N.J. Admin. Code § 7:25-5.9 - Beaver (Castor canadensis) trapping
(a) Beaver may only
be taken by means of a trap approved by the Division of Fish and
Wildlife.
(b) The annual beaver
trapping season shall begin 6:00 A.M. EST on December 26 and conclude the
following February 9, 11:59 P.M. EST, inclusive, except on State Fish and
Wildlife Management Areas enumerated in
N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.33(a)2. On
State Fish and Wildlife Management Areas enumerated in
N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.33(a)2, the
trapping season for beaver shall begin 6:00 A.M. EST on January 1 and conclude
February 9, 11:59 P.M. EST, inclusive. If the anticipated harvest of beaver has
not been accomplished during this season, up to 14 additional days may be
authorized by the Director.
(c)
Special Permit : A special permit obtained from the Division of Fish and
Wildlife shall be required to trap beaver. If the number of applications
received exceeds the quotas listed, a random drawing will be held to determine
permit holders. Application for special permits shall be made via the
Division 's ELS or, in the event of ELS operating difficulties, by providing the
same information at ELS locations through such alternate system as may be
designated by the Division during the period October 1-31, annually. Unclaimed
beaver permits may be issued over-the-counter. Applicants may apply for only
one beaver trapping permit and shall provide their Conservation ID Number, or
name, age, address, and any other information requested thereon. Successful
applicants must trap with a valid, current trapping license. The annual Special
Beaver Trapping Permit quota is as follows:
ANNUAL SPECIAL BEAVER |
||
Beaver Management Zone Number* | Annual
|
Portions of Counties Involved |
1 | 8 | Sussex |
2 | 17 | Sussex |
3 | 9 | Bergen, Morris, Passaic, Sussex |
4 | 7 | Sussex, Warren |
5 | 12 | Sussex, Warren |
6 | 22 | Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Warren |
7 | 10 | Essex, Morris, Passaic |
8 | 8 | Ocean |
9 | 7 | Burlington, Ocean |
10 | 8 | Atlantic, Burlington, Camden |
11 | 6 | Atlantic, Burlington, Ocean |
12 | 3 | Atlantic, Camden, Gloucester |
13 | 7 | Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland |
14 | 2 | Atlantic, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem |
15 | 2 | Cumberland, Salem |
16 | 6 | Atlantic, Burlington |
17 | 5 | Atlantic |
18 | 3 | Atlantic, Cape May |
19 | 3 | Hunterdon, Morris, Warren |
20 | 7 | Hunterdon, Morris |
21 | 1 | Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset |
22 | 1 | Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Union |
23 | 1 | Bergen, Hudson, Passaic |
24 | 3 | Hunterdon, Mercer, Somerset |
25 | 6 | Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset |
26 | 3 | Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth |
27 | 2 | Monmouth, Ocean |
28 | 11 | Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth |
29 | 12 | Burlington, Camden, Gloucester |
30 | 8 | Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem |
Total | 200 |
*Beaver and otter management zones are described in N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.10(h)1 through 30.
(d) Beaver
Damage Control Permit : Special permits, known as Beaver Damage Control Permits,
may be issued by the Director, in his or her discretion, for the control of
beavers. These permits may be issued to the owner or lessee of any land to
control beavers that are causing damage on that land.
1. The permittee and their agents shall
conform to all Federal, State , and local statutes, rules, codes, and ordinances
pertaining to the use and discharge of firearms, and the setting of
traps.
2. The permittee and their
agents shall comply with the means, methods of take, hours, recordkeeping
requirements, and other conditions prescribed by the Division and listed on the
Beaver Damage Control Permit .
3.
The conditions set forth in
N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.32(b)3
through 6, 8, 9, 10, and 12 through 15 apply to Beaver Damage Control
Permits.
4. For Beaver Damage
Control Permits issued during the dates of the annual beaver trapping season,
the trapper must have first applied for a special permit for the current beaver
trapping season. Beaver taken outside the recreational trapping season cannot
be possessed or sold by the damage control trapper. Permit conditions for a
Beaver Damage Control Permit issued during the annual season may include
provisions for possession of beavers caught under the permit , in which case the
beavers must be tagged and checked in accordance with (f) below. A valid
trapping license is required for trapping under a Beaver Damage Control Permit
issued during the annual trapping season.
(e) The season limit for beaver trapping is
eight beaver per special permit .
(f) A "beaver transportation tag" provided by
the Division shall be affixed to each beaver taken immediately upon taking
possession of the beaver or any part thereof, and all beaver pelts shall be
taken to a designated beaver checking station at the times and dates specified
on the beaver permit and, in any case, no later than 20 days after the close of
the season.
(g) Each beaver trapper
shall be restricted to a maximum of five traps daily in any given management
zone. Each trap shall be tagged pursuant to
N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.12 with the tag clearly
visible above the level of the water or ice. The Division , in its discretion,
may designate and suitably post certain beaver colonies and prohibit all
trapping within their dams, or within 500 feet thereof, during the beaver
trapping season as indicated in this section.
(h) Special Beaver Permits and Beaver Damage
Control Permits are valid only in the zone or site designated and are not
transferable from person to person .
(i) Authority: The authority for the adoption
of the foregoing section is found in
N.J.S.A. 23:3-1,
23:4-1,
23:4-22.2,
23:4-27,
23:4-37,
23:4-38.2,
23:4-38.3,
23:4-39,
23:4-40,
23:4-41,
23:4-55 and other applicable
statutes.
Notes
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