Proposal makes hunting and fishing a right

Proposition 6 on the Nov. 3 constitutional amendment ballot would insert into the Texas Bill of Rights a guarantee that Texans have the right to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife. Early voting starts Monday.

There’s no specific threat on the horizon that endangers hunting and fishing in the Lone Star State, but a lot of people who enjoy those activities want to make as sure as they can that there never is.

Certainly, it’s not hard to imagine some people one day objecting to some types of hunting or to the hunting of certain animals. But perhaps because hunting and fishing are so engrained in the Texas culture already, any such objections have not raised a significant threat so far.

Also perhaps because hunting and fishing are so near and dear to Texans, the proposed amendment brought little objection when it was raised in the Legislature earlier this year.

Just three Democrats voted against it in the Senate, and the vote in the House was 111 to 1. Twenty-five House members registered present but not voting.

That’s not to say the proposal wasn’t changed during the legislative process.

The resolution approved by lawmakers says the right to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife is “subject to laws or regulations to conserve and manage wildlife and preserve the future of hunting and fishing.”

That means regulation of hunting and fishing by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, with which most hunters and fishermen generally agree, should not be threatened.

The resolution also says, “This section does not affect any provision of law relating to trespass, property rights or eminent domain.”

So property rights aren’t changed.

And finally, it says municipalities may “regulate the discharge of a weapon in a populated area in the interest of public safety.”

Urban hunting is still not advised.

Other parts of the resolution are weaker than a constitutional provision should be.

It says the guaranteed right includes “the use of traditional methods” of hunting and fishing without defining what those methods include.

And it says, “Hunting and fishing are preferred methods of managing and controlling wildlife.”

In fact, other methods could work as well or better in certain circumstances.

Still, on the whole, Proposition 6 is probably harmless. It’s a feel-good proposal for people who love hunting and fishing, which is a pretty big group in Texas.

The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends voting for Proposition 6.

This story was originally published October 15, 2015 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Proposal makes hunting and fishing a right."