Design and Deployment Standards

Design Standards for Legal 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 Legal 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 six inches in diameter at four and a half feet above ground level and must be free of limbs for at least seven 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 eight 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.