OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 

Eoaorable C. 2. Patterson 

County Attornap 

Erewster Comty 

Alpha, Tsxaa 

Dear Sir: Oplnlon No. o-3895 

Ral Comlssioasrel Courtr - 8mgloyment of roll trappers 

Your request for opinion hae been rooalred and 

camfully considered by thls deprtsont. Xa quote from your 

request as follows~ 

“Can a county le~slly ?ay out funds to 

apply on l/3 of the salary for a govermont 

trapper, and if they oan are they ltiited to 

number or trappers that may be employed? 

“The praetloa as fOllOwed 1~: for an. 

assoolatlon to* my l/3 of the salary oi .:overnzsnt trappers, the state government a l/3 

and the commissioners aourt the other l/3. 

*Aatistated before, I would agproolate 

an op’inlon as to whether or not the Corz.iseloners Court can. lemlly _3ay the i/3 or 

said salaries, and if they oan, are the limited on rumbar or trappers that may be thus emgloyed.” 

se assume rraa your roGueat that you are reterring 

to wolr trappers ecgloyed by the United States Department 

or agioulture, Eureau of Slolo~lcal Survey, in cooperation 

With the Chalrzan or the Llvest.ook Sanitary COmmiGSlOn of 

Texas and the Commissioners’ Court of your County, end our 

answ3r hereto Is b2sed ugon t&t assumption. 

Article 192b, 3action 1, Vernon’s Annotntad Texas 

Civil Statutes, reeds as r0iloprs: 

“380. 1. T:?lat the %htA Of Telli Will 

cooperate through the Live Stock Sanitary 
1 

’ 

Eonoreble C. 3. Patterson, Page 2 

Comlselon of Texna with United States Departmnt of Agrloulture, Sureau of ~lolo~lo~l aurvoy, In doetroylng ooyotes, wolves, ziountaln 

ll&ms, bobcats and other .medatory anlzala, end 

throw the +rioDtural and Eo’sohanlcal Coll3ege 

of Texas will cooperate with the United States 

Depar??ent of Asrioulture Bureau of Slolo;ical 

arvey, in destroy1 

;o+srs (salammders “g i 

pra rle dam, pocket 

s&rrols and othsr 

jack rabbits, ground 

rldent pests In the lntereat of the proteotlon of live stock, crops 

and ranges,” 

- . 

Article 192b, seotion 4, Vsrnon@s Annotated Teraa 

Civil Statutes, reads as followsa 

“SBC* 4. The Chalman of ths Live Stook 

-lanitary Comleslon of Texas la hereby authorized and dlreoted to exeoute a ooopsretive 

a rtie~nant *::lth the 33oretar:: OS A&.oulture 

or ths i7nlted States of America or the ijuraau 

or Blolo&ioal Survey of the United Statee of 

A~erloa for carryir.6 out euoh cooperative work 

iz predatory anlml oontrol in such manner 

und under such regulations as my be stated ln 

sali! agrement. The president of the Agloultural r,nd XecZhaaloal Colle,:e of Tams Is hereby 

authorized and dlreotad to execute a oooperativa ageement With the Seoretary of Azrloulture or the Bureau of Blolo~loal Survey for 

carryisg out such cooparative work In rodent 

control In suoh manner and under such ragulatlons aa fray be stcted in said agr3ement~m 

Article 192b, Section 5, Vernon’s Annotated Texas 

Civil Statutes, reads ar followa; 

*Sec. 5. Tbnt the Comlsslonors’ Court 

of any county within the State or the governin;.: body or any Incorporated oltp or town 

within the Stata 1s empowered and authorized 

at Its dlsoratlon to appropriate tunds for 

the proaeoutlon of tha predatory animal and 

rodent control u:ork oontelaploted by this Aot 

(Art. 192b; P. C. art. 1378a) end In ooopsrai 
. . 

.- .- 

443 

Honorable C. 3. Patterson, Page 3 

tion vSth &ate and Federal authorities to anploy labor and to mrohaoe and provide supplies 

ra:*zlred for the o?feotive prosecution or this 

vor!:." 

Article 192b, %&ion 6, 

Civil Ltatutos, roads 25 rollowsr 

vernon*s Annotated Texss ., . 

"SBO. a. All furs, sk.ins and 5ytELmens 

taken by h'&ters or trappers, pild frora State 

funds shall be sold under fules rrescrlbed by 

tha Live stock sanitary Cocmlsslon of Tews 

und .ths procoeds o? suoh sales shall be paid 

iiito the State Trsasu2y to be Oredited and 

added tc soid.?rsdatory an&al fund. All furs,, 

skins, :ci s;octiens taken by hunters or trappers ?aid from- county funds &all be sold 3s 

prescribed by the Cormlssl~nsrs~ Court of the 

comty, and the ;rooasds cl euoh sale shall 

be ?!~lc 1r.t.o the County Trsasury to be credited 

A& added to such predatory enimal fund, jrovidod t.het ncy speohen so taken rray be presented free of charge to tho iqpicultural and 

L;'ocharloal Coller,e, or any othsr St3te lnstltution or to the United States Rational ?r'usasm 

fcr scientific _=ur;osos.* 

@inion Xo. Q-2709 of this de;?artzent holds that the 

Comlssionorel Court of Havarro County had authority to help 

pay the srlzry of a wolf trqqe,r where the United States Degzrtxnt or z&gloulture, Bureau of ?Solo~lc3l Survey, i;aid 

'rh9 rs.m+ndsr of ths wolf trapper's salary. Ye enolose here- 

?ith a copy of said o~lnion for your informtion. 

You are rosgaotfuily idvised thet it is the oplnlon 

sf this de~~rtmnt th3t the Comisaloners~ Court has authority 

to gay 0ut county funds (fro31 the general ruad 0r the county) 

to agplp on the aalery oi suoh government wolf trapper. It 

is our furthsr opinion that the Cozmissioners~ Court may eclploy 

or assi:st in the payzont of the oalarles of 85 raany euoh governlrent wo:lr trappers as the Court In its sound dieoration detsrm;ncs t,o be necessary. 

Your5 very truly 

3P