Legality of shooting along Texas rivers

[Brains]

https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/nonpwdpubs/water_issues/rivers/navigation/riddell/index.phtml

 

[ultrastealth]

There are a lot of exceptions. You need to carefully read the hunting regulations. These rules apply to both hunting and shooting in most cases.

 

[Time On Target]

Reading a lot of this and the crazy thing is it looks like only A. it has to flow all of the time and not be something that lays dry; B. it doesn't say anything about how deep or how big of a boat, I imagine that it would have to be deep enough for at least a flat bottom but would want to have a ruling on it from someone in a position of authority in Texas.

I grew up in Texarkana and because where the Red River didn't border Oklahoma but instead Arkansas my grandfather's land on the Texas side extended to the Levee which was where the State considered the property boundary to be. They had the responsibility for maintenance of the Levee and al of the property to the middle of the river. That said the number of folks who got arrested for cutting locks off of gates and driving across his property to hunt, fish, or boat was probably at least 4 groups a year. It being State property did not give you the right to infringe across private property on a private road that was not maintained or gave access to the State land was against the law.

The other thing to remember you cannot simply drive across State Land in a boat or your vehicle where there is not a road and damage the property to access a river. I saw a lot of people drive across the levee where it wasn't allowed and get a major ticket because it caused damage to the levee and upset the game warden, county deputy sheriff, or DPS officer. Plus the property owners who depended on that levee for protection against flood would call it in fast.

Last story to be told two of my class mates were arrested down from him for walking the levee (legal) while hunting (legal), but they shot, tracked, and then field dressed a deer on the private property side of the levee. It was considered poaching and they lost their hunting rights for five years, although they didn't lose the guns, the truck which belonged to one of their father, or their other gear which they could have. The property owner also didn't press charges which could have resulted in a lot worse outcome and they only had the Game Warden ticket which they spent the last two years of High School working off for their parents.

 

[NavyVet1959]

I was reading some of the laws awhile back and there are a couple of waterways where you can't shoot on the banks. I don't remember which ones nor why they were explicitly made exceptions in the laws. They were waterways where I wasn't even sure where they located.

 

[karlac]

Fairly comprehensive list of waterways in Texas, also showing the contributing tributaries, creeks, bayous, etc.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/pwd_rp_t3200_1047/04_location_map.phtml

 

[mp_tx]

My buddies that shoot up on a lease south of Dallas were getting hassled by the local game warden and how he was interpreting the waterway law. Apparently he left, and now it's not such a big deal. It depends on the individual game warden.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[ZX9RCAM]

So, the game wardens "decide" what's legal?

 

[Younggun]

So, the game wardens "decide" what's legal?

They read the law. They don't decide what's legal. If laws were clearly written we wouldn't have a thread trying to figure out which waterways are legal to shoot on.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Sorry, I was being facetious.

 

[Taildragger-J3]

I'm pretty sure the Brazos qualifies as a "navigable waterway" as it's clearly listed in the TPWD "Analysis of Texas Waterways." There's LOTS of room for discussion about other rivers, etc. I have just been concerned about what MP_TX described in post #26. Some zealous Game Warden exercising (over-exercising) his authority and hassling people who are trying to stay within the law and hunt a few birds without spending thousands of $$ for a private lease.

I enjoy bird hunting. I have been invited to join friends on their hunts even this fall and knocked down my share of birds. I just am not excited about spending hundreds (thousands?) of dollars to bring home a couple of meals worth of wild bird meat.

Shooting skeet or trap is fun. I enjoy rounds of both at reasonable costs around here. However there's something special about going into the field, pitting your shooting skill against an erratic flying bird, and bringing home supper. I wish for legal, safe ways to knock down real birds at a similar cost to shooting clay birds. Guess that's just a dream for now.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Nothing beats shooting Quail over good dogs...

 

[Vaquero]

Nothing beats shooting Quail over good dogs...

Truth.

 

[Taildragger-J3]

Couldn't agree more!!

 

[karlac]

Nothing beats shooting Quail over good dogs...

Roger that ...
Loaded and stacked hay all day for a penny/bale as kid, just for the privilege of being allowed to hunt both the landowner's land and dogs.

 

[NavyVet1959]

Nothing beats shooting Quail over good dogs...

Why would you want to shoot *good* dogs? Bad dogs, I could understand... Or *any* cats...

 

[NavyVet1959]

So, the game wardens "decide" what's legal?

From what I've gathered, game wardens in Texas have entirely too much power.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Why would you want to shoot *good* dogs? Bad dogs, I could understand... Or *any* cats...

Sure glad I didn't use a comma in my sentence, otherwise somebody might misunderstand it's meaning.

 

[NavyVet1959]

Sure glad I didn't use a comma in my sentence, otherwise somebody might misunderstand it's meaning.

Well, since you capitalized "Quail", did you mean Dan Quail? (and spell it wrong)

 

[TheDan]

From what I've gathered, game wardens in Texas have entirely too much power.

If you're suspected of hunting, then your 4A rights can be ignored.

 

[fishingsetx]

Dont know about other rivers, but most of the rivers around here fall into the Big Thicket National Preserve and you can and will get into some hot water for shooting along the waterways. Even driving within 100 yds of the water on private land will land you a pretty hefty ticket as the preserve goes from the waterline to 100 yds into the surrounding area. They do issue free hunting permits for certain areas with the stipulation that you have to be 500' from any road, trail, boundry, or navicable water.

Guns have only two enemies: rust and politicians!