Texas Wildlife Information Management Services (TWIMS)

Purpose of the Permit: The Trap, Transport and Process Surplus White-tailed Deer Permit is a mechanism to help reduce deer population densities in areas where white-tailed deer are overpopulated. Through use of this permit, areas with surplus white-tailed deer can capture surplus deer, process their carcasses, and donate the resulting venison to penal facilities or charitable organizations for human consumption.

Who Can Apply: Permits to Trap, Transport and Process Surplus White-tailed Deer can be issued to cities, towns, villages, counties, special districts or Property Owners Associations (as defined by Section 202.001, Property Code), or a Qualified Individual. For an applicant not meeting the qualified individual definition this permit may be used on individual tracts (industrial facilities, ranches, etc.), but only if the city, town, village, or county that encompasses the individual tract applies on the landowners behalf or the individual is a qualified individual.

A qualified individual is defined as an individual who has an active wildlife management plan approved by the Department. The Department may issue a permit to a qualified individual provided 1) the person has been a qualified individual for at least the two-year period immediately preceding the application for a TTP; 2) the qualified individual has been in reasonable compliance, as determined by the department, with the recommendations of the wildlife management plan for each of the two year immediately preceding the TTP application; and 3) the qualified individual's wildlife management plan recommends the harvest of at least 100 deer in the year which the TTP is sought.

Trap Sites: Trap sites may be entire cities, towns, villages or special districts, entire Property Owners Associations, or individual tracts (industrial facilities, ranches, etc.). Deer may be captured at multiple locations within a Trap Site, but permittees may not enter or conduct activities on any property without written landowner permission.

Trapping Methods: The majority of operations will utilize a stationary drop net to capture deer. Other methods may be approved if: (1) the permittee is qualified to use the technique; (2) the technique will be effective in capturing surplus deer; and (3) use of the technique will not constitute a human health and safety hazard.

Processing Facilities: White-tailed deer trapped under the provisions of this permit may be processed by (1) Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities; (2) other penal facilities in Texas; (3) independent processing facilities in Texas that are inspected by the Texas Department of Health; or (4) any other processing facility approved by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Handling and Killing of Deer: Captured deer may be killed at the trap site or at a processing facility. If deer are killed at the trap site, the carcasses must be appropriately handled, maintained in an edible condition, and delivered to a processing facility. Alternatively, deer may be transported live to a processing facility where they will be subsequently killed and processed. All deer captured pursuant to this permit must be handled and killed in a humane manner.

Carcass Recipients: All carcasses (venison) processed pursuant to this permit must be donated to either a Texas penal facility or a department-approved charitable organization.

Fees: There are no application or permit fees associated with this permit. Fees associated with capturing and processing deer are the responsibility of the trap site, but may be cost-shared with other entities. White-tailed deer captured and/or processed pursuant to this permit may not be sold, bartered or exchanged for any consideration.

Trapping Period: Deer may be trapped and processed pursuant to this permit from October 1 through March 31. If the surplus deer pose a human health and safety threat, they may be trapped and processed at any time of the year. Please note that applications are required to be submitted at least 30 days prior to the first anticipated trapping date.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Testing: At least 15 "not-detected" chronic wasting disease (CWD) test results from eligible-aged deer must be submitted to the department by May 1, immediately following the completion of permitted activities. Eligible-aged deer are defined as deer that are 16 months of age or older. Landowners of Class III release sites must test 100% of the deer harvested under the authority of a TTP permit (as defined by §31 TAC 65.97). All CWD samples must be submitted to and tested by the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratories (TVMDL). DO NOT FREEZE SPECIMENS.

Permit Conditions: White-tailed deer may only be trapped and/or processed between October 1 and March 31, unless they pose a human health and safety threat. All persons named on a permit are permittees, and are therefore responsible for all activities conducted under the authority of the permit. At least one permittee must be present during each phase of an operation. The Supervisory Permittee (permit applicant) or a sub-permittee must contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Law Enforcement Communications Center at (512) 389- 4848 between 12 and 48 hours prior to each attempt to trap and/or transport deer. For human and deer safety, antlers must be removed from all male deer that are transported live from the trap site to the processing facility. Each trailer or other vehicle used to transport deer must be marked on the rear surface with the inscription TTP. The inscription must be at least 6 inches tall and 3 inches wide. Permittees must make reasonable efforts to ensure safe and humane handling of trapped animals and to reduce human health and safety hazards in every phase of an operation. If the trap site is within an incorporated area, trapping equipment and devices must be labeled with the owner's name, address, telephone number, the date of trap site establishment, and the date the trap site was last tended. Trap sites that may pose a human health and safety hazard must be clearly marked as such. White-tailed deer may not be sold, bartered, or otherwise exchanged for anything of value. White-tailed deer may not be transported to any location other than a processing facility specifically identified on the permit. Carcasses may only be donated to penal facilities and/or charitable organizations specifically identified on the permit. Additional conditions may be specified on the permit. Trapping, transporting, and processing operations should only be attempted by individuals with the expertise to safely and efficiently conduct the operation. Transport of live, trapped deer shall begin within 18 hours of trapping.

Reports and Financial Disclosure: A daily log of permitted activities must be maintained by the Supervisory Permittee. This log must be made available to Game Wardens upon request. A financial disclosure statement must be completed and signed by the owner (or full-time employee) of the trap site, the trapper, and the owner (or full-time employee) of the processing facility each time deer are transported. This statement must accompany each shipment of deer. An activity report which summarizes the operation must be submitted, along with all financial disclosure statements, within 30 days following permit expiration.

The Application Process: Applications must be completed online in Texas Wildlife Information Management Service (TWIMS). An applicant for a Trap, Transport and Process permit must follow these steps:

(1) If not already done, you must create a user account and register your property in the Department's Land Management Assistance (LMA) online system before you can begin the TTP application; (2) once your property is registered in LMA, log in and complete the TTP application in TWIMS; (3) Print application and acquire approval (signatures) from applicant, landowner, and processing facility; (4) submit signed application to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Applications must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the first anticipated trapping date.

For More Information: If you have additional questions regarding the Trap, Transport and Process Permit, please contact Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at 1-800-792-1112 (an electronic menu system will answer the 800 phone line. Within the menu system, select Menu 5 [Wildlife], Choice 1 [Wildlife Information]).