31 Tex. Admin. Code § 65.310 - Means and Methods

Migratory birds may be taken by any method except those prohibited in this section. Except as provided in this subchapter, no person shall take migratory game birds:

(1) with a trap, snare, net, any type of rifle or pistol (including airguns), swivel gun, shotgun larger than 10 gauge, punt gun, battery gun, machinegun, fish hook, poison, drug, explosive, or stupefying substance;

(2) with a shotgun of any description capable of holding more than three shells, unless it is plugged with a one-piece filler, incapable of removal without disassembling the gun, so its total capacity does not exceed three shells;

(3) from or by means, aid, or use of a sinkbox or any other type of low-floating device, having a depression affording the hunter a means of concealment beneath the surface of the water;

(4) from or by means, aid, or use of any motor vehicle, motor-driven land conveyance, or aircraft of any kind, except that paraplegics and persons missing one or both legs may take from any stationary motor vehicle or stationary motor-driven land conveyance;

(5) from or by means of any motorboat or other craft having a motor attached, or any sailboat, unless the motor has been completely shut off and/or the sails furled, and its progress therefrom has ceased. A craft under power may be used to retrieve dead or crippled birds; however, crippled birds may not be shot from such craft under power;

(6) by the use or aid of live birds as decoys;

(7) where tame or captive live ducks or geese are present unless such birds are and have been for a period of 10 consecutive days prior to such taking, confined within an enclosure which substantially reduces the audibility of their calls and totally conceals such birds from the sight of wild migratory waterfowl;

(8) by the use or aid of recorded or electrically amplified bird calls or sounds, or recorded or electrically amplified imitations of bird calls or sounds;

(9) by means or aid of any motor-driven land, water, or air conveyance, or any sailboat used for the purpose of or resulting in the concentrating, driving, rallying, or stirring up of any migratory bird;

(10) by the aid of baiting, or on or over any baited area, where a person knows or reasonably should know that the area is or has been baited. No person may place or direct the placement of bait on or adjacent to an area for the purpose of causing, inducing, or allowing any person to take or attempt to take any migratory game bird by the aid of baiting on or over the baited area. However, provided a land or area is not otherwise baited, nothing in this paragraph prohibits:

(A) the taking of any migratory game bird, including waterfowl, coots, and cranes on or over:

(i) standing crops or flooded standing crops (including aquatics);

(ii) standing, flooded, or manipulated natural vegetation;

(iii) flooded harvested croplands; or

(iv) lands or areas where seeds or grains have been scattered solely as the result of a normal agricultural planting, harvesting, post-harvest manipulation or normal soil stabilization practice;

(v) from a blind or other place of concealment camouflaged with natural vegetation;

(vi) from a blind or other place of concealment camouflaged with vegetation from agricultural crops, as long as such camouflaging does not result in the exposing, depositing, distributing or scattering of grain or other feed; or

(vii) on or over standing or flooded standing agricultural crops where grain is inadvertently scattered solely as a result of a hunter entering or exiting a hunting area, placing decoys, or retrieving downed birds; or

(B) the taking of any migratory game bird, except waterfowl, coots and cranes, on or over lands or areas that are not otherwise baited areas, and where grain or other feed has been distributed or scattered solely as the result of manipulation of an agricultural crop or other feed on the land where grown, or solely as the result of a normal agricultural operation; or

(11) while possessing loose shot that is not non-toxic shot or shotshells containing any shot other than non-toxic shot. The provisions of this paragraph apply only to the hunting of waterfowl.

Notes

31 Tex. Admin. Code § 65.310

The provisions of this §65.310 adopted to be effective August 13, 2007, 32 TexReg 5027; amended to be effective August 20, 2008, 33 TexReg 6593