Texas Laws Regarding Possessing and Transporting Wildlife

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

1. Mammals Classified as Game or Furbearers

• Wild Game Animals: (as defined in § 63.001, Parks and Wildlife Code) License or permit required to take, trap, transport, possess, propagate or sell the animal. Deer, collared peccary (javelina), pronghorn antelope, gray or cat; fox or red squirrels, desert bighorn sheep
• Wild Fur-Bearing Animals: (as defined in § 71.001, Parks and Wildlife Code) License or permit required to take, trap, possess or sell the animal or its pelt. Beaver, ring-tailed cats, otters, opossums, red and gray foxes, badgers, mink, skunks, or civet cats, nutria, raccoons, muskrats, weasels

2. All Other Wildlife

• Nongame Animals: Those species of vertebrate and invertebrate wildlife indigenous to Texas that are not classified as game animals, game birds, game fish, fur-bearing animals, endangered species, alligators, marine penaeid shrimp or oysters. A special group of nongame animals are listed with the Secretary of State as "threatened," and are therefore afforded greater protection than other species classified as "nongame." Unless state-listed as threatened or endangered, these animals are not protected, except under certain circumstances. If more than 25 specimens in the aggregate are possessed (dead or alive), or if the animals are collected from the wild and sold, permits must be obtained for commercial use. This regulation does not apply to fish or aquatic invertebrates, as well as a few others. Animals sold as bait must be possessed under a bait dealer's license.

3. Special Rules

• Alligators - Permits required for possession, transport, import, propagating, sale
• Bobcat - only pelts and mounts regulated.
• Mountain lion - not protected in this state.
• Coyote - may be taken, possessed or sold at any time.
• Armadillo - live armadillos may not be sold.
• Coatimundi - live animals may be possessed, propagated and sold; permit required for sale.

Department of State Health Services

Rabies in Texas is an ongoing state health emergency. Therefore, according to the Rabies Control and Eradication Administrative Code*, it is illegal for a person to transport certain animals that are high risk for transmitting rabies, including coyotes, species of foxes indigenous to North America, and raccoons, to, from, or within the state. A violation of this law is a Class C misdemeanor. The following individuals are exempt from this restriction and can transport animals included in the statewide rabies quarantine only when such transport is part of their official duty:

If transporting for release, the animal must be released within a 10-mile radius or within 10 miles of the city limits of where it was originally captured. Special provisions have been provided for raccoons:

• In addition to the list of exempt persons cited above, the following individuals can also transport raccoons: rehabilitators and educators permitted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and pest control operators licensed by the Structural Pest Control Board. (Except for educators, transport by these individuals is restricted to within a 10-mile radius or within 10 miles of the city limits of where the animal was originally captured.)
• Rehabilitation is allowed.

* Rabies Control and Eradication (Chapter 169, Administrative Code), Rules of the Board of Health for the Rabies Control Act (Chapter 826, Texas Health and Safety Code).