All of you that are ok with an illegal search of your property, hopefully you don't complain when your firearms are confiscated. Ask the people in New Orleans if that can happen....

Makes me wonder if I gotta have some permit to catch fish that I bought out of my pond on land that I own..... These laws are having more impact than PETA ever could!

I don't believe anybody on here is ok with an illegal search. Likewise I don't believe Texas Game Wardens are conducting illegal searches. If they were, they could hardly get a conviction.

Now I might have a problem if they wanted to search my homestead, but to check my ducks, fish and tags are always welcomed. If they feel a need to go through my bags, why not? There are far too mant migratory bird hunters that shoot what they want. The law/GW needs to beef up a little imo.

Back to the subject. 10 years ago we had a lease near Linden,TX. EVERYBODY in that area new our land owner, I got down there on a Friday night just past dark and was moving my hunting gear into the small cabin we had built. Got everything inside,shut the door and started a pot of coffee when I heard a truck comming in to camp. Motor stoped and door shut, a man called out GAME WARDEN, I told him to come in, want some coffee? No just checking on the property, can I see your hunting lic. and the deer lease lic.? Gave him mine,went to camp Headquarters NO lic.!! He gave ME the ticket,call Judge Mon. AM. Called judge mon. AM he said to mail it to him and it would be taken care of!

If an individual is going to use the Constitution as an agruement against law enforcement action, it is usually works out best if that individual understands how the Supreme Court has interpreted the Constitution ... regardless if they agree with the Supreme Court or not.
In 1925 the Supreme Court decided the 4th Admendment did not apply to "open fields" or any place where there is not a "reasonable" expectation of privacy. It's called the Open Fields Doctrine. In case you are thinking an "open field" is a clear pasture, it is not ... "open fields are not a "constitutionally protected area" because they cannot be construed as "persons, houses, papers, [or] effects."
And because the open fields doctrine legally says it does not constitute a "seach", the Supreme Court has traditionally held that "water and woods" may be searched without a warrant.

I always enjoy a good posting and following thread. Especially when the topic is one you can learn from.

I was hunting 30 acre field and all the way in the back corner, and noticed a Game Warden pull up and stop on the road across from where I was hunting.

He walked all the way across that field in the hot afternoon sun through stubble and bull nettle and checked my birds and license.

Everything was good and he had to walk all the way back to his car, and I even offered him a cold drink, but he turned it down and left.

That GW was hard core!

Back when I was in the pecan business in Jack County, I would shut down the harvester, tie and load the burlap sacks on my trailer and head home just before dark. Like most farm trailers, my trailer lights were a bit less then legal. All of a sudden and on a regular basis, the local GW began stopping me as I drove down Crooked Creek Road. to Hwy 59. He would cut the lacings at random and run his hand down into a half-dozen bags, leaving me to have to re-sew the bags. After he had eaten a few pecans and engaged in a bit of conversation, he would tell me that I better hurry and get into town because my trailer lights weren’t very good. Never knew what pulled his chain because I never had a gun and didn’t have hunting rights. In fact, I probably would have lost my lease on the orchard if I had been caught hunting deer. Bottom line is that a GW can do just about anything he wants to do with you.

I have a question on this lease license thing.

Do I need to purchase a lease license for each individual county and each ranch or just one large one in general?

Click here ---> /www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/?link=PW

Then go to Title 5.
Open Chapter 43, (special licenses and permits).
Scroll down to Sub chapter D, (hunting lease licenses).

links not working

Yes it helps.
Thanks

nvm got it

That's crazy. If it's the landowner or the person who controls the property who must purchase the license, how can the hunter get ticketed for not having one? Can the landowner get ticketed if one of his hunters is hunting without a license?

X2 ????

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news everyone, I was just trying to make sure you all were aware of the whole lease license issue. We weren't when our local Game Warden came into camp asking for ours.... just trying to pass it on so y'all would know what's required before hand. Good luck this season and be safe.

I leave the gate unlocked and don't care if the GW, sheriff, or DPS stop by. I like knowing who the LEOs are in my area so that if I need them they know who I am.

I was on a high-fenced exotic ranch a few years ago, there were several of us still awake that were having a few cold ones. All of a sudden, in walks the GW through the opened door. He asked about those of us that were hunting, checked our game, then just kicked back and chatted a while. He was a nice person. No harm...no foul, either way.

I treat all LEOs the way I would want to be treated if I was doing their job. I never fail to thank a LEO for doing the job they do. I get some really stange looks from them sometimes, but it's all good.

I'd hate to think of how it would be without them.

Thanks LEOs.

It works when I use it, I'll see if I can find a better pathway.

Edit;
I couldn't find another source showing the complete regs.

That doesn't say a darn thing about the lessees. Landowners and agents are named. I still cry foul.

Everyone stop wining and be happy we have GWs to protect us and stop all the guys who are breaking the laws!!!! Thank you LEOs and GWs. Geez.

Don't get me wrong, I totally support our LEO's and think our GW's by and large do an excellent job. But according to at least one poster above, the leaser was ticketed for a rule that the landowner, not the leaser, failed to comply with. In my mind, that sets a very, very dangerous legal precedent.

I would still like to hear from a definitive authority on this. Either a lawyer with experience in this area or a GW who has been involved with an incident of this type.

I asked them to check up on my place but to stay out when I am hunting and they respect that. If the GW trust you he would not be checking you. So all you guy's saying they come out all the time to see your kill and if you have tags I would ask them what the problem is.

And for the lease licence when I leased a place I leased it for a place to go to get away from home not for the hunting. I got to hunt because the land owner was a nice guy and said I could hunt for free. HAHA he did not need a lease licence.