Flood exotics

[Txhuntr2]

Could be an interesting season. My place is very close to the OX ranch. I've always wanted to shoot a bongo or white elk.

[Antlers86]

How would a landowner recapture an escaped exotic animal if ownership could be determined? Helicopter?

Man hours locating and darting. They are considered livestock. Owners have full right to go in and retrieve their animals.

I had a Fallow get out Tuesday morning. He was located 2 miles from the ranch at 10am. Around 12pm he made his way back to ranch onto a neighbors property. Neighbors contacted me and I had him keep an eye on him. Arrived at ranch and did everything I could to keep eyes on him. Dart gun arrived at 10:30pm and we had him asleep by 11:30. Loaded him up and he is now back in with all of his doe.

If someone would have shot him I wouldn't have done anything. It's part of running a ranch. Animals will get out and some will get in. I don't believe it's against the law to kill escaped exotics or deer but if it is I wouldn't press charges. My responsibility to keep my animals in. If I can't do that then fair game to wherever they roam. You want to shoot through the fence and trespass then I will hang you high up in a tree and let the migrating buzzards clean you up!

[Antlers86]

I hate what all the landowners in the flooding waters are dealing with. Terrible situation.

[Txhuntr2]

Man hours locating and darting. They are considered livestock. Owners have full right to go in and retrieve their animals.



I had a Fallow get out Tuesday morning. He was located 2 miles from the ranch at 10am. Around 12pm he made his way back to ranch onto a neighbors property. Neighbors contacted me and I had him keep an eye on him. Arrived at ranch and did everything I could to keep eyes on him. Dart gun arrived at 10:30pm and we had him asleep by 11:30. Loaded him up and he is now back in with all of his doe.



If someone would have shot him I wouldn't have done anything. It's part of running a ranch. Animals will get out and some will get in. I don't believe it's against the law to kill escaped exotics or deer but if it is I wouldn't press charges. My responsibility to keep my animals in. If I can't do that then fair game to wherever they roam. You want to shoot through the fence and trespass then I will hang you high up in a tree and let the migrating buzzards clean you up!

Thanks for the info.


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[cj7zrcool]

Not the Hill country but someone posted on a local Springtown page last night that they saw a moose feeding by 199 (no pictures of course). If true it had to have gotten out of someone's game ranch or it is a weird pet to have haha.

Hmmmm....whereabouts on 199?

[6.5 shooter]

Could be an interesting season. My place is very close to the OX ranch. I've always wanted to shoot a bongo or white elk.

I share a fence line with them. There are some really nice animals in the area.

[Txhuntr2]

I share a fence line with them. There are some really nice animals in the area.

Pm sent


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[JTCowpoke]

Whitetail you have a certain amount of time to get them back in. After that they are property of the state.

I didn’t realize that whitetail could be considered personal property. I thought they always belonged to the state even behind high fence.

[jsctx84]

When your feeding it hand corn and the ear tag says buttskin on it just go ahead and hit it between the eyes with a three pound hammer

[Chase This!]

BEWARE! It's now illegal in Texas to shoot an exotic with a clearly visible ear tag without making several attempts to locate the owner. I teach hunters ed occasionally and only recently learned about this law that's been on the books for a few years now.

Pfffffft. Just take out the tag before the LDP.

[Txhuntr2]

When your feeding it hand corn and the ear tag says buttskin on it just go ahead and hit it between the eyes with a three pound hammer

I though he switched to making knives? Haha


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[Hammerdown]

BEWARE! It's now illegal in Texas to shoot an exotic with a clearly visible ear tag without making several attempts to locate the owner. I teach hunters ed occasionally and only recently learned about this law that's been on the books for a few years now.

I would need the definition of "several attempts" does this include spinning and looking around in a circle whispering "hello owner of this animal come get him or I'm going to shoot him"?

[sharpstick35]

I already have all manner of free ranging exotics on my place. I also have an HF neighbor to the south (none have tags that I've seen). He also stocked a herd of blackbuck this summer, but I've seen free ranging ones within 2 miles on a few occasions. It would be impossible to tell where anything came from, especially in light of the last few weeks weather.

[Txhuntr2]

I already have all manner of free ranging exotics on my place. I also have an HF neighbor to the south (none have tags that I've seen). He also stocked a herd of blackbuck this summer, but I've seen free ranging ones within 2 miles on a few occasions. It would be impossible to tell where anything came from, especially in light of the last few weeks weather.

Same here. We already see axis, fallow, B.B., Aoudad. Who’s to say an ibex or watusi wasn’t free range too?

[White Falcon]

If you couldn't open.

Hunting
Are exotic animals that happen to show up on my property fair game?

It depends! If an exotic animal has a visible tag, brand, or other identifying mark, a person should contact the local sheriff's office and report the exotic animal. Texas estray laws apply to marked exotic animals and the local sheriff is responsible for their enforcement. Exotic animals that are not marked and are free ranging that have wandered onto private property may be hunted with a hunting license, provided the owner of the property allows hunting. However, if an exotic animal appears on your property and you know that it is privately owned, then the ethical approach is to contact the owner.