I just moved from VA, bought a house. Why does TX require 6 months to be able to hunt as a resident? It's a real bummer to know Ill miss out on the whole season, because I'm not spending 300+ to hunt.

Where, and what species were you planning to hunt?

Whereabouts in VA are you from? I grew up in Montgomery County hunting the Jefferson National Forest all the time.

Usually ducks and geese, but I'm in the dove capital of the earth it seems
From In between Richmond and Fredericksburg VA.

I think most state require 6 months living in said state to claim as being a resident. I guess so you can't claim residency in multiple states. If you ever plan on hunting in VA again, you might want to purchase a life time license (if available?) to not go thru this again. I worked with a guy that had his life time license in at least 6 states that he worked in over his career ...

I've spent WAAAY more than $300 on a single hunt of out state, much less a season.

It's common for states to enact 6 months before someone can claim residency. $300 is nothing compared to hunting out west. With application fees, mandatory qualifying small game licenses just to apply, elk license, and mule deer license, you're at ~$1500 for Colorado for NR.

if you don't have land you will, even after the 6 months is up

Not with the public permit. I think that add-on costs in the neighborhood of $45 a year.

It would be different if I was renting, I bought a house. I reckon the ones that buy multiple properties in different states aren't concerned about the $$ for a non resident license. So what does it do bit alienate us poor hunters...

Best thing you can do is get your Texas Driver's license ASAP. They may determine residency based on DL issue date. I say this because you have to produce a DL to get a hunting license.
Remember Texas is 95% privately owned, so your license fees are the least of your worries. Trespass and hunt fees add up quickly $$$.
Pay the $300.00, book a deer hunt where you can kill a buck a couple of does and maybe a hog.
Good luck,

It's not alienating anyone, it's a simple residency requirement that most if not all states have in place.

Designed so people cannot hop from state-to-state claiming residency for tags and licenses, or own properties in many states and claim residency. Texas is one of the most non-resident friendly states there is.


Call TPWD and see if they will give you a variance if you provide a settlement statement and change of address on you new home.

Jmartin, welcome to our forum and to Texas.
I feel for you trying to hunt for less than $300. I spent that much the last few days just replenishing my supply of duct tape, flagging tape, chain saw fuel, nuts and bolts etc. I also spend about $300 in vehicle costs just driving to my lease and around it. I do that about 30 times a year. I also live in Texas but hunt Okla and pay about $1000 in non resident license fees there. We wont talk about what I pay for access or expenses.
Hunting is very important to me so I find a way to pay for what makes me happy. If I get to where I cant afford it then I will find something cheaper to do.

Great first post!

Cant even buy a pallet of corn for $300.

Go hunt multiple species at Meredith/Amistad/TwinButtes/etc. and get your money’s worth. Pretty sure you can’t hunt as a non-resident for multiple big & small game species for that cheap elsewhere.

It's the principle, why punish people for moving here? 300 bucks gets spent on way more unimportant things. I have a stepson, and a daughter that's 900 (and just the hunting license). It's not like we are residents anywhere else, so why aren't we residents here?

This^^^.

Virginia has the same six month requirement.

Every state, including VA, has a residency requirement for hunting licenses. I don't know of any that allow you to move to a state and be able to immediately get a resident license. There may be one I don't know about but I have held hunting licenses in 13 states, including VA.

I personally wouldn't let $300 keep me from hunting for a year.

You should move back to Virginia. That would probably be better for you and everyone from Texas that lives in your vicinity.

Just an observation but if the OP had come to this site, properly introduced himself and asked for advice somebody probably would have told him he can get the special non resident license for $50 and be able to hunt hogs and exotics. And if he had been polite somebody probably would have told him to come on over and shoot hogs and maybe even a female exotic as a way of showing good old fashioned southern hospitality. But that window of opportity has most likely closed.

Very nice sentiment, but risky business. People are NUTZ! (And there's more than a few complete whack-jobs on this very site.)

Tough crowd!!!
Just thinking out loud here, but if he already has a Tx drivers license, why can’t he just go to Wal Mart or Academy and buy a license? I mean, how in the heck would the clerk know he just moved here!!!