Is this legal in TX

[eddybo]

I am heading to uvalde for a deer/pig hunt next week. The outfitter indicated that he was going to allow us to hunt pigs at night. Can I use a supressed .300 Whisper and night vision for shooting pigs at night?

 

[dwm]

Feral hogs and Russian boar are considered exotics in tx. My understanding is that hunting hogs at night is ok. We are allowed to hunt hogs at night on our lease in east tx. We are asked however to contact the local game warden prior to hunting at night, as they like to know ahead of time.

As far as the suppressor goes, I don't think that is legal to hunt with at all.


See page 54 and 55 of the regulations ...

• Means and Methods
  
  
  
  [FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Firearms [/FONT][/FONT]
  
  • [FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]
    [*]Game animals [/FONT][/FONT]
  • [FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]and [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]game birds [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]may be hunted with any [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]legal [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]firearm, [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]EXCEPT:[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]
    [*]white-tailed deer, mule deer, desert bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope may [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]NOT [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]be hunted with rimfire ammunition of any caliber.[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]
    [*]shotguns [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]are the only legal [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]firearm [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]that may be used to hunt Eastern turkey during the [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]spring Eastern turkey season [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans](see [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]County Listings[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]). Rifles and handguns may not be used to hunt Eastern turkey.
    [*]pellet guns and other air guns are [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]NOT LEGAL[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans].
    [*][/FONT][/FONT]
  [FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]fully automatic firearms are [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]NOT LEGAL[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]. [/FONT]
  [FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]firearms equipped with silencers or sound-suppressing devices are [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]NOT LEGAL[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]. [/FONT]
  [FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]a shotgun is the only legal firearm for hunting migratory game birds and lesser prairie chicken (see [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Definitions - Legal Shotgun[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans], pg. 69). [/FONT]
  [/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Nongame Animals (Non-Protected): [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Any lawful firearm, pellet gun, or other air gun is legal. [/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Restricted Methods [FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]

• It is

• [/FONT]

• [/FONT]unlawful [FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]for any person, while hunting or engaging in recreational shooting, to knowingly discharge a firearm in such a fashion as to cause a projectile to cross a property line, unless the person owns the property on both sides of the property line or has obtained written permission from the owner of any land crossed by the projectile.[/FONT][/FONT]
  [*]Remote-controlled Hunting: [FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]A person may not engage in computer-assisted remote hunting of any animal or bird or provide or operate facilities for computer-assisted remote hunting if the animal or bird being hunted is located in Texas.[/FONT][/FONT]
  [*]Artificial light [FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]of any form that casts or reflects a beam of light onto or otherwise illuminates a game animal or bird may not be used as an aid to hunt, [/FONT][/FONT]except [FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]battery-powered scoping devices that project a light or dot only inside the scope, pin sight lights on archery equipment, or laser sighting devices used by legally blind hunters (legal blindness is: no more than 20/200 of visual acuity in the better eye with correcting lenses or visual acuity greater than 20/200, but with a limitation in the field of vision such that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees). Blind hunters must be assisted by a licensed hunter at least 13 years of age who is not legally blind. Blind hunters must possess a physician's signed statement attesting to legal blindness. Hunter education requirements apply.
  [*]Non-protected nongame animals and fur-bearing animals may be hunted at night with the aid of an artificial light on private property. If hunting at night, please make a courtesy telephone call to your local game warden.[/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Page 72 also ...[/FONT]

[FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]EXOTIC ANIMALS AND FOWL [/FONT]
[FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Exotic animal [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]refers to grass-eating or plant-eating, single-hoofed or cloven-hoofed mammals that are not indigenous or native to Texas and are known as ungulates, including animals from the deer and antelope families that landowners have introduced into this state. Includes, but is not limited to feral hog, Aoudad sheep,Axis deer, Elk, Sika deer, Fallow deer, Blackbuck antelope, Nilgai antelope, and Russian boar. [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Exotic fowl [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]refers to any avian species that is not indigenous to this state, including ratites (emu, ostrich, rhea, cassowary, etc.). [/FONT]
[/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]There are no state bag or possession limits or closed seasons on exotic animals or fowl on private property. [/FONT]
[FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]It is against the law to: [/FONT]
[FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Hunt an exotic without a valid hunting license. [/FONT]
[FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Hunt an exotic on a public road or right-of-way. [/FONT]
[FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Hunt an exotic without the landowner's permission. [/FONT]
[FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Possess an exotic or the carcass of an exotic without the owner's consent. [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEO D+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Penalty: [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans][FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]A person who violates these laws commits an offense that is a Class A Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor ($500-$4,000 and/or up to one year in jail). [/FONT]
[FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) regulates the movement of feral swine for disease-control purposes. For more information please call TAHC at (800) 550-8242 or see www.tahc.state.tx.us [/FONT]


[FONT=BAKEP G+ Gill Sans,Gill Sans]Downlaod the regulations and take a look ...[/FONT]

[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/nonpwdpubs/media/outdoor_annual_2008_2009.pdf

It would be best to contact the local game warden and discuss your intentions ahead of time ...

Just my 2 cents ...

 

[eddybo]

Thanks for passing that along, just what I needed.

 

[buzzgun]

Hogs are not considered game animals........read on below the red highlighted text.......

"Nongame Animals (Non-Protected): Any lawful firearm, pellet gun, or other air gun is legal."

I spoke with a TX game warden about using suppressors on predators........he researched the law and found that suppressors are legal for non game animals.........

 

[eddybo]

Thanks Buzzgun. I read the rules that were posted and had come to the same conclusion that they would not be prohibited so long as they are a legal firearm. I am thinking that so long as I have my tax stamp in my possession I should be okay.

 

[specweldtom]

Eddybo, good thread, good info. Thanks to dwm and buzzgun. I was sure about everything except the supressor. Calling the Game Warden may be just a courtesy, but is a really smart thing to do. Also be sure that you are on private property (with permission).

I hope it's a really successful hunt, the d@$% hogs are multiplying much faster than we can kill them.

Tom

 

[Kingrabbit]

All right folks so what is the conclusion..? Supressors good or no for hogs..? I'm working with a New York education here.. haha.. Wasn't born here in Texas, but i got here as fast as I could..
Trying to get weapons in NY is a royal pain in the ***.. so should it be a go, how do I go about getting one..?

 

[eddybo]

My conclusion was that it was legal and used it. In fact I used it last weekend also on my second trip to TX.

 

[Kingrabbit]

Nice... any pics to share from the evening..? I will be heading home in Jan .. hoping to have some fun shooting at some hogs..

 

[Redheaded stepchild]

BTW,

The possum cops told me just to call the sherriff's dispatcher after hours for night hunts.

I love Texas.

 

[cavtrooper94]

I'm still trying to get the suppressor, but the PS-22 night sight mounted in conjunction with my ACOG has been hell on them.

 

[J E Custom]

I am heading to uvalde for a deer/pig hunt next week. The outfitter indicated that he was going to allow us to hunt pigs at night. Can I use a supressed .300 Whisper and night vision for shooting pigs at night?[/QUOTE)

I read the entire hunting regulations book and have to agree with "dwm" that suppressors
are not legal.

Farrel hogs are listed as Exotics and there is no mention of suppressors any where in the
regulations ,for or against.

So the fact that the only place that mentions a suppressor says it's illegal on a firearm
I would not use one or even carry one.

You could talk to the game warden (This is suggested in the hunting regs for night hunting)
before you show up and ask about using a suppressor but I bet the reception would be
very cool and would probably assure that you would get a visit from him on your hunt.

I have lived in Texas all my life and have never seen or heard of a suppressor being used.

If you plan your shots you will kill more hogs than you want to clean. (With most rifles you
can take 2 or 3 hogs with the first shot if you are patient).

Enjoy your hog hunt and good luck !!!

J E CUSTOM

 

[buzzgun]

One more time..........

From the Texas regs:

"Nongame Animals (Non-Protected): Any lawful firearm, pellet gun, or other air gun is legal."

Hogs are not considered game animals.

I spoke with a TX game warden about using suppressors on predators........he researched the law and found that suppressors are legal for non game animals.........


Do you think I made this up???

Why would a game warden tell me something, after researching the question, that wasn't true???

 

[steve smith]

Under Means and Methods

It specifies that the following is specifically reffering to Game animals. Thus supressors+game animals = illegal, but supressors+anything else = legal.

You must read this like a legal document. When it specifically bars you from a activity it will always specify when and where it is barred, but it is implied that anytime or place other than that listed is OK.

Sometimes you shouldn't look for what's there, but rather for what's missing.