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Indiana

Hunting

Hunting

Furbearer Trapping

Body Gripping Traps

A person must not take a wild animal with a Conibear, Dahlgren, Bigelow, or other body-gripping trap on land if the widest inside jaw-spread measured at the horizontal center of the trap’s jaws (Figure 1) and the widest horizontal inside jaw-spread measured at the vertical center of the trap’s jaws (Figure 2) is:

  1. Larger than 7.5 inches if square or
  2. Larger than 8 inches if round

Otherwise, when set, at least 50% of the opening of the trap must be submerged in water.

Image showing where to measure body-gripping traps.

Snares

It is only legal to use a snare to trap a wild animal on land you own or with the written permission of the landowner. The maximum legal circumference for snare loops is 15 inches, unless at least half of the snare loop is covered by water or if the snare employs a relaxing snare lock. A relaxing snare lock allows the snare loop to loosen slightly to reduce the possibility of strangulation. Regulations on snare size and lock are designed to prevent accidental loss of domestic animals.

Box Traps

Furbearers may be captured in box traps used on land or underwater.

Foothold Traps

It is illegal to use a foothold trap with saw-toothed or spiked jaws. It is illegal to take a wild animal with a foothold trap if the widest inside jaw-spread measured perpendicular to the trap’s base plate and the inside width between the trap’s hinge posts (both measurements) is greater than 5¾ inches and less than or equal to 6½ inches, unless the jaws of the trap have at least a 1⁄8-inch offset, the gap of the offset is filled with securely attached rubber pads, or the trap is completely covered by water.

Securely attached rubber pads are those attached with bolts or rivets. The trap’s hinge posts must be maintained at a 90-degree angle to the trap’s base plate. It is illegal to take a wild animal with a foothold trap on land if the widest inside jaw-spread measured perpendicular to the trap’s base plate and the inside width between the trap’s hinge posts is greater than 6½ inches.

It is illegal to set or place a stake, chain, drag, or another portion of a trap that is designed to take a wild animal, except during a season established for trapping that wild animal.

Measuring Your Foothold Trap

  1. Measure the widest inside jaw spread perpendicular to the trap’s base plate as in Figure 3 and circle the measurement (or closest measurement) in Column 1.
  2. Measure the inside width between the trap’s hinge posts as in Figure 4 and circle the measurement (or closest measurement) in Column 2.
  3. If both measurements fall in Box 1, then the trap can have standard jaws (offset jaws are not required).
  4. If either measurement falls in Box 2, then the jaws of the trap must have at least a 1⁄8 inch offset or the gap of the offset can be filled with securely attached rubber pads. “Securely attached” means with bolts or rivets, not tape.
  5. If either measurements fall in Box 3, then the trap must be completely covered by water.
Images showing where to measure a foothold trap correctly.

Box

Column 1

Column 2

1

5" or less

5" or less

5¼"

5¼"

5½"

5½"

5¾"

5¾"

2

> 5¾" *

> 5¾"

6"

6"

6¼"

6¼"

6½"

3

> 6½"

> 6½"

6¾"

6¾"

7"

7"

7¼" or more

7¼" or more