Another GarFish Survey from TPWD

[S-3 Ranch]

IMO they should have a slot limit and a 1 per year trophy permits. They are over harvesting in some areas

[Montec man]

I also thought there were a lot of questions attempting to gauge public perception of TPWD.

[SaltwaterSlick]

It's a political ploy... The fix is already in... The TPWD Commission is a horribly biased politically motivated. Bowfishers are not an organized bunch and put little effort to get organized. We tried it back when the first round of gator gar surveys and public meetings were done and also when TPWD allowed bowfishing catfish on a trial basis... The organized BASS folks and CCA folks just shot these efforts down by overwhelming the commission. When the gator gar regulations were instituted, they were based on population data and rivers such as the Missouri, Ohio and Mississippi... Little to no data from the Trinity, Neches, or Sabine was available nor did they attempt to gather it before acting... They did not listen one bit to the participants of the surveys nor the speakers at the public meetings... It was made on emotion and the fact that folks not familiar with the gator gar other than the fact that guides that were formerly Bass guides on the lakes could get BIG bucks guiding people to catch a dinosaur... The commission made their decisions based on what BASS and CCA folks told them to do... Same thing will happen this time... there will be no bowfishing for gator gar when the new regs are issued... mark my word on this! I hope I'm wrong, but if I was a bettin' man, I'd bet I'm right.

I did fill out the extended version of the survey for what it's worth... gotta do what we can...

[bullets13]

I wouldn’t mind seeing them limit it to sustenance hunting only. Essentially killing them because it’s fun, with no intention of eating them doesn’t really sit well with me. If you’re not wasting them, I don’t care how you take them. But I don’t think that gar, an integral part of our ecosystem, should be used as fertilizer. Carp, on the other hand, do what you want with them.

[Landrover]

I think that a stamp and yearly limit is soon to come.

I have that same feeling also!

IMO they should have a slot limit and a 1 per year trophy permits. They are over harvesting in some areas

Could be factually correct, thus they need to look at each waterway and make decisions on the ground...………..not overall like Charlie noted below!

It's a political ploy... The fix is already in... The TPWD Commission is a horribly biased politically motivated. Bowfishers are not an organized bunch and put little effort to get organized. We tried it back when the first round of gator gar surveys and public meetings were done and also when TPWD allowed bowfishing catfish on a trial basis... The organized BASS folks and CCA folks just shot these efforts down by overwhelming the commission. When the gator gar regulations were instituted, they were based on population data and rivers such as the Missouri, Ohio and Mississippi... Little to no data from the Trinity, Neches, or Sabine was available nor did they attempt to gather it before acting... They did not listen one bit to the participants of the surveys nor the speakers at the public meetings... It was made on emotion and the fact that folks not familiar with the gator gar other than the fact that guides that were formerly Bass guides on the lakes could get BIG bucks guiding people to catch a dinosaur... The commission made their decisions based on what BASS and CCA folks told them to do... Same thing will happen this time... there will be no bowfishing for gator gar when the new regs are issued... mark my word on this! I hope I'm wrong, but if I was a bettin' man, I'd bet I'm right.

I did fill out the extended version of the survey for what it's worth... gotta do what we can...

Charlie I know you and Steve were all over that issue back then. I plan to jump in the fray this time...……..as I noted on the extended version! I was hoping to see something from TBA (Texas Bowfishing Association)…….they may have stepped into the fray but I have not seen anything.

[Draco]

What ever they do, I'm sure it will cost sportsmen money, make TPWD money and not work. You didn't notice TPWD do away with the white wing stamp when their perceived problem with white winged doves evaporated into thin air. It just became a turkey stamp.

[Etxnoodler]

If we truely wanted what is best for the fishery, we would let TPWD fisheries biologists make the decisions. Not commissioners or public opinion. They know what is actually going on. when others get involved self interests bias people’s opinions. Like most other fish species there would be statewide limits, then where needed diffrent limits on bodies of water that can handle more or less fishing.