Beaver season extended in northern counties

The beaver trapping season has been extended through Friday, May 15, in the northern third of the state, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Trappers who participate in the season extension are required to take the following actions to prevent incidental otter catch:

• Foothold traps must be set in at least 8 inches of water.
• Body-gripping traps must be completely submerged. Body-gripping traps with a jaw opening greater than 7-1/2 inches must be set with the trigger wires moved all the way to one side of the trap.
• Snares must be set with stops affixed to the cable to ensure that the noose loop is no less than four inches in diameter when fully closed.

The season will be extended north of Minnesota Highway 200, east of Minnesota Highway 73, and north of the Pine/Carlton county line. Before the extension, the season had been scheduled to close statewide on Thursday, April 30. In the southern two-thirds of the state, the season will still close on that date.

A map of the open area (the north mink/muskrat/beaver/otter zone) can be found on page 49 of the 2014 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Handbook and at www.mndnr.gov/trapping.