In 2012, a man named John Lloyd Scharf sent a letter to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department asking about the legality of killing Bigfoot. And the Department Chief of Staff, L. David Sinclair confirmed that an indigenous Bigfoot could technically be killed in Texas.
Killing Bigfoot in Texas
Since Bigfoot (referred to as a cryptid – a creature that are considered mythological by mainstream science but are through to exist by cryptozoologists) isn’t considered a game animal in Texas, it turns out that makes him fair game.
Sinclair’s reply read:
“The statute that you cite (Section 61.021) refers only to game birds, game animals, fish, marine animals or other aquatic life. Generally speaking, other nongame wildlife is listed in Chapter 67 (nongame and threatened species) and Chapter 68 (nongame endangered species). ‘Nongame’ means those species of vertebrate and invertebrate wildlife indigenous to Texas that are not classified as game animals, game birds, game fish, fur-bearing animals, endangered species, alligators, marine penaeid shrimp, or oysters.
The Parks and Wildlife Commission may adopt regulations to allow a person to take, possess, buy, sell, transport, import, export or propagate nongame wildlife. If the Commission does not specifically list an indigenous, nongame species, then the species is considered non-protected nongame wildlife, e.g., coyote, bobcat, mountain lion, cotton-tailed rabbit, etc.
A non-protected nongame animal may be hunted on private property with landowner consent by any means, at any time and there is no bag limit or possession limit. An exotic animal is an animal that is non-indigenous to Texas. Unless the exotic is an endangered species then exotics may be hunted on private property with landowner consent. A hunting license is required. This does not include the dangerous wild animals that have been held in captivity and released for the purpose of hunting, which is commonly referred to as a ‘canned hunt.'”
What does it mean?
According to Gizmodo (cited below), “…apparently, as long as you hunt Bigfoot on private property with the permission of the property holder, you are allowed to kill it. I’m a bit surprised, however, that spotting a previously undocumented animal doesn’t automatically transform it from a nonexistent animal into an endangered one. Then again, I suppose rare evidence isn’t evidence of rarity.”
Who knew?
Of course, it might be legal to kill Bigfoot in Texas, but it isn’t going to win you any fans. — WTF fun facts
Source: “It’s officially legal to kill Bigfoot in Texas” — Gizmodo