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Home > Wildlife > Management >Lynx - The Maine Story> Reducing Lynx in Traps

Reducing Lynx in Traps

Current Foothold trapping regulations           

  • Traps can be set for 10 weeks (15 October to December 31)
  • Traps must be checked each day                   
  • Trappers required to report lynx catches
  • Bait can not be visible
  • Foothold traps in WMDs 1-6 and 8-11 set on dry ground can NOT have an inside jaw spread greater than 5 3/8 inches and must have at least one swivel.
Trap

 

Current Upland Conibear Trapping Regulations

  • Traps can be set for 8 weeks each fall (November and December)
  • In organized towns, traps must be checked once a day                                 
  • In unorganized towns, traps must be checked at least once every 5 days                  
  • Bait can not be visible
  • In WMDs 1-11, 14, 18, and 19, killer-type (conibear) traps with an inside jaw spread of 5 inches or less may be set on the ground if set without bait, lure, or visible attractors.
  • In WMDs 1-11, 14, 18, and 19, killer-type (conibear) traps with an inside jaw spread of up to 8 inches can be set on land, if set
  • 4 feet above ground or snow level,
  • 4 feet away from any bank, objects greater than 4 inches wide, and trees or poles slanted less than 45° between the ground & the height of the trap. 
  • on a tree or pole that is no greater than 4 inches wide at 4 feet above the ground and
  • at an angle of 45º or greater the entire distance from the ground to the trap.
  • A pole must be a natural section of tree that has not been planed or sawed to create a flat surface.

 

trap trap

 

In WMDs 7, 14, 18 and 19. killer-type traps (conibears) with 7 ½ inch or less jaw spread(#220) can be set on the ground with a lynx exclusion device. A federal court settlement decree prevents the use of lynx exclusion devices in WMD 1-11. However, these devices may be allowed if the USFWS issues an incidental take permit.

lynx exclustion trap
Lynx Exclusion Device designed by Maine Trapper’s Association and tested by IFW

Recommendations

  • Stake foothold traps with chains less than 9 ½ inches long
  • Set foothold traps where the potential for entanglement in vegetation/debris is low
  • Attach the chains on foothold traps at the center of the trap frame
  • Consider using traps with padded, off-set, or laminated jaws

For More Detailed Information on minimizing the accidental catch of lynx in traps:

  1. Maine Hunting and Trapping Regulations
  2. Maine Trapper Information Booklet    PDF
  3. How To Avoid Incidental Take of Lynx   PDF
  4. Lynx Exclusion Devices for Conibear traps   PDF
Lynx Cover
 Trapping Booklet Cover

 

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