Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Nongame Regulations
Effective: January 1, 1999


The new sections are adopted under Parks and Wildlife Code, Chapter 67, which provides the commission with authority to establish any limits on the take, possession, propagation, transportation, importation, exportation, sale, or offering for sale of nongame fish or wildlife.

PERMITS FOR THE COLLECTION AND SALE OF NONGAME WILDLIFE

§65.325. Applicability.

  1. Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this subchapter applies to the nongame wildlife listed in §65.331 of this title (relating to Affected Species), living or dead, including parts of nongame wildlife and captive-bred nongame wildlife.
  2. This subchapter does not apply to:
    1. dead mountain lions, bobcats, or coyotes;
    2. fish;
    3. the purchase, possession, or sale of processed products;
    4. teachers at accredited primary or secondary educational institutions, provided that the nongame wildlife is possessed solely for educational purposes and is not sold or transferred to another person for the purpose of sale;
    5. persons or establishments selling nongame wildlife for and ready for immediate consumption in individual portion servings, and which are subject to limited sales or use tax; or
    6. persons 16 years of age or younger, provided the person is not engaged in a commercial activity involving nongame wildlife;
    7. aquatic products possessed under a valid bait dealer's license; or
    8. albinos of any species of nongame.

§65.326. Definitions.

The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. All other words and terms shall have the meanings assigned by the Parks and Wildlife Code or regulatory definitions adopted under the authority of Parks and Wildlife Code.

  1. Captive-bred - Any wildlife born in captivity from parents held in captivity.
  2. Commercial activity - The sale, offer for sale, exchange, or barter of nongame wildlife.
  3. Possession - actual care, custody, or control of nongame wildlife.
  4. Resale - Any transaction or activity in which a person purchases nongame wildlife or otherwise acquires nongame wildlife for a consideration and subsequently transfers or delivers the same nongame wildlife to any person in exchange for compensation or remuneration of any kind.
  5. Processed product -
    1. nongame wildlife or parts of nongame wildlife that have been treated or prepared, by means other than refrigeration or freezing, to prevent decomposition; or
    2. part of nongame wildlife that do not require treatment or preparation to prevent decomposition.

§65.327. Permit Required.

  1. Except as provided in subsection or in §65.325 of this title (relating to Applicability), no person in this state may possess nongame wildlife for commercial purposes, or posses more than ten specimens of a single subspecies of nongame wildlife or more than 25 specimens of nongame wildlife in the aggregate, unless that person possessed a valid commercial collection permit or a valid nongame dealer permit issued by the department.
  2. No person in this state may resell nongame wildlife unless that person possesses a valid nongame dealer permit by the department.
  3. No person may sell nongame wildlife unless that person possesses a valid commercial nongame collection permit.
  4. No person may, for the purpose of sale, transport or ship nongame wildlife out of this state, or cause such transport or shipment, unless that person possesses an applicable, valid nongame permit issued by the department.
  5. Except as provided by subsection (f) of this section, a permit required by this subchapter shall be possessed on the person of the permittee during any activity governed by this subchapter; however, an employee of the holder of a nongame dealer's permit may engage in commercial activity or the resale of nongame wildlife at a permanent place of business operated by the permittee, provided that:
    1. the employer's permit is maintained at the place of business during all activities governed by this subchapter; and
    2. the place of business has been identified on the application required by §65.329 of this title (relating to Permit Application).
  6. In the event that the holder of a nongame dealer's permit conducts activities at a place in addition to a permanent place of business, that person shall possess on their person a legible photocopy of a valid nongame dealer's permit during all such activities.
  7. This subchapter does not relieve any person of the obligation to possess an appropriate hunting license for any activity involving the take of nongame wildlife.

§65.329. Permit Application.

  1. An applicant for a dealer’s permit under this subchapter shall submit to the department a completed application on a form supplied by the department, accompanied by the nonrefundable fee specified in Chapter 53 of this title (relating to Finance).
  2. The department reserves the right to refuse permit issuance to any person finally convicted of any violation of Parks and Wildlife Code during the five-year period immediately prior to an application for a permit under this subchapter. This paragraph does not apply to convictions under Parks and Wildlife Code, Chapter 31.
  3. The department shall not issue a permit to any person who has not complied with the applicable requirements of §65.330 of this title (relating to Reporting Requirements).
  4. Permits shall be issued to named individuals only, resident or nonresident as applicable, and shall not be issued in the name of any firm, organization, or institution.

§65.330. Record and Reporting Requirements.

  1. A person possessing a commercial collection permit shall:
    1. maintain and possess upon their person during any collection activities a daily collection log indicating the date, location, and number of specimens of each species collected and/or possessed during the period of validity of the permit, which shall be presented upon the request of a department employee acting within the official scope of their duties; and
    2. complete and submit to the department a annual report, accompanied by the permittee's collection log, by the 15th of September of each year.
  2. A person possessing a nongame dealer permit shall:
    1. maintain a current daily record of all purchases and sales, which shall be presented upon the request of a department employee acting within the official scope of their duties;
    2. maintain a collection log, invoice, or receipt identifying the source or origin of each specimen of nongame wildlife in possession, which shall be presented upon the request of a department employee acting within the official scope of their duties; and
    3. complete and submit to the department a annual report by the 15th of September of each year.
  3. All records required by this section shall be retained and kept available for inspection for a period of one year following the period of validity of the permit under which they are required to be kept.

§65.331. Affected Species.

The following species are subject to the provisions of this subchapter.

Amphibians

Frogs and Toads

Cope’s gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis)
Canyon treefrog (Hyla arenicolor)
Gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor)
Green treefrog (Hyla cinerea)
Squirrel treefrog (Hyla squirella)
Couch’s spadefoot (Scaphiopus couchi)
Plains spadefoot (Scaphiopus bombifrons)
Northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans crepitans)
Blanchard’s cricket frog (Acris crepitans blanchardi)
Coastal cricket frog (Acris crepitans paludicola)
Great plains toad (Bufo cognatus)
Eastern green toad (Bufo debilis debilis)
Western green toad (Bufo debilis insidior)
Red-spotted toad (Bufo punctatus)
Texas toad (Bufo speciosus)
Gulf Coast toad (Bufo valliceps valliceps)
Southwestern Woodhouse’s toad (Bufo woodhousei australis)
East Texas Toad (Bufo woodhousei velatus)
Woodhouse’s toad (Bufo woodhousei woodhousei)
Bull frog (Rana catesbeiana)
Southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala)
Bronze frog (Rana clamitans clamatans)
Pig frog (Rana grylio)

Salamanders

Barred tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum mavortium)
Eastern tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum)
Marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum)
Mole salamander (Ambystoma talpoideum)
Spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)

Reptiles

Turtles

Desert (Western) box turtle (Terrapene ornata luteola)
Ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata ornata)
Three-toed (Eastern) box turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis)
Cagle’s map turtle (Graptemys caglei)
Mississippi map turtle (Graptemys pseuogeographica kohnii)
Ouachita map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica ouachitensis)
Sabine map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica sabinensis)
Texas map turtle (Graptemys versa)
Yellow mud turtle (Kinosternon flavescens flavescens)
Mississippi (Eastern) mud turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis)
Western chicken turtle (Deirochelys reticularia miaria)
Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)
Midland smooth softshell turtle (Apalone muticus muticus) (Trionyx muticus) (old name)
Texas spiny softshell (Apalone spiniferus emoryi), (Trionyx spiniferus) (old genus name)
Guadalupe spiny softshell (Apalone spiniferus guadalupensis)
Western spiny softshell (Apalone spiniferus hartwegi)
Pallid spiny softshell (Apalone spiniferus pallidus)
Metter’s river cooter (Pseudemys concinna metteri)
Texas river cooter (Pseudemys texana)
Western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta belli)
Southern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta dorsalis)
Common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina serpentina)
Texas diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin littoralis)

Lizards

Texas alligator lizard (Gerrhonotus liocephalus infernalis)
Western slender glass lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus attenuatus)
Green anole (Anolis carolinensis)
Texas banded gecko (Coleonyx brevis)
Southwestern earless lizard (Cophosaurus texanus scitulus)
Texas earless lizard (Cophosaurus texanus scitulus)
Eastern collared lizard (Crotaphytus collaris collaris)
Chihuahuan collared lizard (Crotaphytus collaris fuscus)
Crevice spiny lizard (Sceloporus poinsettii poinsettii)
Texas spiny lizard (Sceloporus olicaveus)
Twin-spotted (Desert) spiny lizard (Sceloporus magister bimaculatus)
Northern (Eastern) fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus)
Northern prairie lizard (Sceloporus undulatus garmani)
Southern Prairie lizard (Sceloporus undulatus consobrinus)
Big Bend canyon lizard (Sceloporus merriami annulatus)
Presidio canyon lizard (Sceloporus merriami longipunctatus)
Merriam’s canyon lizard (Sceloporus merriami merriami)
Longnose leopard lizard (Gambelia wislizeni wislizeni)
Eastern tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus ornatus)
Big Bend tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus schmidti)
Desert side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana stejnegeri)
Roundtail horned lizard (Phrynosoma modestum)
Broadhead skink (Eumeces laticeps)
Great plains skink (Eumeces obsoletus)
Ground skink (Scincella lateralis)
Gray-checkered whiptail (Cnemidophorus dixoni)
Chihuahuan spotted whiptail (Cnemidophorus exsanguis)
Texas spotted whiptail (Cnemidophorus gularis gularis)
Plateau spotted whiptail (Cnemidophorus gularis septemvittatus)
Trans-Pecos striped whiptail (Cnemidophorus inornatus heptagrammus)
Laredo striped whiptail (Cnemidophorus laredoensis)
Marbled whiptail (Cnemidophorus marmoratus)
New Mexico whiptail (Cnemidophorus neomexicanus)
Colorado checkered whiptail (Cnemidophorus tesselatus)
Desert grassland whiptail (Cnemidophorus uniparens)
Six-lined racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus sexlinieatus)
Prairie-lined racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus viridis)

Snakes

Baird’s rat snake (Elaphe bairdi)
Texas rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri)
Trans-Pecos rat snake (Elaphe subocularis)
Great Plains rat snake (Elaphe guttata emoryi)
Rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus)
Rough earth snake (Virginia striatula)
Western smooth earth snake (Virginia valeriae elegans)
Ground snake (Sonora semiannulata)
Yellowbelly water snake (Nerodia erythrogaster flavigaster)
Gray-banded kingsnake (Lampropeltis alterna)
Louisiana milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum amaura)
Mexican milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum annulata)
New Mexico milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum celaenops)
Central plains milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum gentilis)
Speckled kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus holbrooki)
Desert kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus splendida)
Bullsnake (Pituophis melanoleucus sayi)
Texas longnose snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei tessallatus)
Eastern coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum flagellum)
Western coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum testaceus)
Central Texas whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus girardi)
Desert Striped whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus taeniatus)
Eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)
Texas garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis annectans)
New Mexico garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis dorsalis)
Plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix haydenii)
Checkered garter snake (Thamnophis marcianus marcianus)
Eastern blackneck garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus)
Western blackneck garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis)
Western ribbon snake (Thamnophis proximus proximus)
Redstripe ribbon snake (Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus)
Gulf Coast ribbon snake (Thamnophis proximus orarius)
Arid land ribbon snake (Thamnophis proximus diabolicus)
Mississippi ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus strictogenys)
Prairie ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus arnyi)
Regal ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus regalis)
Kansas glossy snake (Arizona elegans elegans)
Texas glossy snake (Arizona elegans arenicola)
Painted desert glossy snake (Arizona elegans philipi)
Plains (western) hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus nasicus)
Dusty hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus gloydi)
Mexican hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus kennerlyi)
Eastern hognose snake (Heterodon platyrhinos)
Mountain patchnose snake (Salvadora grahamiae grahamiae)
Texas patchnose snake (Salvadora grahamiae lineata)
Big Bend patchnose snake (Salvadora deserticola)
Texas coral snake (Micrurus fulvius tenere)
Southern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix)
Broad-banded copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus)
Trans-Pecos copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster)
Western cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma)
Western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)
Prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis viridis)
Mottled rock rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus lepidus)
Banded rock rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus klauberi)
Northern blacktail rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus molossus)
Western massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus)
Desert massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii)
Pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius)

Mammals

Order Chiroptera

Bats

Brazilian Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)

Order Lagomorpha

Rabbits

Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus Californicus)

Order Rodentia - Rodents

Squirrels

Texas Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus interpres)
Mexican Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mexicanus)
Spotted Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus spilosoma)
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus)
Rock Squirrel (Spermophilus variegatus)
Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)
Eastern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans)

Pocket Gophers

Botta's Pocket Gopher (Thomomys bottae)
Desert Pocket Gopher (Geomys arenarius)
Attwater's Pocket Gopher (Geomys attwateri)
Baird's Pocket Gopher (Geomys breviceps)
Plains Pocket Gopher (Geomys bursarius)
Jones' Pocket Gopher (Geomys knoxjonesi)
Texas Pocket Gopher (Geomys personatus)
Llano Pocket Gopher (Geomys texensis)
Yellow-faced Pocket Gopher (Cratogeomys castanops)

Pocket Mice

Plains Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavescens)
Silky Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavus)
Merriam's Pocket Mouse (Perognathus merriami)
Hispid Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus hispidus)
Rock Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus intermedius)
Nelson's Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus nelsoni)
Desert Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus penicillatus)
Gulf Coast Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys compactus)
Texas Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys elator)
Merriam's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys merriami)
Ord's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ordii)
Banner-tailed Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys spectabilis)
Mexican Spiny Pocket Mouse (Liomys irroratus)

Mice and Rats

Fulvous Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys fulvescens)
Eastern Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys humulis)
Western Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis)
Plains Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys montanus)
Texas Mouse (Peromyscus attwateri)
Brush Mouse (Peromyscus boylii)
Cactus Mouse (Peromyscus eremicus)
Cotton Mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus)
White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus)
Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus)
Northern Rock Mouse (Peromyscus nasutus)
White-ankled Mouse (Peromyscus pectoralis)
Pinon Mouse (Peromyscus truei)
Golden Mouse (Ochrotomys nuttalli)
Northern Pygmy Mouse (Baiomys taylori)
Mearns' Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys arenicola)
Northern Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys leucogaster)
White-throated Woodrat (Neotoma albigula)
Eastern Woodrat (Neotoma floridana)
Mexican Woodrat (Neotoma mexicana)
Southern Plains Woodrat (Neotoma micropus)
Mexican Vole (Microtus mexicanus)
Prairie Vole (Microtus ochrogaster)
Woodland Vole (Microtus pinetorum)

Porcupine Family

Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)

Order Carnivora - Carnivores

Dog Family

Coyote (Canis latrans)

Cat Family

Mountain Lion (Felis concolor)
Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

§65.332. Violations and Penalties.

A person who violates any provision of this subchapter commits an offense and is subject to the penalties provided by Parks and Wildlife Code,

§67.005.

This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's authority to adopt.

Issued in Austin, Texas, on


TPW News: March 1, 1999/Nongame Permits in Effect in Texas

TPW News: March 1, 1999/Frequently Asked Questions - Nongame Permits

Commercial Collection Permits can be purchased at any location where Texas Hunting Licenses are sold. Nongame Dealer Permits are issued by TPWD only - contact TPWD for permit information.

For more details on the nongame permit, write to:

Tina Turner
TPW Wildlife Diversity Program
4200 School Smith Road
Austin, Texas 78744

Send e-mail to tina.turner@tpwd.state.tx.us, or phone 512-389-4481.


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