Open Range & Livestock District Information

As a livestock owner it is important to know if the land you own or lawfully lease is within a “Livestock District” or “Open Range”. As a landowner and/or lawful lessee of pasture for livestock there are some general definitions for consideration:

• Livestock means animals of the bovine species, horses, mules, asses, sheep, goats and swine.
• “Class of livestock” means a class, species, genus or sex of livestock, including a class, species or genus of neutered livestock.
• “Livestock District” means an area wherein it is unlawful for livestock or a class of livestock to run at large.
• “Open range” means an area wherein livestock may lawfully be permitted to run at large.
• “Estray” means livestock of any unknown person which is unlawfully running at large or being permitted to do so, or which is found to be trespassing on land enclosed by an adequate fence.

Animals must be lawfully permitted to run on open range or they will be considered stray and found to be trespassing.

Livestock districts may be created by:

• An elector petitioning the county court or board of county commissioners to hold an election for such purpose.
• The petition shall contain the signatures of six or more electors from each precinct, or portion of precinct, included within the boundaries of the proposed district; but in no case shall the petitioners be required to obtain the signatures of more than 100 electors. No person shall sign the petition unless the person owns real property within the proposed livestock district.
• The proposed livestock district shall contain not less than 2000 acres.
• The petition shall state what livestock or class or classes thereof are not to be permitted to run at large within the proposed livestock district.

A person shall be liable to the owner or lawful possessor of land if the person permits an animal of a class of livestock to run at large upon such land and the land is located in a livestock district in which it is unlawful for such class of livestock to be permitted to run at large.

Maps and/or more in-depth information that delineate current livestock districts from open range areas and provide land and animal owners with definitions of legal responsibilities are available at the Jackson County Offices (look under elections).