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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. 2012-13 Maine Trapper Information Booklet PDF
  3. How To Avoid Incidental Take of Lynx PDF
  4. Lynx Exclusion Devices for Conibear traps PDF
Lynx Cover
 Trapper Information Book 2012-13 Trapper Information Book 2012-13

 

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