Division of Fish and Wildlife.

N. The use of "species specific" type traps as described in § 9.6 of this Part, is permitted for trapping furbearers on private and State lands. A legal species specific trap is characterized by all of the following:

1. Triggering and restraining mechanisms are enclosed within a housing.

2. Triggering and restraining mechanisms are only accessible through a single opening when set.

3. The access opening does not exceed two inches (2") in diameter.

4. The triggering mechanism can only be activated by a pulling force.

5. A swivel mounted anchoring system.

O. The use of deadfalls, pitfalls, fish hooks, treble hooks, or other similarly sharpened instruments to catch, capture, or injure furbearers is prohibited.

250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-60-00-9.14

Amended effective 7/31/2019
Amended effective 8/2/2020
Amended effective 7/31/2021
Amended Effective 11/17/2021
Amended effective 7/31/2022
Amended effective 6/28/2023
Amended effective 8/2/2023
Amended effective 8/8/2024