New Bowfishing Regulation Passes: 1 gar per day limit

[RiverRat1]

I think it's a good decision.. At the same time I know it sucks for bowfishermen who target them.

I have personally seen the HUGE decline in big gar on the Nueces so I know it will do good at certain places.

[Hot4huntin]

Where did these numbers come from. they are vastly different than the ones I got. According to TBA president and other members that were at the meeting yesterday, and statistics from the local meetings that I attended, the public was 10 to 1 against the regulations. Yesterday 79 people spoke at the meetings voicing their opposition to the gar regulations and 2, I repeat 2 voiced support for the regulations.

This regulation was proposed from personal desire and opinion of only a couple of the commissioners and with absolutely NO research from Texas waters. All their research they cited was from waters up north of here like the upper Mississippi and Illinois watersheds... that's like putting a 1 fish/day limit on walleyes in the great lakes because the walleye population in the Angelina river is gone...

We have a bunch of appointed IDIOTS for commissioners that are running the TPWD, and they don't have to answer to anyone... look at the ascenine rules they set last year... no restrictions on draw weight... etc. I believe we need to write our legislators and the governor and raise a stink about this... TPWD used to base their regulations on increasing the outdoors opportunities for all sportsmen, conserve the resources of the state, and make decisions based on sound scientific research and data (heck it is in their motto/mission statement right on the backs of their business cards and on their web site), but not any more!

Ok, I'm off my soapbox now...

Charlie~You can do an open record request online and get the records from all of the meetings.

TPWD Open Records Request Procedures

Open Records Request Email~ open.records@tpwd.state.tx.us

[Javelin]

Can you tell the difference in a big long nose and small alligator gar under the water?
Maybe some people can, but I've been shooting gar for almost 40 years and I think it is impossible for all practical purposes. Sure, given enough time, light, and expertise it is possible to discern among the species - but are you willing to bet your $$$, your bow and your boat that you will make the ID correctly every time? Here are pictures of the 4 gar species: see if you think you could tell them apart while they are swimming, in murky water, at night?

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/alg/

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/lng/

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/sng/

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild...es/spottedgar/[/QUOTE]

I am not a bow fisherman, I have lots of friends who are and I would like to just never have the time. I can tell the difference though most of the time. I see gar all the time while bass fishing and I can almost always identify them as longnose or spotted gar. To me the alligator gars nose is much wider than the others making it distingquishable, I am no expert though. Its kinda like deer hunting, deer hunters take the time to age deer before shooting so why not class gar before you shoot

[Javelin]

So let me get this straight...TP&W is putting a limit on the largest predator that eats their prize revenue generating game fish for a living?......

That's almost as good as the Feds protecting water turkeys/comorants.....

I do not know where the info is, but I am pretty sure tons of studies have shown gator gar have no statistical influence on largemouth bass populations, they tend to eat smaller things even the big ones

[tipps]

What a bunch of nonsense. Great, we have another rule to follow when we bowfish. There was no reasoning behind them not allowing us to shoot catfish a year ago, and I'm somewhat confused on why they'd even want to regulate the gar population or their size, whether it's gator, needlenose, or spotted. They're still a 'rough' fish (trash) and last time I looked anything in that category was a detriment to the water they resided. It's not about not being able to shoot other fish either. It's the principle of the matter, that every year another restriction comes out and eventually it will be out of hand. Guess we need to be quiet and act like none of us care for the sport, because evidently with popularity comes law.

[Landrover]

So let me get this straight...TP&W is putting a limit on the largest predator that eats their prize revenue generating game fish for a living?......

That's almost as good as the Feds protecting water turkeys/comorants.....

That is sooooo funny it is actually shocking! I guess when the precious bass numbers decline they will pay us to get rid of the alligator gar! Heck, we could transfer about a gizzillion from southeast Louisiana if they really feel like there is a shortage!

[Thwackmaster]

There went the bowfishing tournaments

[Hogwild76]

Gar

Its because an avg 200# gar is over 20 years old and seeing that no one takes the small ones we could wipe them off the map in less then 30 years, i would like my kids to have a chance to bow fish big gar so if that means i can only take one, so be it and as hunters we should support this 100%

[Smart]

I do not know where the info is, but I am pretty sure tons of studies have shown gator gar have no statistical influence on largemouth bass populations, they tend to eat smaller things even the big ones

LMAO.....bass and crappie aren't born at 14 inches.

[Smart]

That is sooooo funny it is actually shocking! I guess when the precious bass numbers decline they will pay us to get rid of the alligator gar! Heck, we could transfer about a gizzillion from southeast Louisiana if they really feel like there is a shortage!

.....if you fished or bowfished outside of DJs invite I would take this post seriously.....

[AgHntr10]

LMAO.....bass and crappie aren't born at 14 inches.

kinda what I was thinking

[Boomerang]

I have caught white bass and hybrids where gars are thick and about 1/3 of the fish had bloody bite marks across their backs. Some of the hybrids were about 19" long with bite marks, so from my observations the gars do eat a lot of fish.

Then you have the birds...

[Smart]

.....if you fished or bowfished outside of DJs invite I would take this post seriously.....

Landrover....please disregard this post....I am not sure why, but I was thinking you were somebody else that posted your comment above ....hence the sarcastic comment about DJ who is a friend of mine and his...... .

Still don't agree with your comment but my comment was meant for somebody else.

[Tmag]

I can't believe there were only and exactly 400 comments on this. How many TBH members are there? As easy as it is to go on line http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ and comment on these proposals. With over 9,000 TBH members this number is way too low. Maybe in the future we can become a larger voice when we unite and respond.

[arrowsmack324]

I can't believe there were only and exactly 400 comments on this. How many TBH members are there? As easy as it is to go on line http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ and comment on these proposals. With over 9,000 TBH members this number is way too low. Maybe in the future we can become a larger voice when we unite and respond.

Thats assuming we all agree. Good luck with that Sir...