Can I shoot an owl?

[TXJon]

This might be the first time someone asked this kind of question before they actually did it.

Last night the wife went to bed before I did. About 1/2 hour later she comes downstairs and tells me something is in the chickens, and I need to go check it out.

I grab a light and a .45 loaded with shot shells (not the best choice, but it was handy) and go busting outside to see what's up.

On the roof of my chicken coop an owl, a great big one, is standing on one of my guineas, about to chow down. The owl sees me and moves to the top of a tree about 6-7 yds away. I have it in the light, in the sights, and then got to thinking shooting it maybe wasn't the best idea.

This is not the first time I have lost a bird to an owl. Can I take him out?

[River Bottom Hunter]

Varmiiittt. Shoot don't tell.

[Luck_of_the_Draw]

No.
























SSS

[cosmiccowboy]

You would have to shoot, shovel, and shut up. The only birds you can legally shoot are legal game birds (in season) and english sparrows. Virtually everything else is protected.

[Fishndude]

Maybe a couple of the game wardens who visit this site can tell you. I think you better build somethin' for the guineas to hide under or in.

[kfd82]

I "think" you can kill any animal that is threatening your livestock. Or chickens in this case.
My advise... sss

In about two weeks casually call tpw and ask them.

[Teuf]

You'd need a permit, which you can get if an owl (not an endangered one mind you, but sounds like a great horned from the size and the ability to nail a guinea) is killing your poultry. If you get the permit, I think you have to take the dead owl to the TPW and forfeit it. If they let you keep it, be an awesome mount.

[Philip-TX]

Go to duckhunter dot net and go to the Texas flyway forum. search for owl and pm auto.

He (Auto) can tell you the name or the federal warden that visited his house after he hit an owl with his truck and posted a pic of it. Probably has an atty referal for interntet owls.

Agent steve Hamilton should be looking you up soon.

[wacm]

im pretty sure you can kill anything that is eating your livestock or farm animals. we had the same probs when i was growing up and my dad never held back.

[W-L-F]

only if you can hit it---just keep it quite

[wilded]

Federal and State protected. The fines and jail time or not a slap on the hand if convicted.

[txtimetravler]

deprerdation of your animals. I would say shoot it and don't tell.

My parents have guineas too

[Africanbowhunter]

Too late now they will show up with a warrent about midnight


tink

[Bily Lovec]

Go to duckhunter dot net and go to the Texas flyway forum. search for owl and pm auto.

He (Auto) can tell you the name or the federal warden that visited his house after he hit an owl with his truck and posted a pic of it. Probably has an atty referal for interntet owls.

Agent steve Hamilton should be looking you up soon.

hheheheheeee

ive been waiting on that

[wilded]

I cannot believe the amount of people on here that advise someone to break both Federal and State game laws.