Beaver snaring?

[CavinJ]

Is it legal to use snares to take beaver in a damage control situation?

[sourdough doug]

Is this on your property ??
If it is and damage control is the issue, why take them thru the ice, rather than taking them when the ice is gone. You do not have to process them if done for DC purposes. I guess you could give them away

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by CavinJ

Is it legal to use snares to take beaver in a damage control situation?

I'm not sure if you can without a trapping license but I know you can with certain provisions if you have a resident trapping license. Which any one can get for the purpose of tapping private land they have right of access to.

From the wildlife act.

(3) A resident fur management licence does not authorize trapping
by means of a snare except to trap
(a) squirrel,
(b) weasel,
(c) if the snare loop is totally submerged in water, beaver, or
(d) wolf, coyote, fox or bobcat if
(i) the snare is a device consisting of a cable loop and a
spring and trigger mechanism designed and set to capture that kind of fur-bearing animal by tightening the cable loop on its foot or leg, and
(A) the thickness of the cable comprising the cable loop is 1/8 inch or less, and
(B) the diameter of the cable loop, when set, is not
greater than 9 inches,
or
(ii) the snare is a device designed and set to capture that kind of fur-bearing animal by the neck and, where applicable, the specific use of a snare on the land referred to in subsection (1) has been authorized in
writing by the person who provided the relevant
authorization referred to in subsection (1).

It's a lot of legalize but basically it says you can snare beaver with a resident trappers license but only under water.

A resident trapping license costs $20.00 and is available to anyone.

An Alberta resident 14 years of age or older must obtain a Resident Fur Management Licence to hunt or trap fur-bearing animals on lands:
a) they own, lease (other than leases that fall within a registered fur management area) or occupy, or
b) for which they have written permission – on Form WA 19A “Authorization to hunt fur-bearing animals” – from the person who owns, leases or occupies the land. Additional written permission is required for the use of power-neck snares and common neck snares

[CavinJ]

I have my trapping license. I have to take them in the spring do to I can't get into the area in the winter the owner still has standing crop he didn't get off.

[H380]

Can always go the damage control permit route and take any time of year .Don't have to skin them and can sell carcasses for bear bait . I have given lots of them to fish and wildlife officers for bear bait .

[TrapperMike]

Page 21 of trapping regulations. Beavers may be hunted and TRAPPED, without a license and during all seasons, on privately owned land:

[Typical]

Yes, totally legal, hunt or trapping on the land you own or you have written permission for damage control at anytime of the year.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Typical

Yes, totally legal, hunt or trapping on the land you own or you have written permission for damage control at anytime of the year.

Could you tell us where to find that.

I have copies of the trapping regulations, the hunting regulations, The agricultural pests act, the pest and nuisance control regulation and two revisions of the Wildlife act, all in searchable PDF format.

I could find nothing stated to that effect. Is there another act where one can find it, or did I miss it in one of those documents?

I like to go to the source for such questions.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by TrapperMike

Page 21 of trapping regulations. Beavers may be hunted and TRAPPED, without a license and during all seasons, on privately owned land:

Traps and snares are different devices and are treated as such in those regulations.

Further on in that same page it says this;

Rabbit or hare may be hunted (but not trapped), throughout the
province, at any time of year, without a licence on land which
the person has the right of access for hunting. A resident may
use snares to take rabbit or hare, provided the snare meets the
requirements set out on page 13.

On page 13 of those same regulations it defines snares and set out their legal us thus;

Snare devices, including neck snares, power snares and foot
snares, may only be set for the taking of fur-bearing animals
under the authority of a Registered Fur Management Licence or
— by holders of Resident Fur Management Licences for bobcat,
coyote, fox, squirrel or wolf (provided they meet the
requirements listed in this section) and for beaver (provided the
snare loop is completely under water).
— by residents for rabbit or hare on lands to which they have
right‑of‑access (provided the snare wire is not larger than
20‑gauge and the snare loop is not more than 13 cm (5 in.) in
diameter).

Note, under the clause about residents it says nothing about using snares for beaver, but it does say they can be used for rabbit and hare without a license.

As I said, it does not specify but to me it looks like snaring beaver without a trapping license of some sort, is prohibited.

[Bushmonkey]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

I'm not sure if you can without a trapping license but I know you can with certain provisions if you have a resident trapping license. Which any one can get for the purpose of tapping private land they have right of access to.

From the wildlife act.

It's a lot of legalize but basically it says you can snare beaver with a resident trappers license but only under water.

A resident trapping license costs $20.00 and is available to anyone.

Not true, to buy a resident trapping license you need to have passed the trapping course.


I've been through this with f and w before.

-you can trap beaver all year round on farms for damage control. I am certain you can use any form of traps to get them that are approved beaver traps on RFMA's.

-you can also hunt beaver all year round for damage control on private land

-you can hunt wolf, coyote, black bear all year round on private land for damage control, but you CAN'T trap them all year on private land unless you possess a damage control permit.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Bushmonkey

Not true, to buy a resident trapping license you need to have passed the trapping course.


I've been through this with f and w before.

-you can trap beaver all year round on farms for damage control. I am certain you can use any form of traps to get them that are approved beaver traps on RFMA's.

-you can also hunt beaver all year round for damage control on private land

-you can hunt wolf, coyote, black bear all year round on private land for damage control, but you CAN'T trap them all year on private land unless you possess a damage control permit.

Of course you are right, not everyone can take the course.
Some don't even need to. Myself for example. I doubt very much that a two year old would or could take the trapping course and I'm sure there are others who couldn't. But it is an option for most.

I don't know if it's even required under the pest control act.

The regulations clearly say traps may be used under the provided conditions, but this thread is about using snares.

As I said, I'm not sure if snares can be used without a trapping permit of some sort, and it seems to me you are saying exactly the same thing in a different way.

But I don't think any of that is particularly helpful.

I've done quiet a bit of trapping and hunting under the authority of a pest control or damage control permit if you prefer.

I know that normally such permits are not issued for the winter months.
I also know that F&w offices may issue a damage/pest control permit under special conditions and they may allow, (to be specified on said permit), the use of prohibited tools, or at times of year not normally allowed.

Bottom line, I would talk to my local F&W officer. Or I'd get a resident trapping permit.