2011 North Dakota Furbearer
Hunting and Trapping Guide
North Dakota Game and Fish Department
100 North Bismarck Expressway
Bismarck, North Dakota 58501 - 5095
Phone: (701) 328 - 6300 Email: ndgf@nd.gov
Website: gf.nd.gov
Licensing on the Web and Telephone, Downloadable Applications, Regulations
This guide is provided for informational purposes and is not intended as a complete listing of regulations. For more information on regulations, laws, and season proclamations visit our regulations and laws page.
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2011 North Dakota Furbearer Hunting and
Trapping Guide (1.8Mb PDF)
2011 Small Game - Furbearer
Proclamation (318Kb PDF)
2011 Small Game Hunting Guide (HTML format)
| 1. Season Dates by Species and Harvest Method | 2. Eligibility |
| 3. Licenses | 4. Definitions |
| 5. General Guidelines | 6. Closed or Restricted Areas |
| 7. Cable Device Restrictions | 8. Body Gripping Traps & Water Set Restrictions |
| 9. Badger, Coyote, Fox (Red and Gray) | 10. Beaver and Raccoon |
| 11. Bobcat | 12. Fisher |
| 13. Mink and Weasel | 14. Muskrat |
| 15. Mountain Lion |
Refer to the North Dakota 2011 - 2011 Small Game Hunting Guide for license fees, sunrise and sunset times, and other related information.)
1. Season Dates by Species and Harvest Method
Badger, Coyote, Fox
- Firearms, traps, archery equipment, pursue with
dogs:
- Season open year around.
- Cable devices:
- Opens: November 21, 2011
- Closes: March 11, 2012
Beaver, Raccoon
- Firearms, traps, archery equipment, underwater cable devices, pursue with dogs
(raccoon only):
- Season open year around.
- Cable devices anywhere on land:
- Opens: November 21, 2011.
- Closes: March 11, 2012.
- Cable devices on land within 50 ft. of water:
- Opens: March 12, 2012.
- Closes: May 6, 2012.
Bobcat
- Firearms, traps, archery equipment:
- Opens: November 5, 2011.
- Closes: March 11, 2012.
- Cable devices, pursue with dogs:
- Opens: November 21, 2011.
- Closes: March 11, 2012.\
Mink, Weasel
- Traps:
- Opens: October 22, 2011.
- Closes: March 11, 2012.
- Firearms, cable devices, archery:
- Opens: November 21, 2011.
- Closes: March 11, 2012.
Fisher
- Traps, Cable Devices:
- Opens: November 21, 2011
- Closes: March 11, 2012
Mountain Lion
- Firearms, archery:
- Opens: September 2, 2011.
- Closes: March 31, 2012.
- Pursue with dogs:
- Opens: November 21, 2011.
- Closes: March 31, 2012.
Muskrat
- Traps (see Muskrat section for restrictions beginning March 12, 2012):
- Opens: October 22, 2011.
- Closes: May 6, 2012.
- Cable devices (see Muskrat section for restrictions beginning March 12, 2012):
- Opens: November 21, 2011.
- Closes: May 6, 2012.
- Firearms, archery equipment, underwater traps, underwater cable devices:
- Opens: November 21, 2011.
- Closes: May 6, 2012.
2. Eligibility
Hunter Education Requirement - Hunters born after December 31, 1961 must complete a certified state or provincial hunter education course to purchase a North Dakota hunting license. Exceptions: Persons who hunt only on land they own or operate, youth under age 12 if they have appropriate licenses and are accompanied by a parent or guardian, and persons with an apprentice license.
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.
3. 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. Exceptions: 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, mountain lions or fishers.
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 (prairie dogs, rabbits, skunks, ground squirrels). Nonresidents hunting only unprotected species of wildlife 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 furbearers during the season without a license. Contact the Department for details.
4. Definitions
Body gripping trap - steel trap designed to allow the animal’s head, neck or torso to enter the trap opening and be held by compression of the jaws when sprung (example, Conibear). See Body Gripping Trap Restrictions section.
Cable device - wire noose used for restraining furbearers by the neck or body (example, snare). See Cable Device Restrictions section.
Foothold trap - steel - jawed trap used for restraining fur - bearers by the foot (examples, long - spring or coil - spring foot - hold trap).
Sight exposed bait - any bait weighing in excess of 1 pound, composed of animal flesh, fur, hide, entrails or feathers placed in such a manner that it can be seen by any soaring raptor.
Underwater set - foothold or colony traps that are set at least 2 inches under water or body gripping traps or cable devices with no more than 2 inches of the body gripping trap or cable device above the water surface.
Water Set - trap or cable device which is set or staked in a manner to permit the trap, cable device or trapped animal to reach water. See Water Set Restrictions section.
5. General Guidelines
- Hunting hours are from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. See exceptions for fox (red and gray), coyote, beaver and raccoon in species sections.
- Written permission must be secured from landowners or operators before placing or setting any traps or cable devices on private land, including PLOTS lands. The owner or operator may determine the length of time permission is granted.
- The season for Canada lynx, gray wolf, swift/kit fox, black
bear, wolverine, American marten and river otter shall
remain closed. See brochure River Otters in North Dakota - Trapping Avoidance Techniques - 387Kb PDF.
- 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 and fishers. See Bobcat and Fisher sections.
- 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.
- It is illegal to intentionally destroy, molest, disturb or tamper with any trap or cable device, the set, or with any furbearer restrained therein.
- No furbearer may be taken and possessed live.
- Any resident, other than a licensed fur buyer 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.
- No person, while operating a snowmobile in this state, may kill, chase, flush, or harass any wild animal or wild bird, protected or unprotected.
- Aircraft may not be used to take coyote, fox or other furbearers without a special permit.
6. 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. Exceptions: 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 headquarters. A permit from the Department director is required to take furbearers on those state wildlife management areas and state easement refuges posted closed to hunting.
7. Cable Device Restrictions
- Cable devices are permitted on state wildlife management areas and federal waterfowl production areas after the close of small game seasons, from January 9, 2012 through March 11, 2012.
- 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.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department, along with the North Dakota Fur Takers Association, recommends 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.
8. Body Gripping Traps and Water Set Restrictions
State Wildlife Management Areas
Year - round: Body gripping traps greater than 6 - inch inside jaw spread must -
- Be in 4 inches or more of water; or
- Be recessed at least 7 inches in a plastic, wood, or metal cubby with a maximum 50 square inch opening; or
- Be recessed at least 10 inches in a plastic, wood, or metal cubby with a maximum 80 square inch opening.
September 1 through October 23: Body gripping traps with greater than 8 inches inside jaw spread and all water sets (including foothold traps) must -
- Be in 4 inches or more of water; or
- Be used in an upland set and recessed at least 10 inches in a plastic, wood, or metal cubby with a maximum 80 square inch opening.
October 24 through January 8, 2012: Body gripping traps greater than 8 inches inside jaw spread must -
- Be in 4 inches or more of water; or
- Be used in an upland set and recessed at least 10 inches in a plastic, wood, or metal cubby with a maximum 80 square inch opening.
January 9, 2012, through August 31, 2012: No restrictions on the placement of body gripping traps and water sets except for muskrats.
Jaw Spread Sizes of Common Body Gripping (Conibear) Traps
- 110/120 - 4.5 inches
- 160 - 6 inches
- 220 - 7 inches
- 280 - 8 inches
- 330 - 10 inches
9. Badger, Coyote, Fox (Red and Gray)
Firearms, traps, archery equipment, pursue with dogs - Open year - round (officially from April 1 - March 31)
Badger, coyote, and fox (red and gray) may be hunted statewide using legal firearms, archery equipment or pursued with dogs during regular hunting hours. Badger, coyote and fox (red and gray) may be trapped statewide using legal traps (including footholds and body - gripping traps).
Cable devices - Opens: November 21 - Closes: March 11, 2012
Badger, coyote, and fox (red and gray) may be captured statewide using legal cable devices.
Firearms at night - Opens: November 21 - Closes: March 11, 2012
Coyote and fox (red and gray) may be hunted at any hour. 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.
10. Beaver and Raccoon
Beaver dams may be dismantled when their presence causes property damage.
Firearms, traps, underwater cable devices, archery equipment, pursue with dogs (raccoon only) - Open year - round (officially from April 1 - March 31)
Beaver and raccoon may be hunted statewide using legal firearms and archery equipment during regular hunting hours. Beaver and raccoon may be trapped statewide using legal traps (including footholds and body - gripping traps) and underwater cable devices. Raccoon may be pursued statewide with dogs. Beaver and raccoon may also be taken at any hour of the day, while hunting on foot, with the aid of a flashlight with a power source of not more than 6 volts. A red or amber filter must be placed over the light except when taking a raccoon treed or at bay. The use of auto headlights, spotlights and lights other than a flashlight with a power source of not over 6 volts as an aid in taking beavers and raccoons is prohibited. Legal firearms for flashlight hunting of beaver and raccoon are rifles or handguns firing a rimfire cartridge no larger than .22 caliber, or shotguns no larger than .410 gauge. Rifled slugs are not legal.
Cable devices anywhere on land - Opens: November 21 - Closes: March 11, 2012
Beaver and raccoon may be captured statewide using legal cable devices. There are no placement restrictions for cable devices during this time.
Cable devices on land within 50 feet of water - Opens: March 12, 2012 - Closes: May 6, 2012
Beaver and raccoon may be captured statewide using legal cable devices. Cable devices must be placed within 50 feet of water and be no greater than 4 inches off the ground.
11. Bobcat
Bobcat may only be harvested by North Dakota residents. Bobcat may only be harvested south and west of the Missouri River. The pelt and carcass 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. 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.
Firearms, traps, archery equipment - Opens: November 5 - Closes: March 11, 2012.
Bobcat may be hunted with legal firearms and archery equipment or trapped using legal traps (including footholds and body - gripping traps) south and west of the Missouri River.
Cable devices, pursue with dogs - Opens: November 21 - Closes: March 11, 2012.
Bobcat may be captured using legal cable devices or pursued with dogs south and west of the Missouri River.
12. Fisher
Traps, cable devices - Opens: November 21 - Closes: March 11, 2012.
Fisher may only be harvested by North Dakota residents. Fisher may only be harvested east of U.S. Highway 281 and ND Highway 4. The limit for fishers is one animal per trapper per season. Any fisher that is harvested must be reported to the Department within 12 hours to make arrangements to have the fisher tagged. The pelt must be removed from the carcass prior to presenting the fisher to Department personnel for tagging. No fisher 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 fisher. 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. There is a harvest quota of 10 fishers. Once this quota is reached, the season will close immediately. The Department will inform the public of this closure through the media. The quota will not include fishers taken by USDA Wildlife Services, the Department, private landowners in defense of personal property or road killed fishers. Fishers incidentally trapped after the close of the season must be reported to the Department within 12 hours and turned over to the Department.
13. Mink and Weasel
Traps - Opens: October 22 - Closes: March 11, 2012.
Mink and weasel may be trapped statewide using legal traps.
Firearms, cable devices, archery equipment - Opens: November 21 - Closes: March 11, 2012.
Mink and weasel may be hunted statewide with rimfire cartridges of .22 caliber or smaller, muzzleloaders of .45 caliber or smaller, or legal archery equipment. Mink and weasel may be captured statewide using legal cable devices.
14. Muskrat
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.
Traps - Opens: October 22 - Closes: May 6, 2012 (See below for restrictions beginning March 12, 2012).
Muskrat may be trapped statewide using legal traps. Beginning March 12, 2012, foothold or colony traps using underwater sets must be under at least 2 inches of water, body gripping traps can have no more than 2 inches of the trap above the water surface, trapping on the outside of any muskrat house or structure of any size is prohibited and float sets require a protective covering of structural material (wire mesh, wood, plastic) where access would be limited to the ends of the float with no greater than an 8 inch opening.
Cable devices - Opens: November 21 - Closes: May 6, 2012 (See below for restrictions beginning March 12, 2012).
Muskrat may be captured statewide using legal cable devices. Beginning March 12, 2012, cable devices can have no more than 2 inches of the cable above the water surface and using cable devices on the outside of any muskrat house or structure of any size is prohibited.
Firearms, archery equipment - Opens: November 21 - Closes: May 6, 2012.
Muskrat may be hunted statewide with rimfire cartridges of .22 caliber or smaller, muzzleloaders of .45 caliber or smaller or legal archery equipment.
15. Mountain Lion
Mountain lion may only be harvested by North Dakota residents. The limit is one mountain lion per hunter per season. Kittens (mountain lions with visible spots), or females accompanied by kittens may not be harvested. Any mountain lion harvested must be reported to the Department within 12 hours and the entire intact animal must be submitted for analysis. Legally taken mountain lions will be returned to the hunter, so that the pelt may be removed but the carcass shall remain the property of the Department. The state will be split into two management zones: Zone 1 and Zone 2. 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. Zone 2 is the remainder of the state not described as Zone 1.
Zone 1 early-season – Opens: September 2 – Closes: November 20.
Mountain lions may be harvested using firearms and archery equipment. There is a harvest quota of 10 mountain lions. Once the quota is reached, the season will close immediately. The Department will inform the public of this closure through the media. The quota will not include mountain lions taken by USDA Wildlife Services, the Department, private landowners in defense of livestock, for human safety issues, road killed mountain lions, mountain lions incidentally killed in traps or cable devices, and those harvested on Indian lands.
Zone 1 late-season – Opens: November 21 – Closes: March 31, 2012.
Mountain lions may be harvested using firearms, archery equipment, or pursued with dogs. There is a harvest quota of 4 mountain lions. Once this quota is reached, the season will close immediately. The Department will inform the public of this closure through the media. The quota will not include mountain lions taken by USDA Wildlife Services, the Department, private landowners in defense of livestock, for human safety issues, road killed mountain lions, mountain lions incidentally killed in traps or cable devices, and those harvested on Indian lands.
Zone 2 – Opens: September 2 – Closes: March 31, 2012.
Mountain lions may be harvested using firearms and archery equipment. Beginning November 21, mountain lions may also be harvested by pursuing with dogs. There is no harvest quota in Zone 2.
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