(a) Recreational harvest.
  (1) The open season for the recreational harvest of fur-bearing animals is September 1 of one year to August 31 of the following year.
  (2) There are no bag or possession limits for fur-bearing animals taken during the open season for recreational harvest.
(b) Commercial harvest.
  (1) Except as provided in this subsection, the open season for the commercial harvest of fur-bearing animals is November 1 of one year through March 31 of the following year.
  (2) The commercial season for nutria is September 1 through August 31 of the following year.
  (3) The commercial season for beaver is October 1 of one year through May 31 of the following year.
  (4) There are no bag or possession limits during the commercial season.
(c) Means and methods.
  (1) Only the following means and methods are legal for taking fur-bearing animals:
    (A) firearms;
    (B) steel foothold and body-gripping traps;
    (C) falconry;
    (D) live or box trap;
    (E) dogs;
    (F) snare;
    (G) lawful archery equipment;
    (H) electronic or hand-held calls;
    (I) artificial light;
    (J) pre-charged pneumatic arrow guns (as defined by Subchapter A of this chapter); and
    (K) pre-charged pneumatic air guns (as defined by Subchapter A of this chapter) of .30 caliber or larger.
  (2) Exceptions. No person may:
    (A) take fur-bearing animals with foothold or body-gripping traps, except during the open season for commercial harvest or as provided in §65.381 of this title (relating to Nuisance Fur-bearing Animals);
    (B) set foothold or body-gripping traps within 400 yards of any school;
    (C) use smoke, explosives or chemical irritants of any kind to harry or flush fur-bearing animals;
    (D) use a body-gripping trap with a diagonal opening dimension greater than ten inches set on land or in less than six inches of water;
    (E) use snares, steel foothold traps, body-gripping traps, and live or box traps unless each trap is examined at least every 36 hours; or
    (F) fail to remove animals from taking devices upon discovery.
  (3) No person whose date of birth is after September 1, 1971, may hunt a furbearing animal by means of an air gun or arrow gun unless that person has successfully completed a department-approved hunter education course or is otherwise in compliance with the applicable requirements of §51.80 of this title (relating to Hunter Education Course and Instructors).

Source Note: The provisions of this §65.375 adopted to be effective September 16, 1996, 21 TexReg 8520; amended to be effective September 19, 2004, 29 TexReg 8830; amended to be effective April 22, 2008, 33 TexReg 3299; amended to be effective June 12, 2013, 38 TexReg 3651; amended to be effective September 26, 2018, 43 TexReg 6332