OutdoorNebraska

13 | OutdoorNebraska.gov * Confirming harvest has not been reached – Each day, before setting traps for river otters, permittees must confirm the harvest limit has not been met and the season is open by checking the phone number or season-status website provided by Game and Parks. Incidental take – Any incidental take of a river otter outside of the harvest season, or beyond daily or season bag limits, shall be unlawful unless the animal is immediately released, if viable, or the harvester reports the take within 24 hours and turns the carcass over to Game and Parks. Trapping Information CHECKING TRAPS It is unlawful to trap furbearing animals unless the traps are checked and the animals removed at least once every calendar day for land sets, and at least once every two calendar days for underwater submersion sets. LEGAL TRAPS AND SETS • Furbearers may be trapped only with snares, metal-spring traps with smooth jaws or box traps. • Body-gripping traps with a jaw-spread larger than 8 inches may not be used unless they are placed under water or at least 6 feet above the ground. • During upland game bird seasons, it is unlawful to use snares on any land owned or controlled by Game and Parks, on Open Fields and Waters Program lands, on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service waterfowl production areas, on U.S. Forest Service lands or on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land at Harlan County Reservoir unless the snare is set completely underwater. • It is unlawful to use any bait in plain sight within 30 feet of foothold traps set on dry land. Bait is defined as fish, animal flesh, fur, hide, entrails or feathers. • Body-gripping traps with a jaw-spread larger than 5 inches may be used only when placed under water or at least 6 feet above the ground in the following areas: • Land owned or controlled by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission • Open Fields and Waters Program lands • U.S. Forest Service • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service waterfowl production areas • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land at Harlan County Reservoir • County road right-of-ways • For restrictions on U.S. Forest Service lands, contact the Bessey Ranger District at 308-533-8115. TRAP TAGGING Traps include snares, steel-jawed spring traps and box traps. It is unlawful to set any trap for furbearers or coyotes, unless such trap has the following information stamped or inscribed legibly onto the trap or onto a metal tag that is securely affixed to the trap: • the valid driver's license number of the owner or user or, • the owner or user's Nebraska State Identification Card number applied for at Motor Vehicle Operator License Examiner's offices. Individuals 15 years of age or younger may use the driver's license or ID card number of a parent or guardian. DISPOSAL OF FURS • Fur harvesters may hold carcasses and raw pelts of furbearers without a time limit, as long as they have a valid fur harvest permit. • All furs shipped by commercial carrier must have a document placed upon the package giving the name of the consignee, the number of his or her fur harvest permit, the date of expiration of the permit, which must be on or after the date of shipment, and a description of the kind and number of each kind of raw fur in the shipment.

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