For far too long, the hog hunting regulations in Texas have been more complicated than needed. The law used to only allow landowners or their “agents” to hunt a property without the need for a hunting license, but that has recently changed. It’s now “no-hold-barred” when it comes to controlling hog numbers in the Lone Star state. Finally.
Texas Hog Hunting Changes
Starting September 1, 2019, hunters will not need a hunting license to hunt feral hogs on private property in Texas. This law removes the last remaining obstacle from controlling hog numbers since feral hogs despised by both landowners and managers of native wildlife and their habitat. The next step to control feral hogs will take more and more landowners opening their gates to hog hunters. After all, landowners (and their agents) have always been able to control hogs on their property, but the Texas hog population exploded over the same time this law was in place.
The new law, SB 317 by Senator Bryan Hughes (Mineola), passed during the 86th Texas Legislature and exempts any person (resident or nonresident), with landowner consent, from a hunting license requirement to hunt feral hogs. It is still a violation to hunt pigs without a license if hunting without the consent of the property owner. The new law removes any reference to depredation and the exemption applies for the take of all feral hogs. This was the key change to the new hog regulations.
Pay Attention to Hog Hunting Laws
The new hog hunting law only applies to private property, and is irrelevant of whether or not it is a paid hunt, although allowing hunting access in return for financial or other consideration still requires a hunting lease license from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. A hunting license is still required on public land. Hunter education requirements also still apply.
Texas had a tremendously-wet spring this year, so feral hog numbers will be robust across the state this fall. With cooler temperatures around the corner, hopefully many hunters will take to the field and remove a large number of of these large, obnoxious, non-native mammals. It’s been estimated that at least 70% of the population needs to be removed to hold the population stable from one year to the next. If you do the math, it’s easy to see why hogs have been winning the war.