The 194th General Court of Massachusetts 2025 - 2026

Legislation to focus on this session is Senate Bill 634 "An Act Conserving our Natural Resources

Promoting Science Based Wildlife Management Decisions for a Better Massachusetts

The Committee for Responsible Wildlife Management has put it's support behind senate bill 634 sponsored and submitted y Senator Paul Mark. Contacting your legislators, both on the senate and reprsenative side, encouraging their support and co-sponsorship from senators is important. Learn more about this bill here and how to convey the message that will help promote it.

"An act conserving our natural resources”, Senate Bill S.634 modernizes the existing 29 year old Massachusetts trapping law Chapter 131, Section 80a. The current trapping law has remained practically unchanged since the successful 1996 Question One Ballot referendum became law. In 2000, additional layers to the permitting process were passed in an attempt to alleviate rampant beaver conflicts by the legislature. This allowed for use; effective “Conibear” style traps for beaver, when severe health or safety situations existed, but only after all other “non-lethal” options were exhausted, costing both time and money.

Trends in both beaver and coyote conflicts remain high today.

"An act conserving our natural resources" is a response to these consistent trends and applies reasonable, proactive, and effective solutions for Massachusetts that have the welfare of the animal as a top priority

SENATE BILL 643 - An act conserving our natural resources WILL:

1. Maintain Department of Health and Services (DHS) control over health and safety situations

The current law requires direct oversight of trapping methods by DHS, in respect to health and safety. This will not change. If a wild animal is threatening or causing harm to human health or safety, the DHS and the appropriate local board of health remain the lead department and point of contact in these matters. Local “Boards of Health” remain “gatekeepers” in determining what constitutes a legitimate threat by an animal or their actions.

2. Allow for highly regulated use of effective live animal restraints that were only starting to emerge or did not exist in 1996

There are two new live restraint devices available today that did not exist or were only in early development 29 years ago (after the current law took affect). These new devices are the “non-lethal cable restraint” and “foot encapsulation device”. Non-lethal cable restraints are extremely effective for capturing weary coyotes or fox quickly and safely, with no severe injury to the animal according to extensive studies completed (2002 International Association of Fisheries and Wildlife IAFWA study). These restraints are proven to be equally safe to people and pets. “Foot encapsulation devices” are species specific (raccoon, skunk, opossum) and have an equally high ranking in animal welfare and safety to both pets and people (Humane raccoon trap studied under AVMF grant – AVMA Journal Vol. 207, number 6). Language in this bill will allow for the proactive use (by trained and licensed individuals) of this device during the established regulated trapping season under regulations promulgated by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

3. Allow for use, the existing Conibear® style device during a highly regulated trapping season between the months of November and April

Currently the Conibear® style trap is legally used in Massachusetts for beaver or muskrat only under reactive, extreme conditions where imminent threats to human health and safety have been determined. Language in this bill will allow for the proactive use (by trained and licensed individuals) of this device during the established trapping season under regulations promulgated by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

4. Provide a documentation requirement of animals taken under a specified permit and additional permit oversight when needed

Currently there is not documentation of animals taken under an issued health or safety trapping permit. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a severe loss of information that would help our Division of Fisheries and Wildlife to better manage our wildlife. Under current law, wildlife taken during the regulated trapping season requires a “pelt tag or seal”, which is used to better assess existing populations of the species taken. Animals taken under health and safety permits outside the established regulated trapping season are not documented. Language in this bill will remedy this. It also provides additional state oversight in trapping health and safety permit requests, when local board of health permit trapping denials or slow response time is an issue.