2008 North Dakota Furbearer Guide

1. General Requirements

Hunter Education Requirement - Hunters born after December 31, 1961 must complete a certified state or provincial hunter education course in order to purchase a North Dakota hunting license. Exceptions: Persons who hunt only on land they own or operate, and youth under age 12 if they have appropriate licenses and are accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Minimum Age - There is no minimum age for hunting furbearers, but anyone under age 15 afield with firearms must be under direct supervision of a parent, guardian, or adult authorized by their parent or guardian.

2. Licenses

Hunting licenses in the form of stamps must be affixed to the back of a fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate. Stamps and licenses must be signed in ink.

Except for residents under 16 years of age, a furbearer license is required to hunt or trap furbearers. Nonresidents may not take furbearers, except they may hunt fox and coyote if they possess a furbearer and nongame license. Exception: Residents of a state that allows North Dakota residents to trap within that state, may purchase a nonresident reciprocal trapping license to trap in this state. Nonresidents having this license may not take bobcats or mountain lions.

Hunters and trappers are required to purchase licenses, except any resident, or member of his or her family permanently residing with him or her, may hunt small game, trap or use cable devices during the open season without a license upon land owned or leased by him or her, but otherwise is governed by seasons, limits and all other regulations.

Residents do not need a license to take unprotected species of wildlife. Non-residents hunting only unprotected species of wildlife (prairie dogs, rabbits, skunks, ground squirrels) need only a nongame license.

A combination license, which consists of fishing, small game, general game and habitat, and furbearer license, is available for residents.

A resident who is on leave and on active duty with the United States military may hunt small game or trap during the season without a license. Contact the Department for details.

3. General Guidelines

• Hunting hours are from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset except for fox, coyote and raccoons.
• Written permission must be secured from landowners or operators before placing or setting any traps or cable devices on private land. The owner or operator may determine the length of time permission is granted.
• The season for lynx, gray wolf, swift fox, black bear, wolverine, American marten, river otter, and fisher shall remain closed.
• The gray wolf, west of U.S. Highway 83 to the south shore of Lake Sakakawea and continuing west of the Missouri River, is an endangered species under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. East of U.S. Highway 83 and the Missouri River, the gray wolf is a state furbearer under the jurisdiction of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.
• Any gray wolf (under the jurisdiction of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department) killed in defense of domestic animals, as allowed by law, must be reported to the Department within 24 hours, and the whole animal shall be turned over to the Department.
• Any furbearer taken for which the season is closed must immediately be reported and turned over to the Department.
• Furbearers may be taken statewide, except for bobcats.
• The opening hour on the first day of all furbearer seasons is 30 minutes before sunrise. After the first day of the season, trapping or using cable devices is legal at any hour.
• It is illegal to drive off established roads or trails during the deer gun season while attempting to take furbearers with firearms, archery equipment and dogs.
• It is illegal to place traps or cable devices within 25 feet of any sight exposed bait. A sight exposed bait is defined as any bait weighing in excess of one pound, composed of animal flesh, fur, hide, entrails or feathers placed in such a manner that it can be seen by any soaring hawk, owl or eagle.
• It is illegal to intentionally destroy, molest, disturb or tamper with any trap or cable device, or the set, or with any furbearer restrained therein.
• No live furbearing animal may be taken from the wild or possessed alive by nonresidents. Residents must first have a valid nontraditional livestock license for that purpose issued by the Board of Animal Health.
• Any resident, other than a licensed furbuyer complying with Section 20.1-03-23 of the North Dakota Century Code, who ships or transports hides or furs, shall tag each hide or fur with the name of the person having taken it and the person’s furbearer license number.
• Aircraft may not be used to take coyote, fox or other furbearers without a special permit.
• The Department, along with the North Dakota Fur Takers Association, recommend that all traps be visually inspected and all captured animals be removed at no greater than 48 hour intervals, and that rubber gloves be worn for skinning and handling of all furbearers.

4. Closed or Restricted Areas

Wildlife management areas so posted, refuges, sanctuaries, national parks and historic sites shall be closed to the hunting and trapping of all furbearers. Exception: Hunting and trapping furbearers may be permitted at times and on those areas of federally owned refuges designated by the refuge manager. A permit from the refuge manager is required for those wishing to trap on federal refuges. For additional regulations on federal refuges, contact refuge head-quarters.

A permit from the Game and Fish director is required to take furbearers on those state wildlife management areas and state easement refuges posted closed to hunting.

5. Cable Devices (Snares)

• Cable devices are permitted on state wildlife management areas and federal waterfowl production areas after the close of small game seasons (January 4) through March 8.
• A metal or plastic tag must be attached to each cable device. This tag must display the trapper’s name, address and telephone number.
• Relaxing cable devices are permitted. One stop must be affixed to each cable device on land to prevent the loop from opening to a diameter greater than 12 inches.
• Cable devices cannot be placed or set in the field prior to the opening date or remain set or placed in the field after the closing date of the cable device season for respective species.
• All cable devices must be affixed to an immovable object solidly attached to the ground. The use of drags is prohibited.
• Cable devices must be set so the bottom of the loop is no greater than 12 inches from the ground; or when the ground is snow covered, no greater than 12 inches above the bottom of an adult’s footprint in the snow beneath the cable device with the full body weight on the foot.
• Cable devices must be constructed of single-strand (1x19) or multi-strand (7x7) or (7x19) carbon or stainless steel cable of 1/16-inch diameter or larger.
• Cable devices must possess a lock or breakaway device that has been tested to break or disassemble at no more than 350 pounds pull. Following is a list of commercially manufactured and available devices, locks or parts that have been tested and meet the requirements (as manufactured by the company): 1) Hopkin S-hook, 2) Gregerson leg snare and neck snare, 3) Kelly (Amberg), 4) Snare Shop ND lock and stop system, 5) Grawe’s 12 gauge bullet lock snare with release, 6) Sullivan Breakaway S-hook.
• Those devices, locks or parts previously tested that have met the requirements, but are no longer commercially available, are still legal to use in North Dakota.
• Individuals who self-assemble cable devices from components must assume liability and responsibility for ensuring that devices, locks or parts break or disassemble at 350 pounds or less.

6. Body Gripping (Conibear) Traps and Water Sets

7. Beaver and Raccoon Hunting, Trapping, and Underwater Cable Devices

Open year-round (officially from April 1 - March 31)

8. Beaver and Raccoon Cable Devices on Land 

Opens: November 15 - Closes: May 3, 2009

From March 9 through May 3 cable devices must be placed within 50 feet of water; they must be no greater than 4 inches off the ground and they must have a stop restricting loop size to 12 or less inches in diameter. Cable devices must possess a lock or breakaway device that has been tested to break or disassemble at no more than 350 pounds pull.

Beaver dams may be dismantled when their presence causes property damage.

9. Mink and Weasel Trapping

Opens: October 18 - Closes: March 8, 2009

10. Mink and Weasel Cable Devices

Opens: November 15 - Closes: March 8, 2009

11. Mink Hunting

Opens: November 15 - Closes: March 8, 2009

Mink may be hunted statewide with .22 caliber rimfire rifles or pistols, muzzleloaders of .45 caliber or smaller, longbows and crossbows.

12. Weasel Hunting

Opens: October 18 - Closes: March 8, 2009

13. Muskrat Trapping

Opens: October 18 - Closes: March 8, 2009

14. Muskrat Cable Devices

Opens: November 15 - Closes: March 8, 2009

Muskrat huts may be opened to insert traps or cable devices. However, huts must be restored to their approximate original condition to prevent freeze-up. In addition, muskrats may be trapped statewide with foothold or colony traps using underwater sets that are at least 2 inches under water, or trapped with body gripping traps or cable devices with no more than 2 inches of the body gripping trap or cable device above the water surface from March 9 through May 3. During this time, float sets are prohibited, and trapping or using cable devices on the outside of any muskrat house or structure of any size is prohibited.

15. Muskrat Hunting

Opens: November 15 - Closes: May 3, 2009

Muskrats may be hunted statewide with .22 caliber rimfire rifles or pistols, muzzleloaders of .45 caliber or smaller, longbows and crossbows.

16. Bobcat Hunting or Trapping

Opens: November 8 - Closes: March 8, 2009

17. Bobcat Cable Devices

Opens: November 15 - Closes: March 8, 2009

Open only in the area south and west of the Missouri River. The pelt and car-cass of each bobcat must be presented to Department personnel for inspection and tagging no later than 14 days after the close of season, or prior to sale or transfer of possession, whichever comes first. Absolutely no bobcat pelt will be tagged until the animal is skinned and presented with the intact carcass. The carcass shall remain the property of the Department. No person, taxidermist, or fur dealer shall possess or purchase an untagged bobcat. When any part of the animal is mounted, if the tag is removed from the pelt, the tag must be securely fastened to the back or bottom of mount.

18. Red Fox, Gray Fox, Coyote, Raccoon and Badger Hunting or Trapping

Open year-round (officially from April 1 - March 31)

In addition, red fox, gray fox and coyotes may be hunted at any hour from November 24 through March 15. Any person who engages in fox or coyote hunting from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise must hunt exclusively on foot and use a predator call. Use of spotlight or any other artificial light, night vision equipment, electronically enhanced light gathering optics or thermal imaging equipment for hunting or locating game is prohibited.

19. Red Fox, Gray Fox, Coyote, Raccoon and Badger Cable Devices

Opens: November 15 - Closes: March 8, 2009

20. Mountain Lion Hunting

Mountain lions may be hunted statewide by residents using legal firearms or archery equipment during regular hunting hours. No hunting or pursuing with dogs will be allowed until December 1. Cable devices and traps are not allowed. The limit is one lion per hunter per season. Kittens (lions with visible spots), or females accompanied by kittens may not be taken. Any lion taken must be reported to the Department within 12 hours and the entire intact animal must be submitted for analysis. Legally taken animals will be returned to the hunter.

• Zone 1: Opens: August 29 - Closes: March 31, 2009
  Open Area: Zone 1 is bordered by Montana, South Dakota, and state and federal highways. The point where the boundary crosses Lake Sakakawea is a straight line from where ND Highway 1804 lies directly across from ND Highway 8..
  General Information: Once a quota of 8 lions is reached, the season will close immediately. The Department will inform the public of this closure through the media. The quota will not include lions taken by USDA Wild-life Services, the Department, private landowners in defense of livestock, for human safety issues, road killed animals, animals taken by traps or cable devices, and those taken on Indian lands.
  
• Zone 2: Opens: August 29 - Closes: March 31, 2009
  Open Area: The remainder of the state not described as Zone 1.
  General Information: No quota. The season will remain open through March 31, 2009.