Ordinance allows hunting on private land in Abilene

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Did you know that you can hunt inside the city limits? Now, before you hunters grab your gear and head out the door, there are some details you should be aware of. With dove hunting season in full swing, many are out during the morning and evening hours, with some limited in their options of land they can hunt on. With that in mind, the State of Texas put into place State Ordinance 229.902, which allows individual to hunt on their land inside the city limits. Game Warden for Taylor County, James Cummings, explained the details behind this law.

“If it’s an air gun, archery equipment, or shotgun. If you have ten acres or more continuous, it’s still in its repairing state. That means there are still trees and stuff, and it was annexed after 1981; you can hunt it, and you can target shoot. Now, it has to be greater than 150 feet from a residence or other occupied building, and the projectile can’t pass across the property line,” Cummings explained.

Abilene has seen substantial residential growth in the past few years, which means the city limits have continued to expand into what was once rural farm, ranch and hunting land. Dede Lemen has been living in a newer Wylie neighborhood for the past few years and said a recent incident where hunters had inadvertently peppered several houses with birdshot had them seeking shelter and calling the law.

“Every fall during dove season, we’ve experienced gunshots. We had four or five houses. It was just raining down on us, and we did call the police, and they helped us out because none of us knew what to do,” Lemen recalled.

Lemen said the hunters were young and received a lesson in hunter safety from law enforcement, but Game Warden Cummings said this hunting situation should be approached with the needs of both sides being considered.

“With the expansion of housing around the area, I would ask both parties, hunters and homeowners, just to be more tolerant and try to be respectful and be safe,” Cummings shared.

This state ordinance allows municipalities, like Abilene, the option to choose if they want to allow hunting within the city limits. Additionally, if you are allowed by the City of Abilene to hunt on your property under these strict conditions, you are not required to notify the city when you do go hunting, but law enforcement says it is a good idea to take that extra step to avoid complicated situations.