Summary: This Maryland law restricts some forms of trapping. Specifically, it provides that a person, while trapping or attempting to trap animals, may not place, set, maintain, or operate any snares, body-gripping, or leghold traps within 150 yards of a permanent human residence. However, the restriction does not apply to body-gripping traps with a jaw spread of less than 6 inches that are placed, maintained, and operated completely submerged in water or snare-type traps used to catch rats or mice.
Location of traps
(a) A person, while trapping or attempting to trap animals, may not place, set, maintain, or operate any snares, body-gripping, or leghold traps within 150 yards of a permanent human residence.
Scope of section
(b) This section does not apply to:
(1) State and federal wetlands;
(2) Private wetlands as designated by the Department;
(3) Land which qualifies for agricultural assessments, as provided under § 8-209 of the Tax-Property Article, and timberland and lands used for reforestation;
(4) Except in Howard and Harford counties, owners and lessees of any privately owned land; and
(5) Owners and lessees of any privately owned land in Howard and Harford counties as long as a trap described in subsection (a) of this section is not within 150 yards of the permanent residence of another person.
Body-gripping traps
(c) This section does not apply to the use of body-gripping traps with a jaw spread of less than 6 inches that are placed, maintained, and operated completely submerged in water.
Snap-type traps
(d) This section does not apply to the use of snap-type traps used to catch rats and mice.
CREDIT(S)
Added by Acts 1978, c. 613. Amended by Acts 1980, c. 656; Acts 1980, c. 712, § 2; Acts 1985, c. 480, § 1; Acts 1990, c. 6, § 2.