Page 78 - 2021 2022 Oklahoma Fishing & Hunting Regulations

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FURBEARER REGULATIONS
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jawed, double-spring offset jawed, foot-hold • Permission to trap: No person may trap charge a fee of 75 cents per tag. Bobcat or river ot-
steel traps with a jaw spread no greater than on the inhabited land of another without ter export tags will not be affixed after March 14.
eight inches; enclosed trigger traps (dog-proof first obtaining from the owner or occupant
traps). Any trap not listed here is illegal. thereof a written permit to do so. Sale of Carcasses
• Setting traps: No trap may be set in the open Skinned carcasses or parts of legally ac-
or in paths, roads, or runways commonly used Public Lands quired furbearing animals and coyotes (ex-
by persons, dogs or other domestic animals. Seasons on public lands may vary from state- cluding the hide/pelt/fur) may be purchased,
• Visiting traps: Traps must be tended once wide seasons. Consult public hunting lands bartered, traded, sold or offered for sale.
each 24-hour period. special regulations on page 81.
• Legal number of traps: Residents trapping
under the general annual resident trapping Buying/Selling of Furs
license may use no more than 20 traps. Resi- Hunter Orange Persons buying fur in Oklahoma must pos-
dents possessing a lifetime hunting license or For hunter orange requirements, see page 56. sess a current Fur Dealers License. Rules and
a professional trapping license, and nonresi- regulations for purchasing fur in Oklahoma
dent trapping license holders have no limit Bobcat & River Otter can be given upon request from the Furbearer
on the number of traps. Biologist. Persons taking pelts during the sea-
• Identification of traps: All traps shall bear the Tagging Requirements son shall have 10 working days after the close
name of the owner of the traps, except for any No bobcat or river otter pelt may be held in of the season to sell or dispose of the pelts or
traps set on property owned or leased by the possession after 10 working days after the close notify the Department in writing of intent to
owner of the traps. All traps on Department- of furbearer season by the taker or buyer, sold, hold pelts after the 10-day deadline. All pelts
managed lands, regardless of species being purchased or bartered within Oklahoma, nor held after the 10-day deadline must be inven-
sought, must have the owner’s name attached. taken out of Oklahoma, without having first af- toried on a form provided by an authorized
• Posting of traps: When smooth-jawed fixed a permanent tag to the pelt. This tag shall Department employee. All bobcats and river
doublespring offset traps are used, the post- serve as an export tag. The tag must be affixed otters must have a permanent tag affixed for the
ing of signs shall be required at all entrances by an authorized employee of the Department current year, prior to being held for later sale.
from public roads and highways. The require- or designated private tagging agent. It is the
ment to post signs shall not apply if the per- responsibility of the possessor of the bobcat or Possession of Carcasses
son is trapping on property owned or leased river otter pelt, not the Department, to ensure
by the person. Signs must have minimum that the pelt is legally tagged. No untagged or Hides
dimensions of five inches by eight inches and bobcat or river otter harvested in another state It shall be illegal to possess live animals,
the wording “Traps” must be included and may be possessed in Oklahoma. Tags are avail- carcasses or raw furs of ringtail, spotted skunk
be conspicuous on the signs and printed in able from any game warden, wildlife biologist, or swift fox unless it can be proven that each
letters at least two inches tall. Persons trap- state fish hatchery, Department field office and carcass or hide was taken legally outside of
ping on their own property are not subject to specifically designated private tagging station. Oklahoma. Proof of legality or origin for car-
this requirement. Designated private tagging stations may casses or green hides shall be a tag or other
marking or device attached to or imprinted on
each and every hide in such a way that it cannot
be removed intact. The tag or marking must be
the official method used by the issuing agency.
If an identification is not required by the issuing
agency, a hunting or trapping license appropri-
ate to the species taken is required as proof.
Tagging Hints
All bobcats and otters are usually tagged with
a plastic tag looped under the skin from the eye
to the mouth. If you choose to freeze your bobcat
or otter whole prior to tagging, it is best to open
a 1/2-inch wide slot under the skin from the eye
to the gum line with a knife or sharp screwdriver
and install some sort of spacer that can be re-
moved later to allow tagging once the bobcat
or otter is frozen. Taking these few simple steps
will allow the spacer to be removed and the tag
attached in the proper location without having
to thaw the bobcat or otter. Otherwise, partially
thaw the carcass before taking it to be tagged.
Exemptions from
Regulations
Nothing in this regulation prevents the killing
of furbearers actually found destroying livestock
or poultry. In addition, nothing in this regulation
prevents the running or chasing of coyote, bobcat,
fox or raccoon with dogs for sport only, except on
those public lands where such activity is prohib-
ited. Bobcats and foxes taken with this exemp-
tion cannot be removed from the property. Only
furbearers taken within season and with a fur
license may be sold or removed from property.
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