Trapping Question

[gil1]

Doing research for a story.
Can I relocate a trapped animal?
Say I trap a raccoon in a Havahart non-kill trap. Whether it's on purpose or accidental, nuisance or not. And I don't want to kill it but don't want it in my yard. Can I take it to a park, Greenway, management area, side of a country road, anywhere and release it legally? Thanks!

 

[scn]

You cannot relocate the animal unless you have a permit from the Executive Director (TCA 70-2-212). It is not a certainty that a permit would be issued since it is a deal of the landowner basically just moving their problem down the road where the nuisance animal becomes a problem for someone else.

TCA 70-4-115 gives a landowner authorization to destroy an animal causing them damage, but does not give the legal ability to relocate the animal. However, controlling federally protected species such as most raptors and songbirds requires a federal permit. Controlling big game animals (bear, deer, elk, or turkeys) requires a depredation permit from TWRA. The appropriate Regional office is the place to start that permit process.