Prohibits the use of leg-gripping traps

S 1182 prohibits the use of leg-gripping traps (those with teeth in the jaws) for capturing wildlife in New York State, directly affecting trappers and wildlife management practices. The bill amends environmental conservation law to ban these traps except during specific beaver and otter trapping seasons in water, with strict size limits (jaws exceeding 5¾ inches on land, 7¼ inches in water). It also requires covered traps on land (using natural materials like soil or leaves) and mandates pan tensioning devices to reduce animal suffering. This law takes effect 30 days after enactment, replacing existing trap regulations.