While true, trespassing isn't a game crime and usually ends in a warning. Poaching on the other hand....

Man no wonder I can't get places around Lipan to hunt hogs with my dogs . When will people learn put the dogs up during deer season and if your dog crosses a fence it's still trespassing to go get them , train your dogs to call off and you don't have to trespass to get them . I run dogs and think as a hog dogger that if we want to be respected by other hunters an land owners then we should treat them with respect .

Here here! Sorry you are persecuted for the actions of others.

Caught 6 people (4 men 2 women-and I use the word loosely) hog dogging on my place. All armed to the teeth. They were extremely lucky as I HAD to leave for Austin right away for business and simply did not have the time to get the GW there and file on them. I gave them what I told them was their only warning. I have prosecuted others for poaching and they knew it. Still gets under my skin when I think about it....

I know that trespassing while in posession of a weapon is a felony here in Colorado. Is it not the same in Texas? I've had to cross a fence to get my Pointer who chased some pheasant on to private land and was locked in on point. I left my shotgun with my son before I crossed the fence. I understand getting a dog, but being armed while getting that dog is definitely hunting.

I have visited this site many times as a guest, but this topic finally made me register so I could put in my 2 cents. I know several 'hog doggers', and none of them have met a property line they couldn't cross. I listen to their stories about following the dogs from place to place, trying to get a hog, and they think there is nothing wrong whatsoever. They all hunt at night, and have yet to be caught. I will never allow them to hunt on my property, and if any of my neighbors allow them, or others like them, to do so, there will be trouble. Bottom line: it is a FELONY in the state of Texas to enter someone's property, while in possesion of a firearm, without landowner consent. No grey areas, no exceptions, plain and simple.

^^^ I thinks it's actually a Class A misdemeanor but your point is well taken.

Correct punishable by up to 1 year in jail and $4000 fime,class C is only ticket and $20-$200 fine...I know this from experience!

When I took hunters safety it was mentioned that if you go onto someones property for whatever reason (legal or not) to not take a gun ever. This is due to the fact a warden will ticket you for a felony violation if there is a dead animal you were trailing and say you killed it on the property you are on.

This is how the law reads: A person who hunts without landowner consent and kills a desert bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, white-tailed deer, or mule deer commits an offense that is a Parks and Wildlife Code state jail felony. Upon conviction, your hunting and fishing license is automatically revoked.

Sounds like you want trouble more than them

My thoughts exactly. I'm guessing your neighbors put you right up there with the hog doggers, crooked horn.

Trespassing without firearm-Class C misdemeanor
Trespassing with firearm-Class A misdemeanor
Trespassing with firearm and taking listed game animal-State Jail felony

Oh snap?

That is close but,

Trespassing without a firearm is a Class B misdemeanor Penal Code 30.05 = trip to jail not a citation.

The Class C misdemeanor also listed under Penal Code 30.05 is for agricultural trespass = citation and is available to the land owner's discretion as an alternative.

Basically don't think if you hop a fence without permission without a firearm your only going to get a citation.

Actually trespassing doesn't usually end in a warning. Something to keep in mind

good! it shouldn't. except when someone really makes a mistake but that isn't what we are talking about here.

Thanks for the input. The overwhelming majority of non-firearm trespass to land citations I have ever seen written were ordinary Class C. In reading 30.05 it appears the Class B requires listed special circumstances. For this reason, I Ieft it off. 30.05 is a booger to read and interpret so I appreciate input on how Class B fits in a non-firearm deer recovery.

I guess it depends on who is writing the ticket. I've never seen a city/county LEO write anything but a CTW, criminal trespassing warning for the first offense. I'd love to be the minority here and having people get thrown in jail. I can't stand trespassers.

Not all hog dog owners think it is ok to cross fences all the time. If you catch some hunters call the law and press charges. Don't look down on all hog hunters for the actions of some.
=Mike-

Most people don't until you have hog hunters come and comment about how blatantly they will break the law.

I have had the misfortune of dealing with trespasers on more than one occasion. Each time I either let them off with just a warning,or once actually had to get the GW involved when they refused to admit what they had obviously done. That time, the person responsible ended up with a 500 dollar fine, but could have been much worse (felony). I will have zero tolerance going forward. Anyone that condones trespassing, is the problem, not me. I can't believe someone would have the gaul to say I am asking for trouble just because I don't want idiots running loose on my place.

I can understand what your saying but don't let the wording get to you.

Basically it requires it to be fenced off and/or marked with signage (nothing complicated simple "Posted No Trespassing" works fine") or good ol' purple paint. (which it explains the requirements of between minimum 3-5 feet in height and a minimum 1 in x 8 in strip. more the merrier

What a lot of trespassing comes down to is the landowner and what they want to do. This being they have their land correctly marked. Used to be everyone wanted to just warn others thinking they were cutting them a break and doing them a favor. Then those same people would come right back out or tell others about the place.

Some of it comes from that mindset of "I'd rather ask for forgiveness than ask for permission." Which is plain silly really. You should just go ask and if they tell you no then so be it, its not your's anyway. Trespassing in general is simple disrespect.

People can either be there or they can't, there isn't much middle ground to it.

Agricultural trespass citation is a good way for a landowner wanting to get there point across for them to face a consequence but not necessarily put somebody in jail (because they know them, they are teenagers, you feel sorry for them, etc...)

Thanks. The GW for my area (Eddie Lehr in Houston county) helped me make/prosecute a case against a guy I caught on camera with a gun (twice). Really nice, hardworking guy and a credit to the profession.

I really wish I had had time to call him when I caught the bunch mentioned above. You are absolutely right that the vast majority of people take a landowner warning as "permission to trespass in the future". Thanks for your input and for keeping things straight in the outdoors.

I don't know how crooked horn is "looking for trouble" or why his neighbors would view him like the type of trash that crosses fence after fence with no regard for private property or trespass laws

if his neighbors allow the types of "hog doggers" (trespassers and poachers with no care about laws or property rights) to hunt their land there should be trouble

perhaps you missed the part where he clearly described people that cross fences and could care less about it and not just to get their dogs, but to hunt as well......if THOSE TYPES (or others like them) are hunting on his neighbors places then you can bet they will be hunting on his place as well because he already described the fact that they go where they please when they please......and dealing with those types accordingly is not "looking for trouble" on the part of crooked horn it is getting trouble off his property and hopefully in jail where they belong (or really on a hard physical labor crew picking up urine bombs on the sides of the road (probably their urine bombs))

depending what time it is if i no where you live ill come knock on your door and ask to get my dog i do a lot of huntin at night and i have had guns pulled on me law called out all kinds of bull sh** mainly the problems started when city people moved out here and dont want any body even looking at there land but there is a big difference of just getting your dog versus hunting on someones land without permission