Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I found Section 62.0265 under the provisions generally applicable to HUNTING and it’s interesting only because TPWD now considers a bug to be an animal under their hunting regulations. It could be revealing that bugs were not considered animals when this Section was written if bug is substituted for the word animal in paragraph (a) below:

§ 62.0265. TRANSPORTATION OF WILD ANIMALS AND BIRDS. (a)
A person may transport or ship to and from a taxidermist or tannery for mounting or preserving purposes or to his home, a specimen or part of a specimen of a wild bird or wild animal of this state, if the bird or animal was lawfully taken by the person, and if the specimen is not for sale.
(b) This section does not prohibit the transportation of a specimen and parts of a specimen as permitted under Sections 62.021 and 62.022 of this code.

Added by Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 610, ch. 221, § 1, eff. May 24,
1977.

But, then maybe I'm naive, maybe people do take their grasshoppers to taxidermists. My message to TPWD law enforcement - please reconsider this last ditch effort. You do not have THE LAW on your side, and it will only alienate more people.

R

But doesn't the part about "legally" obtained put the law squarely on their side? New laws tend to clarify older ones, so the "legally" part doesn't help.

Sorry, "lawfully", not "legally"...yet another reason I'm not a lawyer.

The point I was trying to make is that people generally don't take grasshoppers or parts of grasshoppers obtained lawfully to taxidermists or tanneries, they take their animals or parts of animals that were obtained lawfully. In other words, a bug is not an animal for purposes of this Section or Chapter. That's all I meant

There are more examples under the hunting regulations where bug context is ludicrous.

R

Posted by: rpelaez at Tue Jun 26 12:15:29 2007 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ]

I understand completely. Don't look for a solid definition of "animal" in the statutes. I couldn't find one either. There is, however, a parathetical defintion of animal as a terrestrial VERTEBRATE. I can send you the reference if you contact me. You must trust me on this - they are not issuing citations for hunting invertebrates.

R

They weren't issuing any citations for hunting invertebrates at the time I posted that.

R