Bird Hunting in Texas

Many bird species can be hunted in Texas.

Many breeds of bird are hunted in Texas. Hunting requires a license, and different breeds require different permits and licenses. As of August 2010, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers an annual public hunting permit to U.S. residents for $48. This permit allows hunters to hunt on roughly 1.2 million acres of land, year-round.

Certification

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife website, you must have certification to hunt migratory game birds in Texas. The certification program is the Harvest Information Program; Texas Parks and Wildlife states that there are no fees involved in the certification process. To hunt, hunters must purchase either a migratory game bird stamp or an upland game bird stamp.

Types

Hunters may shoot only certain migratory species of bird in Texas. The Texas Parks and Wildlife website states that doves, ducks, geese, sandhill cranes, woodcock, rails, snipe, coots and gallinules are all permissible for hunting.

Facts

Like other prey animals, birds may be hunted only during specific seasons. The varied hunting seasons for birds are based on the specific location in Texas and the type of bird.

References

• Texas Parks and Wildlife: Migratory Game Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP)
• Texas Parks and Wildlife: Upcoming Texas Hunting Season Dates by Animal
• Texas Parks and Wildlife: Public Hunting and Access to Texas Parks and Wildlife Lands