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New Posts ASTONISHING: TSRA working to SHUT DOWN Shooting/Hunting Areas in Texas

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  • Renegade

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    http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...e/stories/032709dnmetburbhunting.3ba237b.htmlhttp://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...e/stories/032709dnmetburbhunting.3ba237b.html

    Texas bills would put distance between hunters, homes

    <h5 class="vitstorydate">06:45 AM CDT on Friday, March 27, 2009</h5>
    By ELIZABETH LANGTON / The Dallas Morning News
    elangton@dallasnews.com
    Two Collin County lawmakers have filed identical bills in the Legislature that would increase the buffer zone between hunting grounds and residential areas.


    Also Online
    09/07/2008: Dallas-area residents surprised by legal hunting in city limits




    Most cities forbid discharging firearms within city limits, but a 2005 law added an exception for hunters on large tracts at least 150 feet from homes or occupied buildings.


    And each year since the law changed, frantic callers have flooded North Texas 911 lines on the opening day of dove hunting season with complaints about noise and the proximity of hunters to their homes.


    Frisco Police Chief Todd Renshaw said he knew of no related injuries, but in some cases shotgun pellets rained down on homes and businesses.


    And to him that means hunters are simply too close.


    "You had a set of facts down in South Texas where the law made sense there," he said. "But it didn't make sense in an urban setting.


    "I'm a hunter. I hunt dove. But there are places in Frisco where I have hunted that I don't any more, because it's just too close to civilization."


    The proposed law would increase the buffer between hunting land and occupied buildings from 150 feet to 1,000 feet. The buffer would stretch to 1,500 feet for schools, day care sites, residential subdivisions, apartment complexes, parks and outdoor recreation areas.


    The law would apply to all types of game hunting, but the September-October dove season is the primary concern in North Texas.


    Alice Tripp, legislative director of the Texas State Rifle Association, worked on the proposal with Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, and Rep. Ken Paxton, R-McKinney. The bills have been referred to committees in both the House and Senate, but no hearings have been scheduled.


    Tripp said she expects hunters to complain but considers the new distances a reasonable compromise.

    OMFG! Who side is she on?


    "No one wanted to gut the intention of the original bill," she said. "They simply wanted an increased buffer so people wouldn't be rained down upon with shotgun pellets."


    None of the hunters who lobbied for the 2005 law would be affected by the changes, Tripp said. But some suburban fields would become ineligible for hunting.


    "There would still be hunting land in Frisco; it would just be smaller," Renshaw said.


    When legislators passed the 2005 law, they intended to prevent growing cities from using firearms ordinances to prohibit hunting on large tracts annexed after 1981 – typically expansive rural farms and ranches with long hunting traditions.


    The annexation of a third-generation rancher's 3,000-acre spread into Fort Worth's city limits prompted the action, Tripp said.


    "We found the same situation all over Texas," she said. "Cities had annexed large tracts of land where years passed without any development. The only thing that had changed was that the city had an ordinance that prohibited discharging firearms."


    Fort Worth hunting outfitter Cory Anderson fears losing one of his prime dove hunting tracts adjacent to the U.S. Treasury Department's Bureau of Engraving and Printing in far north Fort Worth.


    "I understand the concerns if they have a bunch of hunters without supervision," he said. "But I control where they hunt. I'm responsible for it more than the hunter is."


    Advocates say hunters following the law pose no threat to people nearby because the current law accounts for how far the ammunition can travel. But Renshaw said it seems insufficient for situations such as a day-care playground.


    "They might have been 150 feet from the building, but they weren't 150 feet away from the children playing in the backyard," he said. "It just doesn't make sense for hunters to be that close."


    Renshaw tried to get the law changed in 2007 but found little interest from legislators. This year, dozens of people contacted their representatives about the situation.


    The changes have a broad base of support from police chiefs across the state, Renshaw said, and so far no vocal opposition.


    "It looks like a slam dunk, but you can always have a curveball thrown at you," he said.


    HUNTING IN CITIES

    Senate Bill 1742 and House Bill 3766 would increase the buffer between hunting land and occupied areas:


    •For hunting with shotguns, air guns, BB guns or bows and arrows, tracts must be 10 acres or larger.


    •For hunting with rifles and pistols, tracts must be 50 acres or larger.


    •Tracts must be at least 1,000 feet from a residence or occupied building on another property.


    •They must be at least 1,500 feet from an occupied school, day care, nursing home or adult day care on another property.


    •Tracts must also be at least 1,500 feet from the property lines of public tracts used for outdoor recreation, residential subdivisions or multifamily residential complexes.


    •Weapons must be fired in such a way that the projectiles would not cross the boundary of the tract.


    SOURCE: Texas Legislature



    If these bills become law, almost all of the areas we hunt/shoot in North Texas can be shutdown, and from what I gather cities are foaming at the mouth to do just that. In fact many already have the law in place, and as soon as these bills become law, the new buffers automatically shut them down.

    The increase in buffer space is staggering. Moving from 150 feet to 1000/1500. While the 10/50 Acre minimum is still there, it become moot since buffer zones require properties to be far larger.

    a 150 foot buffer comprises 1.6 Acres
    a 1000 foot buffer comprises 72 Acres
    a 1500 foot buffer compirses 162 Acres

    This is 50X - 100X increase in buffer space!

    For example, My land is 2700 x 1500, for around 90 acres. I can hunt shoot anything anywhere as nobody is within 150 feet. But with the new 1000 foot buffer, If neighbor puts a home within 500 feet of the property line, I could lose 1/2 my shooting area, another neghbor on the other side, and I can no longer shoot at all. If neighbor decides to run day care, I cannot shoot as that now becomes 1500 feet from the property line, NOT the day care building.

    Obviously there are factors such as shape of property and where exactly the house is, but anyone can do the math. Find your favorite place to hunt/shoot, and see what is within 1000 feet of it. YOu will be surprised. Then look and ask what happens if someone opens a day care, then it becomes 1500 feet from THEIR property line, not the dwelling. And remember, in rural areas "Day Care" can be just a simple person's home. It does not have to be professional, zone big business.

    Bye-Bye APG, Tom Bean, Jacobs Plain, Sanger Subguns, Mickey's Lease, etc. All those Dove hunting areas in DFW area. Even Tiger Valley is not safe.

    Here is the text of the bill:


    By: Paxton H.B. No. 3766 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to municipal regulation of the discharge of firearms and certain other weapons. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 229.002, Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 229.002. REGULATION OF DISCHARGE OF WEAPON. A municipality may not apply a regulation relating to the discharge of firearms or other weapons in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the municipality or in an area annexed by the municipality after September 1, 1981, if the firearm or other weapon is: (1) a shotgun, air rifle or pistol, BB gun, or bow and arrow discharged: (A) on a tract of land of 10 acres or more and more than: (i) 1,000 [150] feet from an [a residence or] occupied building, including a residence, located on another property; and (ii) 1,500 feet from: (a)an occupied building that is a school, day-care facility, nursing home facility, or adult day-care facility located on another property; (b)the property line of a public tract of land used for outdoor recreation; (c)the property line of a residential subdivision; and (d)the property line of a multifamily residential complex; and (B) in a manner not reasonably expected to cause a projectile to cross the boundary of the tract; or (2) a center fire or rim fire rifle or pistol of any caliber discharged: (A) on a tract of land of 50 acres or more and more than: (i) 1,000 [300] feet from an [a residence or] occupied building, including a residence, located on another property; and (ii) 1,500 feet from: (a)an occupied building that is a school, day-care facility, nursing home facility, or adult day-care facility located on another property; (b)the property line of a public tract of land used for outdoor recreation; (c)the property line of a residential subdivision; and (d)the property line of a multifamily residential complex; and (B) in a manner not reasonably expected to cause a projectile to cross the boundary of the tract. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
    Military Camp
     

    txpolecat

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    WHAT!? I cant shoot squirrels with my bb gun?!

    How will I defend my pecans from these furry terrorists!

    Crap, I wont even be able to shoot a bow anymore? I thought bows were perfectly fine in the city!
     

    M. Sage

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    Time to make some phone calls, guys. I was thinking about joining TSRA, might not after this.

    Call them if you're a member, threaten to cancel or not re-apply if they don't drop their support. If you're not, tell them that you're lost as a potential member if they don't.
     

    Renegade

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    Looks like MAJOR FAIL at #2 legislative Goal...



    Texas State Rifle Association Political Action Committee


    TSRA Legislative Goals​
    81st Session of the Texas Legislature
    Session opens at noon on Tuesday, January 13th
    Note: TSRA Links contains web information on "who represents me?" and contact info for all Texas state and federal elected officials. Bill numbers are not currently available for issues listed below.
    #1 Legislative Goal - to allow Texans to have their legally owned firearms and ammunition in their personal locked vehicles on their employer's parking lot and to protect law abiding employees from termination for this legal possession. This is the 3rd legislative session for this project.​
    #2 Legislative Goal - stop all anti-gun legislation; adversely impacting sport shooting, hunting, firearms and ammunition ownership and possession, or concealed handgun licensees.
    #3 Legislative Goal - to allow adult University and College faculty and students with concealed handgun licenses access to campus locations currently prohibited by Texas law. This legislative project began in 2007 with the Virginia Tech tragedy. TSRA is working with Students for Concealed Carry on Campus.
    #4 Legislative Goal - to help streamline and simplify the concealed handgun licensing process.
     

    JKTex

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    What's sad is that dove hunters can't use common sense and not shoot towards houses and buildings and politicians feel the need to step in and force common sense on them with new friggen laws.
     

    Renegade

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    Sorry, I must be stupid. What is the problem with the proposed bill?

    The first problem is TSRA is pledged to try and stop all anti-gun legislation; adversely impacting sport shooting, hunting, firearms and ammunition ownership. In this case, they not only are supporting it but helped write the bill.

    The second problem is the increase in buffer from 150 feet to 1000/1500 will allow cities to ban shooting on many places where it is currently legal.

    I cannot think of a single place in North Texas that could not be affected by this change.
     

    txinvestigator

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    The first problem is TSRA is pledged to try and stop all anti-gun legislation; adversely impacting sport shooting, hunting, firearms and ammunition ownership. In this case, they not only are supporting it but helped write the bill.

    The second problem is the increase in buffer from 150 feet to 1000/1500 will allow cities to ban shooting on many places where it is currently legal.

    I cannot think of a single place in North Texas that could not be affected by this change.


    Yeah, those pesky people who don't want shot raining down on them....:rolleyes:

    I not only see nothing wrong with this, I think it is fair and reasonable.
     

    Shorts

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    Ahh, with the expansion of urban sprawl, eventually (a time that is not far off) there will be no land big enough to hunt on.

    I agree hunters need to be aware of the direction they're shooting. THat's just a no brainer.

    However, getting squeezed in from every direction its hard to shoot anywhere.


    Sooo, who wants to go in on buying land just so it doesn't become victim to urban sprawl?
     

    Renegade

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    Yeah, those pesky people who don't want shot raining down on them....:rolleyes:

    Should not have moved in next to a gun range or hunting area. Same as the morons moving in next to airports and then complaining about the noise.

    I not only see nothing wrong with this, I think it is fair and reasonable.

    Well then you would be OK with just every gun range in North Texas being eligible to be shutdown. Cause everyone I have been to would fall within the 1000/1500 foot buffer zone.

    You may want to do the math to see how big a property you have to have to have 1000/1500 foot buffer and be immune from this legislation.

    Never mind we just passed this law in 2005 and now we are giving it up without a fight.

    ...
     

    M. Sage

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    Yeah, those pesky people who don't want shot raining down on them....:rolleyes:

    I not only see nothing wrong with this, I think it is fair and reasonable.

    There's already laws in place to deal with that. Negligent discharge is one...

    Want a glimpse of the future, guys? In CA, antis will get their hands on bullets that have been pulled, then claim to have found them around the house. I know a few ranges that have been closed this way. I lived almost next door to one that was one of the first to have this happen. The direction of fire was parallel to the ridge line that the resident who claimed to have spent rounds near her home lived on. If we let things like this law work here, they'll shift tactics to this faster than you can spit.
     

    Renegade

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    o wants to go in on buying land just so it doesn't become victim to urban sprawl?

    You will need 235 acres to support a 100x300 foot shooting area under the proposed legislation to avoid regulation.

    Under the current legislation, you would only need a 5.5 acre parcel.
     

    Renegade

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    There's already laws in place to deal with that. Negligent discharge is one...

    Want a glimpse of the future, guys? In CA,

    No need to go to CA. Right here in Collin County, The Collin County Gun Range was shutdown, even though it was originally built in unincorporated area to avoid problems. McKinney annexed the land, and then shut them down. this proposed legislation will make land grabs 100X easier.
     

    Gopher

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    The neighbors to the north of the range tried the bullet thing during the anti noise hearings before it was shut down.

    I'm more worried about this morphing into an increase in the required number of acres to shoot on outside of city boundaries.

    Alice Tripp will listen to the members if we hammer her enough.
     

    JKTex

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    No need to go to CA. Right here in Collin County, The Collin County Gun Range was shutdown, even though it was originally built in unincorporated area to avoid problems. McKinney annexed the land, and then shut them down. this proposed legislation will make land grabs 100X easier.

    So did the Tub Club and the other big Whore House out on 121 when Frisco and Plano and McKinney started growing in around them.

    If development is allowed to happen, it will squash out what's in it's path. That's when all this should have been being fought. Now that there are homes and other buildings, and as long as there are idiots that will fire in the direction of those houses and buildings, something will happen to stop them. If they'd use common sense it may be a different story.

    Good luck with fighting a bill that well keep people from legally shooting at houses because a bird was in between them.
     

    Renegade

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    If development is allowed to happen, it will squash out what's in it's path. That's when all this should have been being fought. Now that there are homes and other buildings, and as long as there are idiots that will fire in the direction of those houses and buildings, something will happen to stop them. If they'd use common sense it may be a different story.

    It was fought and we won and have the current law. Now they are coming back with a Draconian Law affecting gun ranges all over Texas. That is not common sense. All because a few Dumb FUDDS are shooting right next to property lines. in the direction of homes. That is the problem that needs to be dealt with.

    Good luck with fighting a bill that well keep people from legally shooting at houses because a bird was in between them.

    RIF.

    Not trying to help them. Stupid is as stupid does.

    Trying to prevent all of the ranges in North Texas (and probably elsewhere in the state) that fire safely into berms from being shutdown.

    As usual, ignorant gun owners are their own worst enemy.

    When there are no places left to shoot, this bill will have been the enabler.
     

    JKTex

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    It was fought and we won and have the current law. Now they are coming back with a Draconian Law affecting gun ranges all over Texas. That is not common sense. All because a few Dumb FUDDS are shooting right next to property lines. in the direction of homes. That is the problem that needs to be dealt with.


    I agree. We may be coming off a little rash without seeing exactly what it is. The first post was long and I'm not sure what what media and what was text of the bill and what was your commentary.

    You have to admit, you generally come across hard lined and combative and there's a perception that whatever you think is right, it right and everyone else s wrong and needs to be called names and beat to death. That may be a little strong, but you know what I mean, your approach isn't always easy to take serious.

    Glancing back at your post, if the math and distance are right, I agree, it's way overboard. Even if people weren't shooting right at or across property lines of homes, you know there would be someone who just didn't like hearing a shotgun go off in the distance.

    I'm also questioning the assertion that "shot showered down on roofs". If they're shooting dove, if shot "showered" it would have to be pretty dang close, and if it wasn't a concentrated pattern of shot, I doubt you could even hear it if it hit a roof. But who knows.

    I'll relook at it. You may be right in that it needs attention.
     

    Renegade

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    Even if people weren't shooting right at or across property lines of homes, you know there would be someone who just didn't like hearing a shotgun go off in the distance

    Keep in mind that while they are spinning it as hunters raining pellets on homes, the law itself is about the discharge of firearms, not hunting. So that affects ranges, and makes no exceptions for safe ranges that shoot into berms, or in safe directions, etc.

    I cannot think of a single Range in NTX that would be exempt, like they are now from the new regulations - APG, Tom Bean, Mickey's Lease , Magnum Shooting Center, Elm Fork, Haltom City, Alpine, Gibsons, Garland, DFW Gun Range, DFW Pistol Range, Tac-Pro, TDSA, Liberty Hill, Tiger Valley, even the 1000 Acre Hun Farm shooting areas did not have 1000/1500 feet of buffer space. Collin County Gun Range and Backwoods Traps would not have met the new requirement either.
     
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