§ 20-16-1. Furbearers protected.
(a) No person shall hunt, pursue, shoot, or trap, or attempt so to do, the following furbearing mammals in this state, except in accordance with rules and regulations governing seasons, bag limits, and methods of taking adopted by the director pursuant to § 20-1-12.
(b) For the purposes of this chapter, “furbearers” shall be considered to include:
(1) Carnivores (Order Carnivora):
(i) Family Canidae, genus Canis (coyote); genus Urocyon (gray fox); genus Vulpes (red fox).
(ii) Family Procyonidae, genus Procyon (raccoon).
(iii) Family Mustelidae, genus Martes (fisher); genus Mustela, M. erminea (ermine), M. frenata (longtailed weasel), M. vison (mink), genus Mephitis (striped skunk), genus Lutra (river otter).
(iv) Family Felidae, genus Lynx (bobcat).
(2) Rodents (Order Rodentia):
(i) Family Castoridae, genus Castor (beaver).
(ii) Family Sciuridae, genus Sciurus (gray squirrel).
(iii) Family Cricetidae, genus Ondatra (muskrat).
(3) Marsupials (Order Marsupialia): Family Didelphidae, genus Didelphis (opossum).
(4) Rabbits and hares (Order Lagomorpha): Family Leporidae, genus Sylvilagus (Eastern and New England cottontail), genus Lepus (snowshoe hare).
History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 20-16 - Furbearing Animals
Section 20-16-1. - Furbearers protected.
Section 20-16-2. - Landowners — Nuisance furbearers.
Section 20-16-3. - Possession of ferrets prohibited.
Section 20-16-4. - Raccoon hunting.
Section 20-16-5. - Possession of live raccoons.
Section 20-16-6. - Prohibited methods of taking.
Section 20-16-7. - License required for trapping — Marking of traps.
Section 20-16-8. - Trapping — Steel jawed leghold traps.
Section 20-16-9. - Setting of traps.
Section 20-16-10. - Green pelt as evidence of unlawful taking.
Section 20-16-11. - Disturbing traps of another.
Section 20-16-12. - Report of animals trapped.
Section 20-16-13. - Deprivation of trapping privileges on second conviction.
Section 20-16-16. - Digging or smoking out animals — Use of probes.
Section 20-16-17. - Prohibition against hunting or killing otter.
Section 20-16-18. - Unlawful possession or sale of furbearers.