Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got off the phone with a crawfish farmer in East Texas. He said that he doesn't collect crawfish from bar ditches and under passes. But, he stressed that lots of recreational fishermen do.

Does anyone know if this bill would impact them? I'm thinking it would, but there may be other provisions for them. If it does impact them, recreational fishermen could be a HUGE help in this fight.

I need to slow down and think my thoughts more thoroughly!

Collecting crawfish is FISHING, not hunting. Duh!

From TPWD regs:
In public waters, a fishing license and freshwater fishing stamp endorsement is required to take mussels, clams, crayfish, and other aquatic life for personal use. In salt water, a saltwater fishing stamp endorsement is required with the fishing license.

But crayfish and fishing being allowed is a good rebuttal to the question "If game hunters can't do it why can nogame hunters?" The answer "Because we are more like fishermen in that we do not use guns." Of course this argument is only good for walking the shoulder, not for hunting with a vehicle.

It will be much easier for TP&W to determine you are hunting if you are walking instead of road cruising anyway.

Lets keep up the phone pressure on local reps to build opposition to this bill.

Lance