Reptile & Amphibian Forums

www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20070709a

New Law Prohibits All Hunting of Wildlife From Roads

AUSTIN, Texas — With the passage of House Bill 12 by the 80th Texas Legislature, it is now unlawful to hunt any wild bird or animal on a public road or the right-of-way of a public road.
Prior to this year, it was unlawful to hunt game animals or game birds on a public road — meaning that nongame species such as snakes, turtles, frogs and most mammals other than deer, bighorn sheep, javelina, and pronghorn antelope could be legally taken, provided that the take was not by firearm and did not occur from a vehicle.

For many years, the department has informed the public that a hunting license was not required to take or possess any animal other than terrestrial vertebrates, such as insects. Although the new law could be construed to apply to the collection of invertebrates, the department will not enforce the provision as it relates to invertebrates at this time.

“The department strongly encourages all persons to avoid engaging in the collection of any animal life on public roads or the right-of-way of public roads,” said Maj. David Sinclair, TPWD chief of wildlife enforcement.

The new law does not apply to licensed falconers trapping raptors (birds of prey) or persons engaged in activities under department permits for scientific, educational, or zoological collection if allowed under the conditions of the permit.

Robert Macdonald
Regulations Coordinator
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

If you are Herpetologist, prepare to be hassled, searched, and generally persecuted for your interest in our State's rich and diverse Herpetofauna. (If you think we're bad try viewing Herpetofauna at night in a National Park!).

We have no regard for the struggling economies that rely on seasonal revenues provided by Herpetologists, nor do we care the about impact on the Science of Herpetology including the real travesty of this law, the dearth of temporal herpetological records from around the state. How will we be able to assess the status of herp populations around the state?

We don't care that our Field Wardens can't possibly enforce and manage non-game collectors spread out over thousands of square miles of private property, creating a massive loop hole for those interested in exploiting our non-game resources.

Finally we don't really care about the managing the resource either. We'd rather just make it go away so we can ignore it. We don't care about Bayou Bob, and we love Turtle soup. Go gas a den and sell the Rattlers to the round-up, that's cool, or go ahead and run the snakes and turtles over if they in your lane.

The protection that the Exotic Wildlife Association has enjoyed to allow the canned hunts of non-native hoofed animals in Texas.

I remember seeing an Elk on the side of the road on 2400 in Terrell county last year, we discussed the problem it would have been to hit that animal with a vehicle.

BTW, did you know that Harvey Hilderbran was the Executive Director of the Exotic Wildlife Association and has to offer the canned / exotic hunts for a price on his lands in the hill country??

if you compare his release of exotics into the Hill Country with this section HB 12:

Sec.43.853.RELEASE FROM CAPTIVITY. A person may not
intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence
release or allow the release from captivity of a snake covered by
this subchapter.

I have a feeling that more and more natives will be restless here until this is fixed so that we can get back to herping the ROWs.

The longer this thing simmers the harder it will be to put it under the rug when he needs to show a clean image for re-election.

I hope that Todd K and HH realize this in their efforts to fix things?? Sooner is better for everybody.

Elk are/were native and are/were being reintroduced. I don't know if they were ranging off 2400 but probably were before those grasslands were grazed by cattle.

Pronghorn, Elk and Buffalo are some of my favorite things to see out there.

This one had a nice yellow ear tag... and we saw it for 3 days

Elk have been reintroduced in many areas, but they are considered exotic and are killed on site at the Elephant Mountain WMA. HB 12 is so screwed up, we cant release snakes to hunt, but we sure as heck can release elk, axis, and blackbuck (among a number of other exotic ungulates)
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South Texas Herps

we can't make any citations stick in a court of law for "collecting bugs".

True, but look at their words "at this time". Possibly an addendum for the next session, should they choose to go further w/ this BS, as opposed to repealing in some fashion.

DB

Dary,How are things going? Did you recieve my e-mail from a couple a days ago? Clark

My spam blocker got confused. I just found your email and replied.