Fur Harvesting Regulations - Wildlife Act (Nova Scotia)

(b) “box trap” means any box shaped trap designed to capture an animal alive being constrained only by the confines of the walls of the trap which may be made in any shape or size and of any material such as wood, metal, wire, netting or other material;

(ba) “cable restraint” means a snare that is designed to capture and restrain an animal alive;

(e) “fur-bearing animal” means beaver, muskrat, mink, otter, weasel, fisher, marten, lynx, bobcat, cougar, fox, skunk, red squirrel, coyote and raccoon;

Original clause 2(d) relettered (e): O.I.C. 92-705, N.S. Reg. 146/92; amended: O.I.C. 94-686, N.S. Reg. 143/94.

(ea) “foot-encapsulating trap” means a foot-holding device specifically designed to catch a raccoon by the foot, by capturing one of the raccoon’s feet inside a shroud that prevents the raccoon from losing the captured foot through self-injury;

Original clause 2(e) relettered (f): O.I.C. 92-705, N.S. Reg. 146/92; repealed: O.I.C. 96-461, N.S. Reg. 110/96.

Original clause 2(f) relettered (g): O.I.C. 92-705, N.S. Reg. 146/92; repealed: O.I.C. 2006-365, N.S. Reg. 157/2006.

Original clause 2(g) relettered (h): O.I.C. 92-705, N.S. Reg. 146/92; repealed: O.I.C. 2006-365, N.S. Reg. 157/2006.

Clause 2(ha) added: O.I.C. 2005-278, N.S. Reg. 134/2005; repealed: O.I.C. 2006-365, N.S. Reg. 157/2006.

(i) “Fur Harvester’s Licence” means a valid base licence which has affixed to it a valid Fur Harvesters Stamp;

Clause 2(h) relettered (i): O.I.C. 92-705, N.S. Reg. 146/92; replaced: O.I.C. 1999-273, N.S. Reg. 60/99.

(ia) “Fur Harvesters Stamp” means a stamp issued by the Department that, when affixed to a valid base licence, confers on the holder the privilege of hunting fur bearing animals in accordance with the Act and regulations;

(ib) “killing snare” means a noose that is made of wire and fitted with a locking device and is used to capture an animal around the neck and kill it;

(ic) “leghold trap” means a device with solid jaws that is designed to capture and restrain an animal alive by gripping its foot or leg;

(ja) “modified leghold trap” means a leghold trap that has been modified to improve its humaneness by laminating its jaws, off-setting its jaws, fitting its jaws with padding or incorporating a cable restraint, or by another similarly effective means of improving its humaneness;

(l) “stamp” means an official mark or seal approved by the Minister to be placed on the pelt of a fur-bearing animal for the purposes of identifying a legally declared pelt;

(la) “TIN” means a unique trap identification number issued by the Department to a person who holds a valid Fur Harvester’s Licence;

(m) “body-gripping trap” means any device designed to catch and hold wildlife by the body rather than by the foot, but does not include a snare;

(n) “dog proof enclosure” means a special trap-holding device designed to keep a dog away from a trap by creating a barrier to the trap allowing entry only through designated openings and

(i) for any body-gripping trap, may be an enclosure placed so that no part of the opening of the enclosure is more than 12.7 cm off the ground; and

(ii) for a body-gripping trap no greater than 17.78 cm by 17.78 cm dimensions, may be

(A) for baited or scented trap sets, an enclosure with openings no higher than 17.78 cm above the ground or having a total area of no greater than 322.6 cm² with the trap trigger set back at least 17.78 cm from any enclosure opening, or an enclosure with a 20.32 cm height by 25.4 cm width opening with the trap trigger set back at least 25.4 cm from any enclosure opening; or

(B) for unbaited or unscented trap sets, an enclosure with openings no greater than 25.4 cm in height and 25.4 cm in width with the trap trigger set back at least 38.1 cm from any enclosure opening.

Clause 2(m) relettered (n): O.I.C. 92-705, N.S. Reg. 146/92; replaced: O.I.C. 1999-368, N.S. Reg. 79/99.

(o) “submarine trap” means a trap made of any material of box-like construction designed to be set underwater and capable of taking more than one fur-bearing animal at a time;

(p) “rat trap” means a trap originally designed to kill house rats (Rattus norvegicus) that

(ii) marked with signs that indicate that trapping is not permitted on or within 15 m of the travelled surface of the trail;

3 (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), the Minister may issue a Fur Harvester’s Licence to any person who

(c) is certified as a qualified fur harvester under the Hunter Education, Safety and Training Regulations made under the Act.

(1A) A Fur Harvester’s Licence must not be issued to any person who has not held a valid Fur Harvester’s Licence during the previous 4 years and has not taken a hunter education course related to fur harvesting that is approved by the Department, unless the Department exempts the person from this subsection.

(2) A resident who is under 19 years old may set and tend traps as an apprentice and possess a furbearing animal if

(a) the person is identified in writing to the Department as an apprentice to a person who is 19 years old or older and holds a valid Fur Harvester’s Licence; and

(b) while trapping or snaring, the person is under the immediate supervision of the person they are an apprentice to.

Subsection 3(3) amended: O.I.C. 1999-273, N.S. Reg. 60/99; O.I.C. 2015-96, N.S. Reg. 170/2015.

(4) A Fur Harvester’s Licence expires on the 15th day of April in the year following the date of issuance.

(a) enter a wildlife habitat to take, hunt or kill or attempt to take, hunt or kill a fur-bearing animal;

(c) possess any fur-bearing animal or the pelt thereof unless the non-resident holds a valid Non-Resident Furbuyers Licence.

6 (1) Except as otherwise provided in these regulations, any person to whom a valid Fur Harvester’s Licence is issued may take, hunt or kill or attempt to take, hunt or kill or possess any fur-bearing animal and set and maintain any trap, snare or other device capable of taking a fur-bearing animal during the open season for fur-bearing animals as prescribed in subsection (3).

(2) Except for a trap designed to catch mice or house rats, no person shall place or attempt to place a trap or snare in a wildlife habitat except during the open season.

(a) for trapping of mink, muskrat, skunk, raccoon or beaver is the period of time from the first day of November to the last day of March in the year following, both dates inclusive;

Clause 6(3)(a) amended: O.I.C. 91-830, N.S. Reg. 159/91; O.I.C. 94-686, N.S. Reg. 143/94; O.I.C. 2004-224, N.S. Reg. 164/2004; O.I.C. 2005-278, N.S. Reg. 134/2005.

(b) for trapping or hunting of bobcat is the period from the first day of November to the last day of February in the year following, both dates inclusive;

Clause 6(3)(b) amended: O.I.C. 88-692, N.S. Reg. 152/88; O.I.C. 91-830, N.S. Reg. 159/91; O.I.C. 2004-224, N.S. Reg. 164/2004.

(c) for hunting raccoon is the period of time from the fifteenth day of October to the last day of March in the year following, both dates inclusive;

Clause 6(3)(c) added: O.I.C. 91-830, N.S. Reg. 159/91; amended: O.I.C. 94-686, N.S. Reg. 143/94; O.I.C. 2004-224, N.S. Reg. 164/2004.

(d) for trapping coyotes or for trapping or hunting fox is the period of time from the fifteenth day of October to the last day of March in the year following, both dates inclusive;

Clause 6(3)(d) added: O.I.C. 91-830, N.S. Reg. 159/91; amended: O.I.C. 94-686, N.S. Reg. 143/94; O.I.C. 2004-224, N.S. Reg. 164/2004.

(e) for trapping of otter is the period from the first day of November to the last day of February in the year following, both dates inclusive;

(f) for trapping or hunting of weasel and red squirrel is the period from the first day of November to the last day of March in the year following, both dates inclusive.

Clause 6(3)(f) added: O.I.C. 2004-224, N.S. Reg. 164/2004; amended: O.I.C. 2005-278, N.S. Reg. 134/2005.

(4) No person shall set or maintain a snare capable of taking a fur-bearing animal from the fifteenth day of October to the twenty-fourth day of November in any year, both dates inclusive, or from the first day of March to the last day of March, both dates inclusive, unless the snare is set underwater or the snare is set for red squirrels and is of 20 gauge or smaller wire or the snare is a cable restraint.

Subsection 6(4) replaced: O.I.C. 91-830, N.S. Reg. 159/91; amended: O.I.C. 93-827, N.S. Reg. 149/93; O.I.C. 1999-368, N.S. Reg. 79/99; O.I.C. 2004-224, N.S. Reg. 164/2004; O.I.C. 2013-214, N.S. Reg. 237/2013.

(5) Subject to subsection (6), no person shall at any time take, hunt, kill, trap or snare or have in his possession a lynx, fisher, cougar or marten.

Subsection 6(5) amended: O.I.C. 88-692, N.S. Reg. 152/88; O.I.C. 95-524, N.S. Reg. 108/95.

(6) A licensed fur harvester may possess one fisher if the fisher was taken accidentally by the fur harvester in a trap lawfully set for another species.

Subsection 6(6) added: O.I.C. 95-524, N.S. Reg. 108/95; replaced: O.I.C. 2006-342, N.S. Reg. 122/2006.

(7) A person may possess one or more raccoons during the closed season where the raccoons were taken accidentally in a trap lawfully set for fox or coyote.

7 (1) Except as provided in the Act and regulations made pursuant to the Act, no person shall possess a pelt or skin of a fur-bearing animal except during the open season or until fifteen days following the close of the open season, both days inclusive.

Subsection 7(1) replaced: O.I.C. 90-848, N.S. Reg. 185/90; amended: O.I.C. 94-686, N.S. Reg. 143/94.

(2) Except as provided in subsection 6(6), no person shall at any time possess the pelt or skin of a lynx, fisher, cougar, or marten.

Subsection 7(2) amended: O.I.C. 88-692, N.S. Reg. 152/88; O.I.C. 95-524, N.S. Reg. 108/95.

(3) (a) Any person who wishes to retain possession of a pelt or skin of a fur-bearing animal beyond the dates noted in subsection (1) shall, within 15 days following the last day of the season, register with the Department the species and number of pelts or skins to be retained.

(b) The Minister may authorize a person in the Department to issue a permit under clause (a).

(i) Zone 1 (Cape Breton, Richmond, Inverness and Victoria Counties) - 30 beavers per licence,

(ii) Zone 2 (Halifax, Guysborough, Antigonish, Pictou, Colchester, Cumberland and Hants Counties) - 20 beavers per licence,

(iii) Zone 3 (Lunenburg, Kings and Annapolis Counties) - 20 beavers per licence,

(iv) Zone 4 (Yarmouth, Shelburne, Digby and Queens Counties) - 20 beavers per licence.

(b) The holder of a valid Fur Harvester’s Licence may set and maintain a trap set for aquatic furbearers in any Zone as defined in clause (a).

(c) Except by the authority of a Salvage Permit issued by the Department, the holder of a valid Fur Harvester’s Licence shall not in any year take, hunt or kill or attempt to take, hunt or kill a greater number of beaver than the bag limit for the Zone in which that person permanently resides.

(d) Despite clause (c), the holder of a valid Fur Harvester’s Licence, when hunting in a particular Zone, shall not take, hunt or kill or attempt to take, hunt or kill a greater number of beaver in that Zone than the bag limit for the Zone.

(3) There is no bag limit for muskrat, fox, mink, otter, skunk, red squirrel, coyote, weasel or raccoon.

(4) Except by authority of a Salvage Permit issued by the Department, no person shall take, hunt or kill or attempt to take, hunt or kill or have in his possession a greater number of fur-bearing animals than the bag limit prescribed by these regulations for the County in which that person permanently resides.

10 (1) Any person who lawfully takes or kills a furbearer from which biological material is required by the Minister in accordance with Section 15B of the General Wildlife Regulations made under the Act or who lawfully possesses a furbearer shall, before the expiry of the possession date prescribed by the regulations,

(a) exhibit the pelt of the furbearer to the district office of the Department in which the person resides;

Clause 10(1)(a) amended: O.I.C. 96-461, N.S. Reg. 110/96; O.I.C. 97-520, N.S. Reg. 99/97.

(b) deliver the carcass of the furbearer to the district office in a condition that is fresh or preserved in such a way as to prevent decomposition; and

Subsection 10(1) amended: O.I.C. 88-692, N.S. Reg. 152/88; O.I.C. 91-830, N.S. Reg. 159/91; O.I.C. 95-524, N.S. Reg. 108/95; O.I.C. 96-461, N.S. Reg. 110/96; O.I.C. 97-520, N.S. Reg. 99/97; O.I.C. 2000-513, N.S. Reg. 166/2000; O.I.C. 2008-460, N.S. Reg. 378/2008; O.I.C. 2010-247, N.S. Reg. 87/2010.

(2) The Department shall stamp or mark each pelt in the manner directed by the Minister.

Subsection 10(2) amended: O.I.C. 96-461, N.S. Reg. 110/96; O.I.C. 97-520, N.S. Reg. 99/97.

(4) No furbuyer shall possess a pelt or skin of a fur-bearing animal required by these regulations to be stamped or marked unless the pelt or skin is stamped or marked.

(5) (a) Notwithstanding subsection (1), a fur harvester who wishes to sell in the round a fur-bearing animal listed in subsection (1) shall possess or bring the entire fur-bearing animal to the District Office of the Department and obtain a permit after completing and returning a form prescribed by the Department.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (4), a furbuyer may possess in the round a fur-bearing animal required by these regulations to be stamped or marked provided the furbuyer

(ii) delivers the carcass of the fur-bearing animal and the permit to a District Office of the Department within two weeks after the close of the open season for the particular fur-bearing animal taken; and

11 (1) No person shall take, hunt or kill or attempt to take, hunt or kill a beaver, muskrat, mink or otter by a firearm or bow unless the animal is confined by a trap.

(3) Except for box traps, snares made of copper, brass or stainless steel set for snowshoe hare or red squirrel, snares set completely under ice, submarine traps or rat traps equipped with a hood or other device to prevent animals larger than weasels from activating the trigger and as provided in subsection (4), no person shall set or place a trap or snare within 274 m of a dwelling, school, playground, athletic field, or place of business unless that person is the owner or occupier of the dwelling or has the permission of the owner or occupier or is authorized in writing by a conservation officer for the purpose of trapping nuisance wildlife.

Subsection 11(3) amended: O.I.C. 93-827, N.S. Reg. 149/93; O.I.C. 95-524, N.S. Reg. 108/95; O.I.C. 1998-398, N.S. Reg. 57/98; O.I.C. 2005-278, N.S. Reg. 134/2005; O.I.C. 2007-227, N.S. Reg. 227/2007; O.I.C. 2008-460, N.S. Reg. 378/2008; O.I.C. 2013-214, N.S. Reg. 237/2013.

(4) The owner or occupier of a dwelling or a person permitted by them who is licensed under these regulations may set or place a trap or snare on cultivated land or within 274 m of that person’s dwelling provided the location of the trap or snare is more than 274 m from another dwelling, school, playground, athletic field, or place of business.

(4A) Despite subsections (3) and (4), the holder of a Fur Harvester’s Licence or a Nuisance Wildlife Operator’s Licence issued under the General Wildlife Regulations made under the Act may set a box trap, cable restraint or modified leghold trap with padded jaws within 274 m of a dwelling with the permission of the owner or occupier of the land on which the trap is set.

(5) Subject to subsection (5A), a person licensed under these regulations may set traps or snares on or within 30 m of the travelled surface of a trail or highway.

(5A) A person may only set the following types of traps or snares on or within 15 m of the travelled surface of a trail or highway:

(a) a body-gripping trap with a jaw spread of 12 cm or less that is completely submerged in water;

(d) a snare made of copper, brass or stainless steel set for snowshoe hare or red squirrel;

(5B) Despite subsection (5A), a person may set a trap on or within 15 m of the travelled surface of a trail or highway if that person has a conservation officer’s written permission to set that particular type of trap in that location for the purpose of trapping nuisance wildlife.

(6) If a trap or snare is found within any limits prohibited by these regulations, the owner or occupier of the land or dwelling may inform the conservation officer and with the consent of the conservation officer remove and surrender the trap or snare to the Department.

(7) No person shall use a body-gripping trap with a jawspread greater than 12 cm except

(a) in or over water, but no lower than 61 cm above water when it is the frozen surface of any water body;

Subsection 11(7) amended: O.I.C. 1999-368, N.S. Reg. 79/99; O.I.C. 2005-278, N.S. Reg. 134/2005.

(8) No person shall while in a wildlife habitat possess, use or set a trapping device unless it is one of the following:

(e) a leghold or modified leghold trap with a jaw spread of less than seven and one-half inches;

Clause 11(8)(e) amended: O.I.C. 92-705, N.S. Reg. 146/92; O.I.C. 2013-214, N.S. Reg. 237/2013.

Clause 11(8)(f) amended: O.I.C. 92-705, N.S. Reg. 146/92; O.I.C. 2013-214, N.S. Reg. 237/2013.

Clause 11(8)(g) added: O.I.C. 92-705, N.S. Reg. 146/92; replaced: O.I.C. 2010-247, N.S. Reg. 87/2010.

(9) (a) No person shall set a snare or trap designed to hold animals alive without examining each trap or snare set at least once every day.

(b) For the purpose of these regulations, “day” is defined as the time period between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m.

(10) No person shall use a trap equipped with a spearing device, teeth, serrations or hooks.

(11) No person shall set spring poles or running poles unless they are equipped with a killing trap or snare.

(12) It shall be an offence for any person who accidently [accidentally] catches a fur-bearing animal to which that person is not entitled to fail to either

(b) report it immediately to the Department Office prior to removing it from the trap site; or

Subsection 11(12) added: O.I.C. 88-692, N.S. Reg. 152/88; amended: O.I.C. 90-848, N.S. Reg. 185/90.

(13) No person shall set a suspended killing snare for the purpose of taking a fur-bearing animal unless

Subsection 11(13) added: O.I.C. 89-838, N.S. Reg. 145/89; amended: O.I.C. 2013-214, N.S. Reg. 237/2013.

(14) No person shall set a leg or foot hold trap to take a fur-bearing animal unless

(a) the trap is set for beaver, otter, mink or muskrat and is attached to a device that is designed to submerge the animal and prevent it from resurfacing;

(b) the trap is set for muskrat or mink and is sufficiently heavy to submerge the mink or muskrat and prevent the animal from resurfacing;

(c) the trap is set for weasel, red squirrel or mink and is set in such a manner as to kill the animal immediately upon the springing of the trap;

(d) the trap is set for a raccoon and has jaws which are padded with rubber compound specifically designed to reduce injury to the animal or is a foot-encapsulating trap;

Subsection 11(14) added: O.I.C. 89-838, N.S. Reg. 145/89; replaced: O.I.C. 2001-288, N.S. Reg. 76/2001.

(15) No person shall set a snare for coyote, fox or bobcat within 50 meters of a bait unless the bait is camouflaged or concealed in a manner sufficient to render the bait undetectable from the air.

(16) No person who holds a valid Fur Harvester’s Licence shall use or possess a light while checking traps or dispatching animals in traps at night in a wildlife habitat unless the voltage of the light is 12 volts or less and the light is not part of the electrical system of a vehicle.

(17) No person shall set or maintain a trap or snare for squirrels or weasels during the month of March in any year, except a snare of 20 gauge or smaller wire, a rat trap or a box trap.

(18) No person shall set or maintain a trap for mink during the month of March in any year, unless the trap is at least 50% submerged in water or is a box trap.

(19) Effective October 15, 2006, a person who sets a trap or snare for a fur-bearing animal must clearly mark their TIN on the trap or snare, except for traps or snares set for any of the following:

(b) fur-bearing animals that are trapped as nuisance wildlife in accordance with the General Wildlife Regulations made under the Act.

Subsection 11(19) added: O.I.C. 2005-278, N.S. Reg. 134/2005; amended: O.I.C. 2008-460, N.S. Reg. 378/2008.

(20) A person may only use a body-gripping trap that is listed in Schedule A as approved as a killing trap for use on land for that species to take a beaver, fisher, raccoon or muskrat on land.

(21) A person may only use a body-gripping trap to take a beaver or muskrat underwater if one of the following applies:

(a) the trap is listed in Schedule A as approved as a killing trap for use underwater for that species;

11A(1) In this Section, “partner” means a person who is trapping in partnership with another person in accordance with this Section.

(2) To trap in partnership under these regulations, a person who holds a valid Fur Harvester’s Licence must notify the Department in writing that the person is trapping in partnership with 1 or more holders of valid Fur Harvester’s Licences named in the notice.

13 Every person who holds a valid Fur Harvester’s Licence shall at such times and at such places as the Minister may prescribe

Clause 13(a) amended: O.I.C. 1999-273, N.S. Reg. 60/99; amended: O.I.C. 2003-185, N.S. Reg. 101/2003.

(c) furnish any information and any parts or portions of any fur-bearing animal as may from time to time be required by the Minister.

14 It shall be an offence for any person to contravene the terms and conditions contained in a Fur Harvester’s Licence.

16 All regulations heretofore made by the Governor in Council respecting furbearing animals are rescinded as of the 19th day of August, 1987.

17 These regulations shall come into force on and after the 19th day of August, 1987.

Beaver
Body-gripping traps approved for use underwater and on land:
Bélisle Classic 330 Bélisle Super X 280 Bélisle Super X 330 B.M.I. 330 Body Gripper B.M.I. 280 Body Gripper B.M.I. BT 300 Bridger 330 Duke 330 LDL C280 LDL C330 LDL C280 Magnum	LDL C330 Magnum Rudy 280 Rudy 330 Sauvageau 1000-11F Sauvageau 2001-11 Sauvageau 2001-12 Sauvageau 2001-08 Species-Specific 330 Dislocator Half Magnum Species-Specific 440 Dislocator Half Magnum Woodstream Oneida Victor Conibear 280 Woodstream Oneida Victor Conibear 330
Fisher
Body-gripping traps approved for use on land:
Bélisle Super X 120 Bélisle Super X 160 Bélisle Super X 220 Rudy 120 Magnum Rudy 160 Plus Rudy 220 Plus Koro #2	LDL C160 Magnum LDL C220 Magnum Sauvageau 2001-5 Sauvageau 2001-6 Sauvageau 2001-7 Sauvageau 2001-8
Raccoon
Body-gripping traps approved for use on land:
Bélisle Classic 220 Bélisle Super X 160 Bélisle Super X 220 Bélisle Super X 280 B.M.I. 160 Body Gripper B.M.I. 220 Body Gripper B.M.I. 280 Body Gripper B.M.I. 280 Magnum Body Gripper Bridger 160 Bridger 220 Duke 160 Duke 220 Koro #2 LDL C160	LDL C220 LDL C220 Magnum LDL C280 Magnum Northwood 155 Rudy 160 Rudy 160 Plus Rudy 220 Rudy 220 Plus Sauvageau 2001-6 Sauvageau 2001-7 Sauvageau 2001-8 Species-Specific 220 Dislocator Half Magnum Woodstream Oneida Victor Conibear 160 Woodstream Oneida Victor Conibear 220
Muskrat
Body-gripping traps approved for use on land:
Bélisle Super X 120 B.M.I. 120 B.M.I. 120 Magnum B.M.I. 126 Magnum Body Gripper Bridger 120 Duke 120 Koro Muskrat LDL B120 Magnum Ouell 411-180 Ouell RM	Rudy 110 Rudy 120 Rudy 120 Magnum Sauvageau 2001-5 Sauvageau C120 Magnum Sauvageau C120 “Reverse Bend” Triple M Woodstream Oneida Victor Conibear 110 Woodstream Oneida Victor Conibear 120

Schedule A added: O.I.C. 2007-227, N.S. Reg. 227/2007; replaced: O.I.C. 2010-247, N.S. Reg. 87/2010; O.I.C. 2013-214, N.S. Reg. 237/2013.