TexasCHLforum.com

Sorry, this seemed to be the most fitting place for this, so here goes...

I've been asked by a friend from work if I can go to his parents' place and shoot some hogs (mind you, they live in the tail-end of nowhere on a farm) that are messing the place up.
My understanding of TDPW regs is this: if you're shooting hogs on private land as a means of eliminating a nuisance, you're good to go. If you're just out -- literally -- in the middle of nowhere shooting pigs 'cuz you can, you need a license.
Can anyone validate this?

If your not an employee of, or actually are, the land owner you will most likely be considered a hunter. I recommend that you just go ahead and get a hunting license to avoid getting on the wrong side of a game warden since they really like to write tickets, confiscate equipment, and in general are either the nicest guy you can hope to meet or the absolute worse person you can get crossways with. It's only $25 for a resident hunting license.

Regardless of where you are, you need a license to hunt them:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wi ... feral_hogs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Scroll down to "How do I hunt feral hogs". First sentence answers your question.

Peace.

Q. Do I need a hunting license to hunt feral hogs?
A. The answer is “it depends”. The Texas Legislature has granted landowners some relief by stating that “landowners and their designated agents” can control feral hogs causing property damage by any legal means without benefit of a hunting license. However, for those individuals that are hunting feral hogs solely for recreational purposes, a Texas hunting license is required. If in doubt, consult with the game warden assigned to the county where the control/hunting activity will take place.

http://feralhogs.tamu.edu/faq/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also...

A hunting license is required of any person, regardless of age, who hunts any animal, bird, frog or turtle in this state (except furbearers, if the hunter possesses a trapper's license). No license is required for nuisance fur-bearing animals, depredating hogs or coyotes (see below). Non-residents under 17 years of age may purchase and hunt with the Youth Hunting License (Type 169).

Exceptions: a hunting license is not required to hunt the following:
Coyotes, if the coyotes are attacking, about to attack, or have recently attacked livestock, domestic animals, or fowl.
Depredating feral hogs, if a landowner (resident or non-resident) or landowner's agent or lessee is taking feral hogs causing depredation on the landowner's land.
Fur-bearing animals, if the hunter possesses a trapper's license or if the fur-bearing animals are causing depredation.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/regulations ... _licenses/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So it is not a definite yes, and is likely a no in the situation you described. All this being said, I'd still pick up a license just to avoid the hassle of a GW. But it sounds like you don't need it.

The OP may also need a hunter ed class depending on age, below is taken from Texas Parks and Wildlife.....

Who is required to take Texas Hunter Education?
Every hunter (including out-of-state hunters) born on or after Sept. 2, 1971, must successfully complete a Hunter Education Training Course, or be accompanied* while hunting. Minimum age of certification is 9 years of age.

If you were born on or after September 2, 1971 and you are:

under 9 years of age, you must be accompanied* while hunting.
age 9 through 16, you must successfully complete a hunter education course, or you must be accompanied* while hunting.
age 17 and over, you must successfully complete a hunter education course; or purchase a “Hunter Education Deferral” and you must be accompanied* while hunting.

Hunting license fees help to support TPWD and with this budget cycle, all help is needed. Those guys do a great job in a majority of areas and deserve the fees of those who take advantage of the wildlife and fisheries resources in Texas. I am through preaching now!

Bear67 wrote:Hunting license fees help to support TPWD and with this budget cycle, all help is needed. Those guys do a great job in a majority of areas and deserve the fees of those who take advantage of the wildlife and fisheries resources in Texas. I am through preaching now!

I'll ready and willing to start buying hunting licenses again when they stop requiring my SSN.

...but it'll be just one less thing in your pocket...soon, our hunting license will be on the chip...

tbrown wrote:

Bear67 wrote:Hunting license fees help to support TPWD and with this budget cycle, all help is needed. Those guys do a great job in a majority of areas and deserve the fees of those who take advantage of the wildlife and fisheries resources in Texas. I am through preaching now!

I'll ready and willing to start buying hunting licenses again when they stop requiring my SSN.

I don't recall being required to provide a SSN for a hunting license, only my TDL. With that said I was required to appear in person at DPS and bring my SS card the last time I renewed my DL.

puma guy wrote:

tbrown wrote:

Bear67 wrote:Hunting license fees help to support TPWD and with this budget cycle, all help is needed. Those guys do a great job in a majority of areas and deserve the fees of those who take advantage of the wildlife and fisheries resources in Texas. I am through preaching now!

I'll ready and willing to start buying hunting licenses again when they stop requiring my SSN.

I don't recall being required to provide a SSN for a hunting license, only my TDL. With that said I was required to appear in person at DPS and bring my SS card the last time I renewed my DL.

Los federales pressured (tied to grants back to the state) the states to make presentation of ssn a requirement to get a hunting/fishing license on the pretense that it would make their job of catching deadbeat dads easier (at the expense of the privacy of all the others- not to mention the risk of ID theft). Of course, I imagine said deadbeats simply hunt & fish without a license- Brushing off another requirement is no biggie to them; afterall the IRS has a bigger hammer than any fish & game dept and the deadbeats typically work off the books and don't pay taxes to avoid getting caught anyway!

Pure geniuses, those feds.