New Braunfels, TX Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- City Code § 82-25
- Penalty
- $75–$500 fine, Class C misdemeanor
- Bird feeder exception
- 5+ feet above ground
- First offense
- Warning only
- Enforced by
- Animal control, police, code officers
Summary
New Braunfels makes it a criminal offense to intentionally feed deer, geese, or other wild animals on private or public property, with narrow exceptions for elevated bird feeders and licensed hunting-permit baiting.
(a)Except as provided below in subsections 82-26(a) and (b), a person commits an offense if the person intentionally feeds wildlife by making food available for consumption on private or public property within the territorial limits of the city. (b)A person shall be deemed to have purposely fed or caused wildlife to be fed if the person places food, as defined in this section, in any form, (not including live vegetation such as ornamental landscaping or flowers) on the ground, or within reach of wildlife.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 36).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 82-25 bars putting out bread products, corn, fruit, oats, hay, nuts, wheat, alfalfa, salt blocks, or commercial wildlife or livestock feed anywhere a wild animal can reach it, whether scattered on the ground or otherwise left within reach. The ban applies to any undomesticated animal living in the wild, from deer and raccoons to geese. Bird feeders are exempt only when mounted at least five feet above the ground. Animal control officers, park rangers, code compliance officers, and police enforce the rule; a first violation draws a warning plus information on the harms of wildlife feeding, and repeat offenses go to municipal court.
Violations & Fines
First offense: warning plus educational information only. Second and later offenses: Class C misdemeanor, fined $75–$500, with each day of continued violation a separate offense prosecuted in municipal court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I feed deer in my New Braunfels backyard?
Are bird feeders allowed?
What's the penalty for feeding wildlife in New Braunfels?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Braunfels
Texas rules heatmap·Compare New Braunfels to another location·View the Texas animal ordinances overview
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