Since the Brazos River is a public stream, the 938-mile stretch of water is available for anyone to hunt.
Many people live along the river banks, and hunters must be mindful of their safety when shooting both firearms and arrows.
To avoid violating Texas trespassing laws by straying onto private property, hunters should be careful where they walk on the riverbed. They are advised to not cross the boundary of the riverbed where woody plants begin to grow — this is dubbed the “gradient boundary” where the public area ends, and private property begins under Texas state law. Also, hunters cannot retrieve wounded game from private property or allow for ammunition to cross over into private property, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Be aware that there could be increased local restrictions, depending on the city and county, so it is best to check with a local game warden.
Also worth noting, motor vehicles, including wheeled and tracked vehicles, are prohibited in navigable Texas riverbeds, including the Brazos.
When people hunt in Texas, the purchase of over 2.7 million hunting and fishing licenses contributes to many different conservation programs and recreational activities. These include, but are not limited to, habitat restoration, access for river fishing, fish stocking, wildlife management and public funding leases, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Hunting is allowed at Brazos River Authority lakes during duck season only and is limited to designated hunting blind locations by permit only. The BRA makes blind locations available on an annual basis through a drawing process normally held at each lake during the month of August.
For further information about hunting in Texas and state regulations, go to the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife website.