R657-11-1. Purpose and Authority

  (1) Under authority of Sections 23-14-18 and 23-14-19, the Wildlife Board has established this rule for taking furbearers and trapping.

  (2) Specific dates, areas, number of permits, limits, and other administrative details which may change annually are published in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking furbearers.

  (3) Take of coyotes and raccoons is regulated by the Department of Agriculture and Food pursuant to Title 4, Chapter 23, Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Prevention Act. The division, through the Wildlife Board, is charged in Sections 23-14-1 and 23-14-18 to conserve protected wildlife and establish regulations considered necessary to accomplish that directive, including regulating the means by which protected wildlife may be taken. The trapping device use regulations in this rule concerning coyotes and raccoons are intended solely to minimize take of nontargeted protected wildlife, maximize potential for successful release of nontargeted protected wildlife, detect illegal trap sets targeting protected wildlife, and protect compliant trappers from criminal liability otherwise applicable to taking nontargeted protected wildlife in a trapping device.