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2005 California Fish and Game Code Sections 4000-4012 Article 1. Trapping Provisions
FISH AND GAME CODESECTION 4000-4012
4000. The following are fur-bearing mammals: pine marten, fisher, wolverine, mink, river otter, gray fox, cross fox, silver fox, red fox, kit fox, raccoon, beaver, badger, and muskrat. 4001. Fur-bearing mammals may be taken between November 16th and the day before the last day of February. 4002. Fur-bearing mammals may be taken only with a trap, a firearm, bow and arrow, poison under a proper permit, or with the use of dogs. 4003. It is unlawful to use poison to take fur-bearing mammals without a permit from the department. The department may issue such a permit upon a written application indicating the kind of poison desired to be used and the time and place of use. 4004. It is unlawful to do any of the following: (a) Use a trap with saw-toothed or spiked jaws. (b) Use or sell leghold steel-jawed traps with a spread of 51/2 inches or larger without offset jaws. (c) Use steel-jawed traps larger than size 11/2 or with a spread larger than 47/8 inches for taking muskrat. (d) Set or maintain traps which do not bear a number or other identifying mark registered to the department or, in the case of a federal, state, county, or city agency, bear the name of that agency, except that traps set pursuant to Section 4152 or 4180 shall bear an identifying mark in a manner specified by the department. No registration fee shall be charged pursuant to this subdivision. (e) Fail to visit and remove all animals from traps at least once daily. If the trapping is done pursuant to Section 4152 or 4180, the inspection and removal shall be done by the person who sets the trap or the owner of the land where the trap is set or an agent of either. (f) Use a steel leghold trap with a spread exceeding 71/2 inches or killer-type trap of the conibear type that is larger than 10 inches by 10 inches. (g) Set or maintain steel leghold traps within 30 feet of bait placed in a manner or position so that it may be seen by any soaring bird. As used in this subdivision, "bait" includes any bait composed of mammal, bird, or fish flesh, fur, hide, entrails, or feathers. (h) Set or maintain steel leghold traps with a spread of 51/2 inches or larger without a tension device. 4005. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, every person, other than a fur dealer, who traps fur-bearing mammals or nongame mammals, designated by the commission or who sells raw furs of those mammals, shall procure a trapping license. "Raw fur" means any fur, pelt, or skin that has not been tanned or cured, except that salt-cured or sun-cured pelts are raw furs. (b) The department shall develop standards that are necessary to ensure the competence and proficiency of applicants for a trapping license. No person shall be issued a license until he or she has passed a test of his or her knowledge and skill in this field. (c) Persons trapping mammals in accordance with Section 4152 or 4180 are not required to procure a trapping license except when providing trapping services for profit. (d) No raw furs taken by persons providing trapping services for profit may be sold. (e) Officers or employees of federal, county, or city agencies or the department, when acting in their official capacities, or officers or employees of the Department of Food and Agriculture when acting pursuant to the Food and Agricultural Code pertaining to pests or pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 6021) of Chapter 9 of Part 1 of Division 4 of the Food and Agricultural Code, are exempt from the license requirement of this section. 4006. A trapping license shall be issued as follows: (a) To any resident of this state over the age of 16 years upon payment of a base fee of forty-five dollars ($45), as adjusted under Section 713. (b) To any resident of this state under the age of 16 years upon payment of a base fee of fifteen dollars ($15), as adjusted under Section 713. (c) To any person not a resident of this state upon payment of a base fee of two hundred twenty-five dollars ($225), as adjusted under Section 713. A license shall not be issued to a nonresident if the state in which he or she resides does not provide for issuance of a nonresident trapping license to California residents. Also, a nonresident issued a license under this subdivision may take only those species, and may take or possess only that quantity of a species which a resident of California may take or possess under a nonresident trapping license or permit in the state of residence of that nonresident. 4007. A trapping license authorizes the person to whom it is issued to take, during the open season, fur-bearing mammals and nongame mammals for a term of one year from July 1st, or if issued after the beginning of such term, for the remainder thereof and to sell the raw fur of any such animal. 4008. No trapping license shall be issued to any applicant within one year following the expiration of any trapping license previously issued to such applicant unless he has submitted to the department a sworn statement showing the number of each kind of fur-bearing mammals and nongame mammals taken under the previous license and the names and addresses of the persons to whom they were shipped or sold. 4009. It is unlawful to remove or disturb the trap of any licensee while the trap is being used by the licensee on public land or on land where the licensee has permission to trap. This section does not apply to any employee of the department while engaged in the performance of official duties. 4009.5. The commission may adopt such regulations as it determines to be necessary to regulate the taking and sale of fur-bearing mammals or nongame mammals taken under a trapping license. 4010. The provisions of this chapter do not apply to, or prohibit the propagation of, fur-bearing mammals which are confined in accordance with the regulations of the commission. 4011. Fur-bearing mammals, game mammals, and nongame mammals, when involved in dangerous disease outbreaks, may be taken by duly constituted federal officers of the United States Departments of Agriculture, Interior, and Public Health and state officers of the California Departments of Food and Agriculture, Health Services, and Fish and Game. 4012. It is unlawful to take any cross fox, silver fox, or red fox for profitmaking purposes.
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