States that allow suppressor deer hunting

[SC-Texas]

TPWD: Wednesday, 9:00 am, March 30, 2011 Commission Meeting Agenda – COMMITTEENAME

Did anyoe knotoce that committee Agenda Item #2 was withdrawn?

 

[Bithabus]

TPWD: Wednesday, 9:00 am, March 30, 2011 Commission Meeting Agenda – COMMITTEENAME

Did anyoe knotoce that committee Agenda Item #2 was withdrawn?

Commission agenda item 2 was withdrawn. I believe this is different from regulation committee item 2. At this point they want permission to publish the item for comment, and later it would move to commission agenda.

 

[Driller]

I am going to call in the morning. That Item had lots of important issues. Suppressors were only a small part of that agenda. See what this comment section says tomorrow. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmed...ml?nrspan=&nrtype=all&nrsearch=public+comment

 

[Bithabus]

I am going to call in the morning. That Item had lots of important issues. Suppressors were only a small part of that agenda. See what this comment section says tomorrow. TPWD: News Releases: All News Releases (Search: "public comment")

Commission items are different from committee items. No need to get worried yet.

 

[Driller]

Listening to live audio stream of meeting. http://icecast.tpwd.state.tx.us:8000/stream.m3u

 

[Driller]

If anyone is interested you can listen to the audio from the TPWD commission meeting regarding the legalization of suppressors. It starts in the first 2 minutes of the meeting. Very short presentation. Kinda Ho Hum. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publica...125/20120125_com_01_regulations_committee.mp3

 

[Driller]

Got a call from my contact at TPWD yesterday. The guy who uploads the comment section is on vacation (he took time off to make deer sausage at his house haha). He told me it might be up this week.

 

[matefrio]

Some articles, read the comments.

http://www.chron.com/sports/outdoor...-loud-2793034.php?gta=commentform#commentform

Should we care whether hunters can use silencers on their guns?

[URL]http://www.ketknbc.com/news/silent-hunting-in-texas-suppressors-may-be-on-the-way[/URL]

 

[Driller]

Should we care whether hunters can use silencers on their guns? Totally clueless and misinforming the public.

 

[Bithabus]

Should we care whether hunters can use silencers on their guns? Totally clueless and misinforming the public.

+1 That guy has absolutely no idea what he's talking about.

 

[Driller]

+1 That guy has absolutely no idea what he's talking about.

It's like he is making the whole thing up based on his own deductive reasoning without researching anything. Very poor journalism.

 

[Driller]

NRA-ILA | Suppressors-Good for Our Hearing . . .

 

[txgunner00]

It's like he is making the whole thing up based on his own deductive reasoning without researching anything. Very poor journalism.

We should expect nothing less out of the statesman... and comments are disabled of course.


"I already use a silenced firearm for whitetails. It's called a bow." Brilliant.

 

[txgunner00]

Driller- how many game wardens did you talk to that supported or had no problem with suppressors?

 

[robbf213]

Driller- how many game wardens did you talk to that supported or had no problem with suppressors?

Not Driller but I know a whole bunch that do have problem with it.

 

[SC-Texas]

Did they explain why they have a problem with it?

 

[Texas Pride]

We should expect nothing less out of the statesman... and comments are disabled of course.


"I already use a silenced firearm for whitetails. It's called a bow." Brilliant.

I sent him an email outlining his logical and technical errors. I was annoyed enough that I thought he could use the opportunity to exercise his delete button.

 

[Bithabus]

Not Driller but I know a whole bunch that do have problem with it.

Did they explain why they have a problem with it?

This. What problems?

 

[Driller]

Game Wardens that have issues with suppressors do not understand suppressors. The TPWD researched its records and the use of suppressors to hunt game animals is not a problem. The weapon of choice for illegal hunting is the crossbow. Listen to the archived audio of the last TPWD commissioner meeting. You can have a suppressor in your deer stand while hunting deer right now and able to use it to kill a HOG if one shows up. The problem now is that a Game Warden would think you might be hunting deer suppressed. He has to actually watch you shoot the deer at the exact moment you kill it if you shoot suppressed. It is not illegal to have a tagged deer in your truck and the suppressor on your rifle right now. I was shocked to hear this revelation. I think this change would take the unknown grey area away and make the Wardens job easier.

 

[Texas Pride]

So I got a reply from that author. I will post the whole conversation if requested, but my first email was pretty long and I think most of you know all the arguments in favor of allowing them, and how much of that article was untrue. Here's his reply:

Here’s the deal. I’m not sure what you’re so torqued about. I’m saying use them. I know gun dealers who are opposed to this regulation, mainly asking why we’re doing this. And that’s my only real question, why. TPWD, game wardens especially, normally would be screaming like crazy about expanding this rule to include silencers. They fought crossbows for decades. And now, and I’ve talked with several as well, they’re saying nothing publicly about this proposed rule. That’s the issue. Nobody is really saying anything about it. They didn’t at the meeting. That makes me nervous about where it comes from.

And my reply:

I understand your position is to allow them, it's the outright misstatements of fact throughout your commentary that I'm torqued about. From the completely wrong statement that suppressors compromise bullet speed and power (the truth: they slightly increase it) to the suggestion that hunters would have to use subsonic ammo (regular ammo works just fine if you're just trying to save your hearing) to the statement that special "military-style" rifles are needed to use them (I have no idea where this comes from. It's just plain wrong), your commentary is fraught with blatant falsehoods. Falsehoods that would lead the reader to imagine psycho militia types out stalking the woods with a suppressed AR-15 firing weak subsonic rounds, silently wounding entire herds of deer in pursuit of living out their Call of Duty fantasies. The reality of a typical deer hunter firing his same old 30-06 bolt action without the absurd muzzle blast is completely ignored.

Yes, game wardens irrationally fought crossbows, and lost. And then found out that it didn't change a thing. I really doubt they want to fight this, when there are again plenty of examples of suppressors being used for hunting without the imagined problems. Like I said, in some countries (Finland, etc) they are legally required for hunters, and in some US States they are already legal.


Asking "why" is a strange reason to oppose something, especially for a gun dealer who can only benefit from the increase in suppressor sales to hunters that would result. It's about hearing safety. That's it. If we're going to ask why, then ask why do firearms need to be excessively loud? Why does the law mandate hearing loss and noise pollution? Why, in a time when lawsuits are being used to close public grounds to hunters due to noise complaints, is the law opposed to reducing the noise?


The NRA has been pushing this issue in several States (Montana is considering this regulatory change as well), partly to combat these costly lawsuits. If I were trying to find out "where it comes from" that's where I would look first. I don't really care where it comes from, I'm just eager to no longer have to worry about getting earplugs in quick enough to make my shot before the deer run off.

My first email outlined how much of what he wrote was wrong, but he focuses on game warden and gun dealer opinion of the bill. I'm pretty sure he still doesn't understand that I'm telling him he got important technical details wrong.

I know, I know, I should just let well enough alone. But if I could do that, I wouldn't be a lawyer...