HB 4939
Build A 7-Foot Fence, Own The Deer Inside
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Why it's charged
Carve-out
THE TEXT
“A deer is the personal property of the owner of the tract of land on which the deer is located, provided the tract of land is surrounded by a fence not less than seven feet in height”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The caption speaks of deer ownership in general, but the text gives ownership of a public resource only to owners of land with a seven-foot deer-proof fence. Every other deer stays public property.
Carve-outInitial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to the ownership of deer in this state.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Deer belong to the people of the state. Unless they’re behind your fence!
The bill says a deer becomes the private property of the landowner when the deer is on land surrounded by a fence at least seven feet high that can hold deer in. It touches owners of high-fenced land and every Texan, since all wild animals are otherwise the property of the people of the state. On the ground, deer behind a qualifying high fence would stop being public wildlife and would belong to the landowner starting September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 13, 2025 and referred to the House Culture, Recreation & Tourism committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB4939 · 2025-03-13
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the ownership of deer in this state.
WHAT IT DOES
Deer belong to the people of the state. Unless they’re behind your fence!
The bill says a deer becomes the private property of the landowner when the deer is on land surrounded by a fence at least seven feet high that can hold deer in. It touches owners of high-fenced land and every Texan, since all wild animals are otherwise the property of the people of the state. On the ground, deer behind a qualifying high fence would stop being public wildlife and would belong to the landowner starting September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[x] CARVE-OUTanalysis confidence 50%
THE TEXT
“A deer is the personal property of the owner of the tract of land on which the deer is located, provided the tract of land is surrounded by a fence not less than seven feet in height”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The caption speaks of deer ownership in general, but the text gives ownership of a public resource only to owners of land with a seven-foot deer-proof fence. Every other deer stays public property.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Culture, Recreation & Tourism
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$192,192.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$192,192.00
- Cash
- $65,000.00
- Paid by others
- $127,192.00
- Total
- $192,192.00
Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 24, 2025 to Sep 17, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101010834, 101033425, 101040992, 101069649.
Texas Sands PAC$37,000.00
Texas Sands PAC
$37,000.00
- Cash
- $37,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $37,000.00
Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 9, 2024 to Oct 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101012342, 101040992, 101072660.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$192,192.00
- Cash
- $65,000.00
- Paid by others
- $127,192.00
- Total
- $192,192.00
Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 24, 2025 to Sep 17, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101010834, 101033425, 101040992, 101069649.
Texas Sands PAC
$37,000.00
- Cash
- $37,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $37,000.00
Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 9, 2024 to Oct 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101012342, 101040992, 101072660.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Mar 13, 2025
04/03/2025 H Referred to Culture, Recreation & Tourism: Apr 3 2025 12:38PM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Culture, Recreation & Tourism · Final status: Died in committee
Companion
SB 2654 by Hall (identical)
Subjects
Animals
Parks & Wildlife--General
Parks & Wildlife--Hunting & Fishing
Parks & Wildlife--Licenses
Text
The text as introduced · 253 words
89R11932 MP-D By: Curry H.B. No. 4939 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the ownership of deer in this state. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 1.011, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: (a) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), all [ All ] wild animals, fur-bearing animals, wild birds, and wild fowl inside the borders of this state are the property of the people of this state. (a-1) A deer is the personal property of the owner of the tract of land on which the deer is located, provided the tract of land is surrounded by a fence not less than seven feet in height that is capable of retaining the deer at all times under reasonable and ordinary circumstances. SECTION 2. Section 1.013, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 1.013. FENCES. This code does not prohibit or restrict the owner or occupant of land from constructing or maintaining a fence of any height on the land owned or occupied, and an owner or occupant who constructs such a fence is not liable for the restriction of the movement of wild animals by the fence. Except as provided by Section 1.011(a-1), the [ The ] existence of a fence does not affect the status of wild animals as property of the people of this state. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.