ORANGE COUNTY NEWS (Orange, Texas) 18 April 07 Gator hunting: spring season in full tilt, but know the rules before playing the game (Matt Williams)
All is well with Texas alligator populations. In fact, ol' Jaws is doing so good that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has offered up the green light for the first-ever spring alligator hunting season across much of the state.
The spring season through June 30, but prospective alligator hunters should be sure they know the rules before they set the bait or pull the trigger.
That's the word from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Warden Doug Spivey of Nacogdoches.
According to Spivey, what is legal in one county may not necessarily be legal in the next, particularly when it comes to season dates, permits and tagging issues.
The 2006-07 Outdoor Annual provides a detailed description of what is legal and what is not. To wit:
- Licensing: It is illegal to hunt alligators without a valid Texas resident or non resident hunting license.
- County Listings: There two divisions - "core counties" and "non-core" counties. Each has a different set of rules.
Core counties include the 22 southeast Texas counties located within historical alligator habitat. These counties include Angelina, Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Galveston, Hardin, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Refugio, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler and Victoria.
Spring alligator season runs through June 30 in most of Texas. However, what is legal in one county may not be legal in the next. Hunters are encouraged to review page 66 of the 2006-07 Texas Outdoor Annual to learn the rules.
- Core County Rules: Alligator hunters in core counties can legally harvest one alligator per license year from private property with landowner permission during the traditional Fall season (Sept. 10-30) only. Spivey said it illegal to harvest alligators in the core counties during the spring season, unless it involves a nuisance alligator and proper permit and tagging requirements are met.
- Core County Tagging: Core county alligator hunters must have a CITES tag in their possession while hunting. The tags are issued to private landowners following a case-by-case property and population evaluation by the TPWD.
The CITES tag must be attached to the alligator hide immediately after harvest.
- Non-Core Counties: Includes the 232 counties located outside the nucleus of core counties.
- Non-Core County Rules: Non-core county alligator hunters may take one alligator per license year, provided the alligator is taken during the spring season from private property with landowner permission. Alligators may be taken from public waters in noncore counties, provided the device used to take the alligator is on private property.
- Non-Core County Tagging: Hunters must complete a Wildlife Resource Document (Texas Outdoor Annual, page 96) and attach it to the carcass immediately after harvest. The next step is to fill out the accompanying Non-Core Alligator Hide Tag Report and mail it, along with a $20 hide tag fee, to the TPWD headquarters in Austin.
Upon receipt of the fee, the department will issue the hunter a CITES tag by mail.The CITES tag must be attached to the alligator hide immediately.
It is important to note there are "special properties" in some non-core counties where core county regu-
All is well with Texas alligator populations. In fact, ol' Jaws is doing so good that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has offered up the green light for the first-ever spring alligator hunting season across much of the state. The spring season through June 30, but prospective alligator hunters should be sure they know the rules before they set the bait or pull the trigger.
That's the word from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Warden Doug Spivey of Nacogdoches. According to Spivey, what is legal in one county may not necessarily be legal in the next, particularly when it comes to season dates, permits and tagging issues.
The 2006-07 Outdoor Annual provides a detailed description of what is legal and what is not. To wit:
- Licensing: It is illegal to hunt alligators without a valid Texas resident or non resident hunting license.
- County Listings: There two divisions - "core counties" and "non-core" counties. Each has a different set of rules.
Core counties include the 22 southeast Texas counties located within historical alligator habitat. These counties include Angelina, Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Galveston, Hardin, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Refugio, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler and Victoria.
- Core County Rules: Alligator hunters in core counties can legally harvest one alligator per license year from private property with landowner permission during the traditional Fall season (Sept. 10-30) only. Spivey said it illegal to harvest alligators in the core counties during the spring season, unless it involves a nuisance alligator and proper permit and tagging requirements are met.
- Core County Tagging: Core county alligator hunters must have a CITES tag in their possession while hunting. The tags are issued to private landowners following a case-by-case property and population evaluation by the TPWD. The CITES tag must be attached to the alligator hide immediately after harvest.
- Non-Core Counties: Includes the 232 counties located outside the nucleus of core counties.
- Non-Core County Rules: Non-core county alligator hunters may take one alligator per license year, provided the alligator is taken during the spring season from private property with landowner permission. Alligators may be taken from public waters in noncore counties, provided the device used to take the alligator is on private property.
- Non-Core County Tagging: Hunters must complete a Wildlife Resource Document (Texas Outdoor Annual, page 96) and attach it to the carcass immediately after harvest. The next step is to fill out the accompanying Non-Core Alligator Hide Tag Report and mail it, along with a $20 hide tag fee, to the TPWD headquarters in Austin.
Upon receipt of the fee, the department will issue the hunter a CITES tag by mail.The CITES tag must be attached to the alligator hide immediately.
It is important to note there are "special properties" in some non-core counties where core county regulations are in effect. According to TPWD reports, these landowners are issued tags based on alligator population and habitat evaluations. Harvest must be conducted according to core county regulations. For more info on tags and requirements, contact the J.D. Murphree WMA at 409- 736-2551.
- Legal Means and Methods For Taking Alligators:
- Line Set - See 2006-07 Texas Outdoor Annual for details.
- Alligator Gig
- Hand-held snare with integral locking mechanism.
- Lawful archery gear, with barbed arrow.
- Firearms may be used to take 'gators only on private property. It is illegal to discharge a firearm from, in, or across public water. Alligators taken from public water may be dispatched with a centerfire weapon, provided the alligator is on private land when you pull the trigger.
- Alligators may be sold only to licensed wholesale dealers or alligator farmers.
For information on additional regulations, check the Texas Outdoor Annual and see the department publication "Alligators in Texas." The booklet is available at TPWD Regional Law Enforcement offices or online, www.tpwd.state.tx.us.
Gator hunting: spring season in full tilt, but know the rules before playing the game