As a landowner, why do my family or I have to purchase a hunting license to hunt on our own property?
Section 1.011(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, provides that "All wild animals, fur-bearing animals, wild birds, and wild fowl inside the borders of this state are the property of the people of this state." As you can see by this statute, these animals do not belong to the landowner. Furthermore, Section 42.002(a) states "no person may hunt any bird or animal in this state without having acquired a hunting license." Hunting in Texas is not a right, but a privilege. Although this may not seem fair to those who own land and choose to be good stewards of land by taking care of the wildlife that lives there, landowners do have the legal right to charge a fee before allowing others to hunt on their property. This allows landowners the opportunity to be compensated for the cost and work that comes with managing and caring for the wildlife located on their land.