Code of Maine Rules › 09 - DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE › 137 - DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE - GENERAL › Chapter 17 - TRAPPING › Section 137-17-03 - Definitions

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
1.
Bait:
means animal matter
				including meat, skin, bones, feathers, hair or any other solid substance that
				used to be part of an animal. This includes live or dead fish. For the purposes
				of this chapter bait does not include animal droppings (scat), urine or
				animals, dead or alive, held in a trap as the result of lawful trapping
				activity.
2.
Beaver
				Dam:
means a dam built by a beaver to provide a pond as protection
				against predators and to provide easy access to food during winter. For the
				purposes of this chapter, the remains of an inactive or breached beaver dam
				that is in disrepair and is no longer being maintained by beaver are not
				considered to be beaver dams. See section
				17.06 for additional information on
				legal measurement of trap location from a beaver dam.
3.
Beaver House:
means any
				cavity in the bank which is capped by beaver with mud and sticks. For the
				purposes of this chapter holes in the bank not capped with mud and sticks are
				not considered to be beaver houses. See section
				17.06 for additional information on
				legal measurement of trap location from a beaver house.
4.
Blind Set
: means any set
				designed to catch a wild animal, without the use of bait, lure or visible
				attractor, by intercepting the animal as it moves naturally through its
				habitat. Bait, lure and visible attractors do not include animal droppings
				(scat) or urine.
5.
Built-up
				Portion of a Town:
is defined within Title 12 M.R.S. §
									23.
6.
Cage-Type Live Trap:
means a
				type of restraining trap that fully encloses a captured animal within wood,
				wire, plastic, or metal. This includes culvert-type traps used primarily for
				bear (see section
				17.06 for specific trap
				construction for bear) and suitcase-type live traps, such as Hancock traps,
				that may be utilized in certain circumstances for live trapping of beaver (see
				section 17.06 for
				specific use requirements in certain areas).
7.
Catch Circle:
means the area
				that can be circumscribed by the outer edge of a trap when the trap and trap
				chain or cable are fully extended and moved in a circle (360°) around the
				anchoring point.
8.
Colony
				Trap:
is an enclosure-type device (often a wire rectangular cage) that
				allows for the capture of one or more muskrats in a single set. The trap design
				functions with one or more one-way entrances that allow muskrats to push
				through and enter, but prevents exiting by the mechanics and/or design of the
				door or opening. These traps may also be called by other names, but will be
				referred to as colony traps for purposes of this chapter.
9.
Covered Float:
means a float
				completely covered on the sides and top with solid material; or hardware cloth,
				screen, or other similar material having a mesh size no greater than 1/2-inch
				square. Covered floats must be completely surrounded by water when set, placed,
				and tended.
10.
Drowning
				Set:
is defined within Title 12 M.R.S. §
									10001 subsection
				15.
11.
Enclosed Foothold Trap:
is
				designed to eliminate incidental catch of non-target species. Brand examples
				including but not limited to Duffer, Egg, Coon Cuff and dog proof type traps.
				Any trap that has similar specifications is considered an Enclosed Foothold
				Trap, regardless of brand or source of modification.
12.
Killer-type Trap:
is a
				device designed to capture and kill an animal when two rotating jaws close on
				either side of the animal's neck or chest. These devices are commonly known as
				body-gripping traps, or ConibearT traps. There are various manufacturers, but
				all have a similar design and operational characteristics, two rotating jaws
				powered by one or two sets of springs.
13.
Muskrat Den:
A muskrat den
				is any cavity which is capped by muskrats with vegetative matter, including but
				not limited to hollow stumps and bank cavities. Holes in the bank not capped
				with vegetative matter are not considered to be muskrat dens. See section
				17.06 for additional information on
				legal measurement of trap location from a muskrat den.
14.
Pelt:
means the raw,
				untanned skin of the animal, whether removed from or attached to the
				carcass.
15.
Steel Foothold
				Trap:
is a device with two jaws designed to capture and restrain an
				animal by gripping the toes or foot. Foothold traps typically have two metal
				jaws attached to a base plate with a pan triggering device. When the animal
				steps on the pan of the trap, it triggers the springs to close the jaws.
				Foothold traps typically are categorized by the type of spring (e.g. coil or
				long spring) and are made in varying sizes appropriate for specific animals.
16.
Wildlife Management
				District (WMD):
WMDs are delineated, geographical sections of the State
				that have similarities in biological and geophysical characteristics and are
				utilized to manage wildlife species' populations on a more localized scale. See
				Rule Chapter 16 for WMD boundary descriptions.
17.
Visible Attractor
: means an
				object hung or placed at a trap site location that serves as a visual cue to
				attract an animal to the trap. Visible attractor includes, but is not limited
				to, CD-disc, tin can cover, foil, tinsel, feathers, bones, fur, mechanical
				devices, or any like items. Fruits or vegetables used for muskrat trapping,
				urine, and animal droppings (scat) are not considered a visible attractor.
				Small pieces of flagging can be used to mark trap site locations.