New York Consolidated Laws, Environmental Conservation Law - ENV § 11-1103. Open trapping seasons

1. The department may by regulation permit trapping of beaver, fisher, otter, bobcat, coyote, fox, raccoon, opossum, weasel, skunk, muskrat, pine marten and mink, or any of them, in specified areas, and may regulate the taking, possession and disposition of such animals.  The periods in which trapping of such animals is so permitted are open seasons for the trapping of the species for which the period is fixed, in the area or areas for which it is so fixed.

2. When an investigation made by the department in the month of March of any year reveals that during the current open season for muskrats in any county or part thereof in the Southern Zone, reasonable opportunities were not afforded to trappers to harvest the muskrat crop of such season because of abnormal trapping conditions, the department shall have power to extend by regulation the open season in such county or part thereof for a period not to exceed twenty days.