Section 65.3 - DefinitionsThe following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. All other words and terms in this chapter shall have the meanings assigned in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code.
(1) Arrow gun--A device that fires an arrow or bolt solely by the use of unignited compressed gas as the propellant.(2) Air gun--A device that fires a bullet solely by the use of unignited compressed gas as the propellant.(3) Alligator gig--A pole or staff equipped with at least one of the following: (B) two or more spring-loaded grasping arms; or(4) Alligator hide tag (hide tag)--A department-issued tag required by federal law pursuant to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to be affixed to all alligators taken in the state. All alligator hide tags issued by the department are CITES tags.(5) Annual bag limit--The quantity of a species of a wildlife resource that may be taken from September 1 of one year to August 31 of the following year.(6) Antlerless deer-- (A) A deer having no antler point protruding through the skin; or(B) a deer that has no antlers.(7) Antler point--A projection that extends at least one inch from the edge of a main beam or another tine. The tip of a main beam is also a point.(8) Bait--Something used to lure any wildlife resource.(9) Baited area--Any area where minerals, vegetative material or any other food substances are placed so as to lure a wildlife resource to, on, or over that area.(10) Bearded hen--A female turkey possessing a clearly visible beard protruding through the feathers of the breast.(11) Buck deer-- (A) A deer having an antler point protruding through the skin; or(B) a deer having antler growth in velvet of greater than one inch.(12) Buck pronghorn--A pronghorn with black cheek patches below the ears.(13) Commercial cold storage or processing facility--A cold storage or processing facility as defined in Parks and Wildlife Code, § 42.001, that is made available for use by individuals other than the owner, the owner's nonpaying family members, or the owner's nonpaying guests in exchange for a fee or other consideration. (A) A Type 1 commercial cold storage or processing facility is a facility that is a place of business open to the public for the purpose of storing or processing game animals or game birds upon demand on a for-profit basis or in exchange for anything of value.(B) A Type 2 commercial cold storage processing facility is a facility:(i) that is not open to the public on an on-demand basis; and(ii) is utilized to store or process game taken by persons on properties where hunting by individuals in return for pay or other consideration occurs.(14) Daily bag limit--The quantity of a species of a wildlife resource that may be lawfully taken in one day.(15) Day--A 24-hour period of time that begins at midnight and ends at midnight.(16) Deer population data--Results derived from deer population surveys and/or from systematic data analysis of density or herd health indicators, such as browse surveys or other scientifically acceptable data, that function as direct or indirect indicators of population density.(17) Final destination for deer--for a deer carcass or any part of a deer carcass, a final destination is any of the following:(A) the permanent residence of the hunter;(B) the permanent residence of any other person receiving the carcass or part of a carcass; or(C) a Type 1 commercial cold storage or processing facility.(18) Final processing--The cleaning of a dead wildlife resource for cooking or storage purposes. For a deer or pronghorn carcass, the term includes the processing of the animal more than by quartering.(19) Fully automatic firearm--Any firearm that is capable of firing more than one cartridge in succession by a single function of the trigger.(20) Gig--Any hand-held shaft with single or multiple points.(21) Herd unit--A discrete geographical area designated by the department for the purpose of population monitoring and permit issuance with respect to pronghorn.(22) Landowner--Any person who has an ownership interest in a tract of land, and includes a person authorized by the landowner to act on behalf of the landowner as the landowner's agent.(23) Lawful archery equipment--Longbow, recurved bow, compound bow, and crossbow.(24) License year--The period of time for which an annual hunting license is valid.(25) Muzzleloader--Any firearm designed such that the propellant and bullet or projectile can be loaded only through the muzzle.(26) Permanent residence--One's domicile. This does not include a temporary abode or dwelling such as a hunting/fishing club, or any club house, cabin, tent, or trailer house used as a hunting/fishing club, or any hotel, motel, or rooming house used during a hunting, fishing, pleasure, or business trip.(27) Possession limit--The maximum number of a wildlife resource that may be lawfully possessed at one time.(28) Pre-charged pneumatic--An air gun or arrow gun for which the propellant is supplied or introduced by means of a source that is physically separate from the air gun or arrow gun.(29) Pronghorn--A pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana).(30) Silencer or sound-suppressing device--Any device that reduces the normal noise level created when the firearm is discharged or fired.(31) Spike-buck deer--A buck deer with no antler having more than one point.(32) Unbranched antler--An antler having no more than one antler point.(33) Unbranched antlered deer--A buck deer having at least one unbranched antler.(34) Upper-limb disability--A permanent loss of the use of fingers, hand or arm in a manner that renders a person incapable of using a longbow, compound bow or recurved bow.(35) Wildlife resources--Alligators, all game animals, and all game birds.(36) Wounded deer--A deer leaving a blood trail.31 Tex. Admin. Code § 65.3
The provisions of this §65.3 adopted to be effective September 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 5303; amended to be effective July 14, 1997, 22 TexReg 6308; amended to be effective August 20, 1998, 23 TexReg 8450; amended to be effective July 26, 2001, 26 TexReg 5422; amended to be effective January 2, 2002, 26 TexReg 11005; amended to be effective June 3, 2002, 27 TexReg 4712; amended to be effective July 10, 2003, 28 TexReg 5206; amended to be effective July 11, 2004, 29 TexReg 6330; amended to be effective July 10, 2005, 30 TexReg 3997; amended to be effective September 1, 2006, 31 TexReg 5342; amended to be effective July 18,2007,32 TexReg4421; amended to be effective August 23, 2009, 34 TexReg 5701; amended to be effective June 27, 2010, 35 TexReg 5575; amended to be effective September 1, 2013, 38 TexReg 3795; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 41, Number 33, August 12, 2016, TexReg 6057, eff. 9/1/2016; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 43, Number 38, September 21, 2018, TexReg 6330, eff. 9/26/2018; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 45, Number 29, July 17, 2020, TexReg 5008, eff. 9/1/2020; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 46, Number 28, July 9, 2021, TexReg 4168, eff. 9/1/2021; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 47, Number 33, August 19, 2022, TexReg 4995, eff. 9/1/2022