Galveston County landowners and hunters could get 41 extra days to harvest alligators under a proposal from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).

The agency presented the plan at a commission work session on Nov. 4 in Fort Worth, as first reported by KHOU. The proposed rule change would stretch the hunting season in 22 "core counties" from 20 days to 61 days. The current window runs Sept. 10 through Sept. 30. Under the new rules, it would run Sept. 1 through Oct. 31.

Galveston County is one of the 22 counties on the list, along with nearby Brazoria, Chambers, Liberty and Jefferson counties.

The changes are not final. TPWD staff asked the commission for permission to publish the proposed amendments in the Texas Register, which would open a formal public comment period. As of Nov. 5, the department's public comment portal showed no active comment items.

Nighttime hunting and new gear

The proposal would also allow alligator hunting at night on private property and private waters in the 22 core counties. Nighttime hunting on public waters would remain illegal.

Jonathan Warner, TPWD's Alligator Program Leader, presented the proposal. According to the work session agenda, the department said the nighttime provision would help landowners manage alligator populations in areas where the animals are abundant.

Hunters statewide would gain access to new equipment under the plan. Snatch hooks, described as weighted treble hooks attached to restraining lines, would become legal. So would bang sticks, pole-mounted devices with a firearm chamber used to dispatch alligators already caught on lawful taking devices. The rules would also replace references to specific bow types with the broader term "lawful archery equipment."

Why the change

TPWD said the proposal responds to growing wild alligator populations and a shrinking commercial market. At the peak of commercial hunting in the late 1980s and early 1990s, hunters harvested more than 10,000 wild alligators a year in Texas. That number has dropped to roughly 2,000 to 3,000, according to the department, largely because alligator farms now supply the meat and hide market.

Meanwhile, wild populations have kept growing. The agency pointed to aerial nest counts, spotlight surveys and increasing nuisance complaints as evidence.

A longer season would particularly benefit landowners who manage wetlands or run crawfish and rice farms, according to TPWD. Those operations face challenges balancing farming activities with alligator management during a tight 20-day window.

The department said a significant majority of landowners and hunters in the 22 core counties have expressed support for a longer season and expanded hunting methods.

What's next

The department would continue using habitat, population and harvest data to set harvest levels on individual properties. That means the longer season would give hunters more time without automatically increasing the number of alligators authorized for harvest.

TPWD estimated the proposed regulations would have no fiscal impact on state or local governments during their first five years. The agency also said it does not anticipate adverse economic effects on small businesses or rural communities.

Once the rules are published in the Texas Register, residents can submit comments through TPWD's public comment website or contact Warner at 409-736-3625 or [email protected].