Means & Methods: Fur-bearing Animals

Fur-bearing animals may be legally taken with:

  • firearms
  • foothold
  • body grip, live or box traps
  • dogs
  • snares
  • lawful archery equipment
  • electronic or hand-held calls
  • artificial light
  • falconry
  • air guns with a minimum size of .30 caliber
  • arrow guns
  • except as prohibited below

It is unlawful to:

  • Shoot at, take or attempt to take any fur-bearing animal from a boat on public waters in Texas.
  • Take fur-bearing animals by means of falconry without a valid falconry permit issued by the department.
  • Take fur-bearing animals with a foothold or body grip trap except during the season for commercial harvest.
  • Take fur-bearing animals with a foothold or body grip trap within 400 yards of any school.
  • Use smoke, explosives or chemical irritants of any kind to harry or flush fur-bearing animals.
  • Take fur-bearing animals with body grip traps with a diagonal opening greater than 10 inches set on land or in less than 6-inch deep water.
  • Take fur-bearing animals with snare, foothold, body grip traps, and live or box trap unless such devices are examined at least once every 36 hours and animals are removed.