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Beaver Trap Regulation Help #7574911
05/02/22 09:06 AM
05/02/22 09:06 AM
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 964
Warren County, PA
CountryCletus Offline OP
trapper
CountryCletus  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 964
Warren County, PA
Hello, I’m sorry if the title doesn’t adequately describe the contents of this thread, so if a Moderator has a better title, please edit it.

I live in Pennsylvania where we currently have a 6 1/2 outside jaw limit on all leg hold traps. Recently I’ve been in contact with our regional game commissioner (not the same as a game warden) about increasing the allowable size jaw spread for beaver trapping, and perhaps how the size is measured. I’m just wondering if anyone here has a quick reference on jaw spread size restrictions by state, or if I’m going to have to look up each states regulations one at a time. I’m also interested in hearing any benefits or drawbacks of allowing 7 1/2” jaw spread for beaver trapping. While I’d LOVE larger jaw spreads across the board, I think starting out with this for beaver trapping (even if they required anything with greater than 6 1/2” jaw spread to be completely submerged) would be a big step in the right direction.

Thank you all for your help!!

Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7574939
05/02/22 10:01 AM
05/02/22 10:01 AM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,547
NC, Orange Co.
QuietButDeadly Offline
trapper
QuietButDeadly  Offline
trapper

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,547
NC, Orange Co.
Here is a link to our trap size regulations in NC:
Legal Trap Types in NC

Our foot hold sizes are measured inside spread parallel to the dog. The link includes a diagram showing how to measure. I have never understood why the size specs would be on the outside of the jaw. The inside is the working area! And we have similar to what you describe with a max allowed of 7 1/2". On land, anything over 5 1/2" has to be offset jaw but water sets over 5 1/2" can be closed jaw.

I would not want to be restricted to significantly smaller traps for beaver.

Last edited by QuietButDeadly; 05/02/22 10:04 AM.

Life Member: NCTA, VTA, NTA, TTFHA, MFTI
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Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7574990
05/02/22 11:32 AM
05/02/22 11:32 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,960
Northern Nevada
B
Bob Offline
trapper
Bob  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,960
Northern Nevada
The only stipulation we have on trap size in our regulations is that any foothold trap size #2 or larger, OR with an outside jaw spread of 5 1/2 inches or greater must be offset with permanently attached lugs, spacers, or similar devices so as to maintain a minimum jaw opening of 3/16ths of an inch.

This applies to water and land. There are no restrictions on maximum size we can use on either type of set. I could go trap coyotes with an mb750 or even a bridger #9 brawn if I wanted to, so long as it had offset jaws. I wouldn’t, but legally I can.

Last edited by Bob; 05/02/22 11:38 AM.

"I have two guns, one for each of ya."
Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7574992
05/02/22 11:35 AM
05/02/22 11:35 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,960
Northern Nevada
B
Bob Offline
trapper
Bob  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,960
Northern Nevada
And I can’t find anywhere in the regs that defines how the jaw spread is measured. Just outside jaw spread. I believe it would be measured at the widest point.


"I have two guns, one for each of ya."
Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7575019
05/02/22 12:22 PM
05/02/22 12:22 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,550
Rodney,Ohio
SNIPERBBB Offline
trapper
SNIPERBBB  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,550
Rodney,Ohio
Here's Ohio's rules.
https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-1501:31-15-09
.

(7) Foothold traps:

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to set, use, or maintain a foothold trap, on land, for the purpose of taking a wild animal, that has an inside diameter jaw spread greater than five and three eights inches, except foothold traps with a jaw spread not larger than six inches may be utilized when they meet the following:

(i) The jaws have a minimum of five-sixteenths inch gripping surface.

(ii) Each trap has a minimum of three swiveling points.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to set, use, or maintain a foothold trap, submerged in the water, for the purpose of taking a wild animal, that has an inside diameter jaw spread greater than eight and one-quarter inches.

(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to set, use, or maintain any foothold trap on land or in water, for the purpose of taking a wild animal, that is not covered.

(d) It shall be unlawful for any person to set, use, or maintain a foot encapsulating trap that has an opening that is greater than two inches in diameter or two inches along any one side.

(e) It shall be unlawful to set a foothold or foot encapsulating trap on land that has less than two swiveling points.



(N) For the purposes of this rule, traps shall be measured in the open set position, from the inside of the main trap jaws including jaw modifications or add-ons.

(1) Measurement of foot hold traps shall be made perpendicular to the frame at the widest location parallel with the dog.

(2) Measurement of foot hold traps without dogs shall be made perpendicular to the frame at the widest location parallel with the pan shank.

(3) Body gripping traps shall be measured from the inside of the main jaw at the trigger assembly to the inside of the opposing jaw across the entrance window.

(4) Measurement of foot-encapsulating traps with round or oblong openings shall be made across the opening at the widest location. Measurement of foot-encapsulating traps with square or rectangular openings shall be made along the longest side of the opening.


(P) All definitions set forth in rule 1501:31-1-02 of the Administrative Code shall apply to this rule.

Supplemental Information
Authorized By: 1531.06, 1531.08, 1531.10
Amplifies: 1531.06, 1531.08, 1531.10
Five Year Review Date: 10/14/2025
Prior Effective Dates: 8/25/1975, 2/5/1977, 6/1/1977, 6/1/1978, 6/1/1979, 6/1/1980, 6/1/1981, 6/1/1982, 6/1/1984, 6/1/1985, 6/1/1987, 9/15/1987, 7/31/1992, 6/30/1994, 8/15/1995, 8/10/1996, 3/1/2000, 7/22/2001, 7/19/2002, 6/4/2003, 5/28/2004, 5/27/2005, 6/1/2006, 7/1/2008, 7/1/2009, 7/1/2010, 7/1/2011, 1/1/2012, 11/24/2013, 7/1/2014
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Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7575095
05/02/22 02:38 PM
05/02/22 02:38 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,432
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,432
Georgia
Georgia like many others differentiates between traps set on land vs traps set in water.

Here on land we have a size restriction of 5.75 inside. Larger traps may be set in water or within ten feet of water but no restriction on jaw size.

Alabama is similar though up to 6 on land with larger in water only no restriction on size.

These are footholds both differentiate footholds from bodygrippers.


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Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7575142
05/02/22 04:19 PM
05/02/22 04:19 PM
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 2,420
Idaho
B
bearcat2 Offline
trapper
bearcat2  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 2,420
Idaho
Idaho just has a maximum of 9 inches inside jaw spread, on land or in water.

Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7575290
05/02/22 07:28 PM
05/02/22 07:28 PM
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 570
mn
T
trapperman222 Offline
trapper
trapperman222  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 570
mn
Foot hold in MN not to be greater than 8.75 inches. Water set or dry ground.

Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: Bob] #7575430
05/02/22 09:47 PM
05/02/22 09:47 PM
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 964
Warren County, PA
CountryCletus Offline OP
trapper
CountryCletus  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 964
Warren County, PA
Originally Posted by Bob
And I can’t find anywhere in the regs that defines how the jaw spread is measured. Just outside jaw spread. I believe it would be measured at the widest point.


I’ve always interpreted that as across the pan, as it’s set, jaw to jaw, not lever to lever…. If that makes sense

Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7575749
05/03/22 10:09 AM
05/03/22 10:09 AM
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 4,926
Aliceville, Kansas 43
Yukon John Offline
trapper
Yukon John  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 4,926
Aliceville, Kansas 43
Water sets (at least have submerged) are a minimum of 7" in ks. Not real good for coon.


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Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7576647
05/04/22 03:24 PM
05/04/22 03:24 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,966
St. Louis Co, Mo
B
BigBob Offline
trapper
BigBob  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,966
St. Louis Co, Mo
No submerged trap jaw size restrictions in Mo, other than for Coni's or "Killer" type traps in dry land sets.

Last edited by BigBob; 05/04/22 03:25 PM.

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Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7576704
05/04/22 04:53 PM
05/04/22 04:53 PM
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626
Flint, Michigan
bhugo Offline
trapper
bhugo  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626
Flint, Michigan
I don’t think Michigan has any regulations regarding size except for when trapping muskrats in mink, it must be a trap size of two or less.

Lots of bodygrip rules.

Last edited by bhugo; 05/04/22 04:55 PM.

Member MTPCA, FTA and NTA
Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7576872
05/04/22 07:43 PM
05/04/22 07:43 PM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,970
New York
P
proratman Offline
trapper
proratman  Offline
trapper
P

Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,970
New York
In Maine we can use #14 Victors underwater.

Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7577348
05/05/22 11:05 AM
05/05/22 11:05 AM
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,930
E central Il
G
Golf ball Offline
trapper
Golf ball  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,930
E central Il
Illinois is 7.5” inside jaw to jaw in water, 6.5” on land .

Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7583728
05/14/22 09:52 AM
05/14/22 09:52 AM
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 279
Minnesota
Northernbeaver Offline
trapper
Northernbeaver  Offline
trapper

Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 279
Minnesota
Have it worded inside of jaw to inside of jaw. 8.5" limit as a water set, I'd say the same for land but it might not fly.


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Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7584037
05/14/22 09:21 PM
05/14/22 09:21 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 6,461
central Haudenosaunee, the De...
W
white marlin Offline
trapper
white marlin  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 6,461
central Haudenosaunee, the De...
I wish you luck with your endeavor, but I think it's a lost cause.

while I am generally sympathetic to the PGC's "rock and a hard place" positions, I don't think they really WANT to make beaver trapping in PA "efficient".

in other words, providing the OPPORTUNITY to harvest beaver is more important than actually HARVESTING beaver efficiently.

my opinion.

Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7589151
05/23/22 05:51 AM
05/23/22 05:51 AM
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 964
Warren County, PA
CountryCletus Offline OP
trapper
CountryCletus  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 964
Warren County, PA
UPDATE- per my districts Game Commissioner, the executive director of the PA Game Commission has having the research done to develop pros and cons regarding increasing the max jaw spread for beaver trapping!! White Marlin- I think you’re probably right, but I can’t sit on my hands and wish for larger jaw spread and not at least inquire. Hope it goes through, if even for a test run…. Cross your fingers, hahaha.

Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7589545
05/23/22 05:13 PM
05/23/22 05:13 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 6,461
central Haudenosaunee, the De...
W
white marlin Offline
trapper
white marlin  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 6,461
central Haudenosaunee, the De...
I do wish you luck!

Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: CountryCletus] #7589930
05/24/22 07:22 AM
05/24/22 07:22 AM
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 362
NW PA
W
washxc Offline
trapper
washxc  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 362
NW PA
It'll probably end up as a $10 "oversized beaver trap tag" added on to the bottom of the long green line eek

I kid, Country Cletus. Good on you for stepping up.

Re: Beaver Trap Regulation Help [Re: washxc] #7590105
05/24/22 11:03 AM
05/24/22 11:03 AM
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 964
Warren County, PA
CountryCletus Offline OP
trapper
CountryCletus  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 964
Warren County, PA
Originally Posted by washxc
It'll probably end up as a $10 "oversized beaver trap tag" added on to the bottom of the long green line eek

I kid, Country Cletus. Good on you for stepping up.



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