Committee hears urban preserve managers, wildlife biologist on bill allowing targeted lethal control of deer in specific situations

Sen. Perry presented House Bill 2842, a bill that would allow certain entities to manage overpopulated white‑tailed deer by lethal means when deer numbers threaten endangered species, habitat, or when public hunting is not a safe or workable solution.

Deborah Scott, a certified wildlife biologist who manages a large urban preserve, testified in favor. Scott told senators that her preserve is bordered by more than 19,000 residential and community property owners and that public hunting is not a viable option for safety reasons. She said past selective hunting did not achieve needed population reductions and that the preserve previously used a contractor under a Texas Parks and Wildlife scientific research permit; that research has concluded and the preserve now lacks a safe mechanism to manage deer.

"HB 28 42 would help fill this gap by allowing organizations like ours to hire an agent to obtain and carry out an urban deer depredation permit," Scott said, adding that the change would help protect tree recruitment, ecological integrity, public safety and endangered species obligations tied to federal incidental take permits.

Scott and the sponsor emphasized that the bill is targeted and not intended to enable broad hunting or removal of property owners’ rights. The committee closed public testimony and left the bill pending for further consideration.