Generally, no person may hunt, catch, or possess covered wildlife resources in this chapter, except as allowed by subsection (b) or by a commission proclamation.
Sec. 61.021. TAKING WILDLIFE RESOURCES PROHIBITED. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) or permitted under a proclamation issued by the commission under this chapter, no person may hunt, catch, or possess a game bird or game animal, fish, marine animal, or other aquatic life at any time or in any place covered by this chapter. (b) A documented member of the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas who holds a license under Section 42.002 may hunt antlerless white-tailed deer for religious ceremonial purposes on any day of the year between one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset. A documented member of the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas hunting antlerless white-tailed deer under this subsection: (1) shall comply with all other provisions of this code and proclamations adopted under this code; (2) shall notify: (A) a local game warden at least 24 hours before hunting antlerless white-tailed deer at a time of the year when a person who holds a license under Section 42.002 but who is not a documented member of the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas may not hunt antlerless white-tailed deer; and (B) the department not later than September 1 of each year of the member's intent to hunt antlerless white-tailed deer for the following calendar year; (3) may not hunt antlerless white-tailed deer outside an open hunting season in a chronic wasting disease containment or surveillance zone, as determined by the department; and (4) may not receive a pecuniary gain from an action taken under this subsection. (c) Subsection (b) applies only to hunting on land that is: (1) owned or leased by the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas; and (2) located in a county that: (A) borders the United Mexican States and has a population of more than 50,000 but less than 70,000; or (B) is adjacent to a county described by Paragraph (A) and has a population of less than 8,000. Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1405, ch. 545, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1975. Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 506, ch. 213, Sec. 2, eff. Aug. 31, 1981; Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 2740, ch. 748, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1981. Amended by: Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 830 (H.B. 1891), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 644 (H.B. 4559), Sec. 208, eff. September 1, 2023.