28 BEAR TRAPPING
Bear Trapping
BEAR TRAPPING PERMIT AND BAG LIMITS A bear trapping permit and a big game hunting license or a bear trapping permit and trapping license are required to set a trap for a bear during the bear trapping season( September 1- October 31). You are allowed to harvest one bear by trapping and one bear by hunting annually. See page 27. The fee for a bear trapping permit is $ 10 for residents and $ 67 for nonresidents.
To purchase a bear trapping permit you have three options:
Option 1: Must have completed a Maine Trapping Education course( includes all furbearers and bear) dated after 1978 OR Previously held a Maine Bear Trapping permit prior to 2023.
Option 2: Must have completed the Maine Black Bear Trapping Education course( online or in-person).
Option 3: A person may trap a bear under the supervision of and in the presence of a licensed hunting guide who has successfully completed the Maine Black Bear Trapping Education course.
First time trapping licenses holders( including first time bear trapping permit holders) and bear trapping permit holders who are trapping under the direct supervision of a guide who has taken the bear trapping education course must be purchased through the MDIFW office in Augusta( in person or by emailing ifw. licensing @ maine. gov or mailing a Trapping License Application to the MDIFW Augusta office). Trapping license renewals, including bear trapping renewal permits, may be purchased online at mefishwildlife. com.
BEAR TRAPPING LAWS If you trap for black bear, you are required to follow the same general trapping rules regarding the labeling of traps, the tending of traps, and the need to obtain landowner permission.
If you trap a bear, you are required to follow the same transportation and registration rules as those for bear harvested by hunting. See page 14 for more information.
You are also required to follow other rules specific to bear trapping, as follows:
• Bear may be trapped only with the use of cable traps( foothold cable restraint) or cage-type live traps.
• Whenever a cage-type live trap is used to trap a bear, the trap must be enclosed and must be heavily constructed to prevent damage from bears, and also must have adequate openings for ventilation and cooling inside when the door is closed. Traps must also be constructed with no sharp intrusions to injure bears, and be large enough for bears to turn around inside the closed trap.
• You are not allowed to have more than one trap set for a bear at any time.
• All bear traps must be tended at least once a day. Electronic trap notification devices cannot be used in lieu of physical checks.
• You are not allowed to catch a bear in a trap and allow another person to kill or register the bear.
• You cannot continue to trap for a bear after you have already killed or registered one in a trap.
• Bears caught in traps must be killed or released at the catch site. A bear caught in a trap may not be used in conjunction with a hunt or to train a dog for bear hunting.
• The same rules apply for the use of bait whether hunting or trapping for bears. See section below for more information on using bait when trapping a black bear.
• You may not trap within 500 yards of a solid waste disposal site. These areas can be identified by a visible line of demarcation.
Exception: the agent of the commissioner is exempt from the above restrictions when live trapping a nuisance bear.
DESIGN & DEPLOYMENT STANDARDS
Design Standards for ALL Cable Traps Used to Capture Black Bears Whenever a cable trap is used to trap for bear:
• The cable must have a minimum closing diameter of not less than 2½ inches.
• The cable must be at least 3 / 16 inches in diameter.
• The cable must include at least one swivel, which is typically located between the foot loop and the anchor point.
Deployment Standards for ALL Cable Traps Used to Capture Black Bears
• The cable must be set at or below ground level in such a manner as to catch the animal only by the foot or leg.
• Drags are prohibited.
• The cable must be securely attached to a fixed anchor point.
• If a tree is used as an anchor, it must be at least 6 inches in diameter at 4.5 feet above ground level and must be free of limbs for at least 7 feet above the ground.
• The catch circle, which is the distance from the anchor to the end of the closed cable loop, must be no greater than 8 feet.
• The area within the catch circle must be clear of woody vegetation, debris and manmade material that could cause entanglement of a trapped bear. This restriction does not include a tree used as an anchor. Sticks and rocks, and rotten / decaying woody material may be used for stepping guides, blocking, and backing for trap sets, if they are not rooted to the ground.
Design Standards for Bucket, Tube or Pipe-style Traps Used to Capture Black Bears Whenever a cable trap is used in conjunction with a device that is designed to capture a bear when it reaches into the device to obtain bait( e. g. bucket, tube, or pipe-style traps):
• The trigger must be recessed at least 12 inches below the opening of the device.
• The opening and inside diameter of the device must be no more than 6 inches.
• A bucket or other similar device can be used if it is modified to have an opening and inside diameter no greater than 6 inches.
Deployment Standards for Bucket, Tube or Pipe-style Traps Used to Capture Black Bears
• Animal-based bait and / or lure cannot be placed within the bucket, tube or pipe. Animal-based bait is defined as animal matter including meat, skin, bones, feathers, hair or any other solid substance that used to be part of an animal. This includes live or dead fish.
• Only non-animal based bait and / or lure can be placed within the device and it must be placed below the trigger.
• The opening to the device must be covered by a weight of at least 30 pounds when set, placed, and tended to prevent access by non-target species. ■
COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CABLE TRAPS
A list of commercially available legal cable traps( when set according to the parameters described), is available on our website at mefishwildlife. com / beartrap.
Examples of Commercially Available ILLEGAL Cable Traps
• Belisle
• Unmodified M-15
2025-26 STATE OF MAINE SUMMARY OF LAWS & RULES HUNTING QUESTIONS? CALL 207 287-8000