“Texas Just Silently Banned Mountain Lion Hunting Practices—Here’s Why I Think Canned Hunting Is Next (My 2025 Prediction).“
The Quiet Earthquake : I have tracked Texas wildlife laws for years, and I honestly thought this day would never come. Last week, when the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (TPWC) quietly updated the rules on mountain lion hunting, I was stunned.
This isn’t just a ‘regulation’—it’s the first major legislative attack by Texas on the brutal, multi-million dollar practice we call canned hunting.
Previously, mountain lions could be killed virtually without regulation. No limits, no reporting, and the use of inhumane traps were all perfectly legal. It was, quite frankly, a guaranteed kill.
But now, with mandatory reporting and a ban on certain trapping methods, the game has changed.
This is why I confidently assert: This small, technical rule is the beginning of the end, guaranteeing a full, statewide canned hunting ban by the 2025 legislative session.
Ahead, I detail the three new rules that were passed and why they provide the smoking gun that will lead to the complete abolition of this barbaric industry.
1. The Unregulated Nightmare: Canned Hunting in Disguise
The Practices Texas Tried to Hide
For years, the mountain lion population in Texas has been managed by a single, simple philosophy: almost total neglect. The system allowed private ranch owners to profit immensely from offering high-paying clients a guaranteed trophy.
The hunting was effectively “canned hunting in disguise.” While true canned hunting often involves high-fenced enclosures for exotic species, the mountain lion situation was arguably worse.
Hunters could use virtually any method—including highly effective traps that captured the animal alive and defenseless—to ensure a kill. The animal had zero chance of escape or survival. It was a silent slaughter, an ethical stain on a state that claims to value fair chase.
This lack of regulation resulted in zero data. The state had no idea how many mountain lions were being killed annually. Without data, the practice was invisible, untouchable, and allowed to operate as a brutal, trophy-first industry. The new rules obliterate that invisibility cloak.
2. The 3 Critical Shifts That Change Everything
I Found the 3 New Rules That Will Cripple Unethical Hunting
The recent TPWC ruling seems technical, but it delivers three massive blows to the commercial hunting operations that relied on the old, unregulated system:
Rule 1: The ‘Check-In’ Revolution (Mandatory Reporting)
- The Requirement: Every successful mountain lion kill must now be reported to the TPWC within 24 hours.
- My Analysis: This is the most crucial, lethal rule. Regulation cannot happen without data. For the first time in history, the Texas government will have verifiable numbers on mountain lion mortality. These numbers, once compiled, will be the political ammunition needed for future restrictions, including bag limits and area quotas. This rule transforms the invisible issue into an undeniable data point that can no longer be ignored by lawmakers.
Rule 2: The ‘Tool’ Ban (Trapping Prohibition)
- The Ban: The new rules specifically prohibit the use of certain inhumane traps—especially live-hold traps—for the purpose of hunting mountain lions.
- Impact: These traps were the backbone of the “guaranteed kill” industry. They allowed outfitters to capture a cat, ensure the client could easily find and kill it, and guarantee the trophy. By removing these guaranteed-kill methods, the TPWC is directly attacking the definition of canned hunting, forcing the hunt toward a fairer, though still controversial, chase.
Rule 3: The End of “No Questions Asked” Hunting
- This new regulation makes the entire process visible and enforceable. It introduces accountability where none existed. Any hunter or rancher caught failing to comply with the reporting or tool restrictions will now face serious consequences. The era of the “unregulated nightmare” is officially over.
3. The Battlefield: Who Won the Power Struggle?
The Hunter’s Fury vs. The Conservationist’s Cheers
The immediate fallout of the ruling revealed a clear ideological split. For conservation groups, this was nothing short of an historic and emotional first victory. Organizations like Panthera celebrated the shift, calling it a long-overdue step toward ethical wildlife management in the state.
However, the change has drawn the expected fury from hunting associations, like the Texas Trophy Hunters Association (TTHA). Their arguments center on private property rights and the claim that hunting fees fund conservation efforts.
While these points have merit in other contexts, they fall flat when defending a practice that relies on guaranteed, unregulated slaughter. The political victory clearly lies with those advocating for the welfare of the animals.
4. My 2025 Prediction: The Full Canned Hunting Ban is Next
I Vouch: This Regulation Guarantees a Statewide Canned Hunting Ban by 2025
My prediction of a full, statewide canned hunting ban by 2025 is not a hope—it is a logical conclusion based on legislative precedent.
- The Logical Progression: Mandatory reporting (Rule 1) is the necessary first step to quotas. Once the state introduces quotas for mountain lions, the ethical debate shifts. It will become impossible for lawmakers to restrict one species based on ethics while allowing high-fence, guaranteed-kill practices to continue for exotic deer, aoudad sheep, and other species on large ranches. The mountain lion policy sets the standard for ethical review across all species.
- The Precedent: We have seen this play out in other states and on federal policy. A small, seemingly technical regulation is often the political compromise needed to open the door. This victory will unleash a massive wave of grassroots activism and lobbying. Conservation groups now have a successful campaign to build upon, creating undeniable political pressure that state lawmakers will be unable to ignore in the 2025 legislative session.
Texas has shown its hand. It can no longer claim to be unaware of the scale or cruelty of its unregulated practices. The moral shift has begun, and a full ban is the only logical conclusion.
-The Urgency
As I analyze the TPWC documents, one thing is clear: Texas is changing. This small step for the mountain lion is the beginning of a massive moral shift for all wildlife in the state. This is not the finish line—it’s the starting gun for the most important fight yet.
The mountain lion is saved, but the next target is a complete Canned Hunting Ban! If you are a Texan who cares about wildlife ethics, your representatives need to hear from you now, before the 2025 session begins.
Read this full report to arm yourself with the details and join the movement.
Disclaimer : This article is based on the author’s bold prediction and personal analysis. This is not an official rule or announcement. Always verify with government sources for accurate information.
Zoey Finch – Senior Editor & Wildlife Writer
With over six years of experience in animal welfare journalism, Zoey leads the editorial direction at PetBriefs. Her focus is on authentic storytelling and verified wildlife news that sheds light on the emotional and environmental connections between humans and animals.
