Page 52 - 2023_2024_Regulations

FURBEARER REGULATIONS

FURBEARER/COYOTE inches tall. Persons trapping on their own
property are not subject to this requirement.
• Permission to trap: No person may trap
on the inhabited land of another without
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS LEGAL MEANS OF TAKING first obtaining from the owner or occupant
thereof permission to do so.
Resident (unless exempt):
FIREARMS OR ARCHERY PUBLIC LANDS
• Resident Hunting License • Daylight only: Any legal firearm or archery
• Resident Fur License (required to take rac- equipment. Seasons on public lands may vary from state-
coon, bobcat, gray/red fox and river otter) wide seasons. Consult public hunting lands
• Nighttime only: Hunters may possess a
.22 caliber rimfire rifle or .22 caliber rimfire special regulations on page 55.
In addition to a resident hunting license and
in pursuit of furbearers with hounds dur- HUNTER ORANGE
resident fur license (if required), a resident pistol and a light carried on the person while
trapping license is required for all persons
who trap any furbearer, unless exempt. ing the legal, open furbearer season, while For hunter orange requirements, see page 35.
possessing a valid hunting license, unless
Nonresident (unless exempt): exempt. Hunting, use of any artificial light, BOBCAT & RIVER OTTER
thermal or night vision equipment from a
• Nonresident Hunting License public roadway is prohibited. TAGGING REQUIREMENTS
• Nonresident Fur License (required to take • Laser sights: Nothing in this section shall No bobcat or river otter pelt may be held in
raccoon, bobcat, gray/red fox and river otter) prevent a person from possessing a .22 ca- possession after 10 working days after the close
liber rimfire rifle or pistol with a laser sighting of furbearer season by the taker or buyer, sold,
In addition to a nonresident hunting license device while hunting or taking furbearers with purchased or bartered within Oklahoma, nor
and nonresident fur license (if required), a non- hounds during legal, open furbearer season, taken out of Oklahoma, without having first
resident trapping license is required for all per- while possessing a valid hunting license. affixed a permanent tag to the pelt. This tag shall
sons who trap any furbearer, unless exempt. serve as an export tag. The tag must be affixed
TRAPS by an authorized employee of the Department
SEASON DATES/BAG LIMITS • Legal traps: Box traps and colony traps; or designated private tagging agent. It is the
smooth-jawed single-spring OR smooth- responsibility of the possessor of the bobcat or
BEAVER, NUTRIA, RACCOON jawed double-spring offset no less than 1/8 river otter pelt, not the Department, to ensure
& STRIPED SKUNK inch OR smooth-jawed coil-spring offset that the pelt is legally tagged. No untagged
• Statewide: open year-round no less than 1/8-inch foot-hold steel traps bobcat or river otter harvested in another state
with an outer diameter jaw spread of no may be possessed in Oklahoma. Tags are avail-
• No daily, season or possession limit.
more than eight (8) inches for land sets and able from any game warden, wildlife biologist,
BOBCAT, BADGER, GRAY FOX, no more than eight and 1/2 (8.5) inches for state fish hatchery, Department field office and
RED FOX, MINK, MUSKRAT, OPOSSUM, water sets; enclosed trigger traps (dog- specifically designated private tagging station.
RIVER OTTER & WEASEL proof traps); body-gripping traps for fully Designated private tagging stations may
• Statewide: Dec. 1, 2023 - Feb. 29, 2024 submerged sets with no more than twelve charge a fee of 75 cents per tag. Bobcat or
(12) inches in diameter on private land only. river otter export tags will not be affixed after
• Bobcat: No daily limit, season limit 20, pos- Any trap not listed here is illegal. March 14.
session limit 20 per license. • Setting traps: No trap may be set in paths,
• Gray Fox / Red Fox: Daily combined limit roads, or runways commonly used for rec-
two, with no more than one red fox. Season reational purposes by persons, dogs, or SALE OF CARCASSES
combined limit six, with no more than two other domestic animals. Skinned carcasses or parts of legally acquired
red foxes. • Visiting traps: Traps must be tended once furbearing animals and coyotes (excluding the
• River Otter: No daily limit, season limit six. each 24-hour period. hide/pelt/fur) may be purchased, bartered,
• Badger, Mink, Muskrat, Opossum, Wea- • Legal number of traps: Residents trapping traded, sold or offered for sale.
sel: No limit.
under the general annual resident trapping
SWIFT FOX, SPOTTED SKUNK & RINGTAIL license may use no more than 20 traps. Resi- BUYING/SELLING OF FURS
• Statewide: closed year-round dents possessing a lifetime hunting license Persons buying fur in Oklahoma must possess
or a professional trapping license, and non- a current Fur Dealers License. Rules and regu-
resident trapping license holders have no lations for purchasing fur in Oklahoma can be
The Wildlife Department is limit on the number of traps. given upon request from the Furbearer Biolo-
partnering with the University • Identification of traps: All traps shall bear gist. Persons taking pelts during the season
of Central Oklahoma to track the name, or customer identification num- shall have 10 working days after the close of the
spotted skunks in our state. ber, of the owner of the traps, except for any season to sell or dispose of the pelts or notify
If you see a spotted skunk, traps set on property owned or leased by the Department in writing of intent to hold
please report the sighting the owner of the traps. All traps on Depart- pelts after the 10-day deadline. All pelts held
to Jerrod Davis, ODWC Fur- ment managed lands, regardless of species after the 10-day deadline must be inventoried
bearer Biologist at jerrod. being sought, must have the owner’s name, on a form provided by an authorized Depart-
davis@odwc.ok.gov.
or customer identification number, attached. ment employee. All bobcats and river otters
COYOTE • Posting of traps: When smooth-jawed must have a permanent tag affixed for the
• Statewide: open year-round double-spring offset no less than 1/8 inch current year, prior to being held for later sale.
or smooth-jawed coil-spring offset no less
• No daily, season or possession limit.
than 1/8-inch traps are used, the posting of POSSESSION OF
signs shall be required at all entrances from
See General Regulations on page 34 for addi- public roads and highways. The requirement CARCASSES OR HIDES
tional regulations. to post signs shall not apply if the person It shall be illegal to possess live animals, car-
Open statewide year-round, except it shall is trapping on private property, unless re- casses or raw furs of ringtail, spotted skunk
be unlawful to hunt, take or attempt to take quested by landowner or leasee. Signs must or swift fox unless it can be proven that each
coyotes from dark to daylight with the aid of have minimum dimensions of five inches carcass or hide was taken legally outside of
any artificial light and/or any sight dog.
by eight inches and the wording “Traps” Oklahoma. Proof of legality or origin for car-
must be included and be conspicuous on casses or green hides shall be a tag or other
the signs and printed in letters at least two marking or device attached to or imprinted on
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