By Gary Joiner
TFB Radio Network Manager
Texas hunters and anglers will soon be able to carry their hunting and fishing license digitally via their smartphone or other wireless device.
Current Texas law requires the carrying of a physical copy of a hunting and fishing license.
HB 547 by State Rep. Terry Canales of Edinburg mandates that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) provide licensees a downloadable image from the TPWD website or allow a photograph of their physical license to serve as verification of a valid license.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill into law on May 16. The effective date of the new law is Sept. 1.
Canales told the House Committee on Culture, Recreation, and Tourism at a March 5 hearing that the legislation simply clarifies what is already being allowed in the field.
“Currently, Texans can buy a hunting and fishing license at physical stores and online through Texas Parks and Wildlife. When you buy it online, you get a license mailed to you, but you instantaneously get a receipt from that store,” Canales told the committee. “My staff and I have had conversations with Texas Parks and Wildlife and figured out that game wardens are routinely allowing Texans to show this digital receipt from an online purchase and show pictures of their hunting license on their phone.”
Canales feels the bill is a first step in modernizing hunting and fishing license processes.
“Basically, this will just modernize our current hunting and fishing license system to better fit changing demands,” he told the committee. “I hope that this will grow into a more complex application, wherein you would eventually be able to buy your tickets and/or tags for red fish online in the water.”
Sen. Charles Perry of Lubbock sponsored the legislation in the Senate.
What about deer tags?
Hunters and anglers can use an electronic image of their license as proof-of-license and show/display it in any of these ways: (1) an electronic photo of your license, (2) an emailed receipt, (3) via your account within the license point-of-sale system, the Outdoor Annual App or the My Texas Hunt Harvest App (for hunters). You still must have your physical license for any activities requiring tags and the physical federal duck stamp for waterfowl hunting.
A excellent update to the way TPW does its job and makes it easier on the public to prove they are licensed. I hope that our neighboring states are agreeable to the new rule.
Glad to hear this, some game wardens will right tickets for not having the license on your person
TPWD’s new Texas Outdoor Annual mobile app now has the ability to connect and view hunting and fishing licenses. You can then show a Game Warden your license that is stored right in the app.
How do you tag something with an electronic license ( redfish )
Can I renew my ID with a old ID and Fishing license,