14.110 Humane Animal Trapping.

(1) The provisions of Wis. Stat. Ch. 29 and Wis. Admin. Code Chs. NR 10 and NR 12, as may be revised from time to time, are hereby adopted. As used herein, the following terms shall be defined as follows:

Body-grip trap shall mean a steel trap designed to allow the animal’s head, neck or torso to enter the trap opening and be held by compression of the jaws when sprung.

Cable restraint shall mean a cable noose used for restraining fur-bearing animals that does not allow the device or trapped animal to reach unfrozen water.

Cage or box trap shall mean a trap that is designed to allow an animal to enter the trap enclosure, be captured and remain alive inside the cage or box-type enclosure until it can be released unharmed or reduced to possession by the operator of the trap. This trap may not be used as a water set or with any other type of trap.

Enclosed trigger trap shall mean any trap with a push- or pull-activated trigger located inside an enclosure and recessed one and one-quarter inches or more from an opening that is no greater than one and three-quarters inches in diameter. The diameter of the opening is measured as the straight-line distance across the opening between the two inside points that are farthest apart. If the opening is square or rectangular, this measurement must be made from the two opposite corners that are furthest apart.

Foot-activated cable restraint shall mean a passive or spring-activated cable noose used for restraining fur-bearing animals by the foot that does not allow the device or trapped animal to reach unfrozen water.

Fur-bearing animal shall refer to bobcats, fishers, otters, coyotes, raccoons, red fox, gray fox, minks, muskrats, beavers, skunks, weasels, woodchucks and opossums.

Humane animal trap shall refer to a box trap, body-gripping trap, jawed (foot hold) trap, foot-activated cable restraint, or snare.

Jawed trap (foot hold) shall mean a trap designed to catch an animal by the foot, but does not include enclosed trigger traps, cable restraints or body-grip traps.

Non-submersion set shall mean any trap set that is capable of capturing an animal and not capable of submersing the captured animal.

Trapping shall mean the taking of, or the attempting to take, any wild animal by means of setting or operating any device that is designed or made to close upon, hold fast, or otherwise capture a wild animal. When trap is used as a verb, it has the same meaning as trapping.

Wild animal shall mean any mammal, bird, fish, or other creature of a wild nature endowed with sensation and the power of voluntary motion.

(2) Trapping Regulations.

(a) The owner or occupant of land, or any member of the owner’s or occupant’s family who lives with them, may take coyotes, beavers, fox, muskrats, raccoons, woodchucks, rabbits, and squirrels on the land at any time by means of live trapping with box traps if such animal is damaging property or otherwise constituting a nuisance.

(b) Opossums, skunks, porcupines, red squirrels, woodchucks and weasels may be trapped year-round by persons possessing a trapping license. Bobcats, coyotes, fishers, raccoons, and red and gray fox may only be trapped in accordance with Wis. Admin. Code Chs. NR 10 and NR 12.

(c) No person may set any trap for which a trapping license is required, unless a metal tag is attached. The tag must be stamped or engraved legibly with the name and address of the operator or with their Department of Natural Resources customer ID number.

(d) A person who sets a trap shall check the trap at least once every 24 hours. Any fur-bearing animal captured by the trap shall be humanely dispatched by pellet gun, any legal method or shall be released within 24 hours of capture. Any animal accidentally captured shall be immediately released. No person may release a captured fur-bearing animal onto City-owned property or onto the private property of another without the owner’s or occupant’s consent.

(e) No person may hunt or trap on City-owned property, including rights-of-way and retention ponds, without the express, written consent from the Chief of Police and the Department of Public Infrastructure Director noting the specific date and time such activities may take place.

(f) No person may set, place or operate any body-grip trap larger than 60 square inches, or any snare of cable restraint regardless of size within 100 yards of any building devoted to human occupancy without the consent of every building owner within the 100-yard radius.

(g) It shall be unlawful for any person to tamper with any humane animal trap of another.

(3) Penalty. A person found to have violated this section shall forfeit not less than $100.00 nor more than $1,000.

[Ord. 22-329 § 1, 2022. Prior code § 14.115]