New Law must Read !!!

[Texas Grown]

From what I'm reading, and understanding, is the banks of rivers and streams are included. Does this mean landowners will be required to follow this law also? So ranches that border a river will have to use a shotgun to deer hunt on or along the banks? If so, it's going to make a whole lot more landowners unhappy.

[gonehuntin]

From what I'm reading, and understanding, is the banks of rivers and streams are included. Does this mean landowners will be required to follow this law also? So ranches that border a river will have to use a shotgun to deer hunt on or along the banks? If so, it's going to make a whole lot more landowners unhappy.

Makes sense to me they would have to follow the law as written. I know they hate kayakers in front of their property.

[SCHC]

From what I'm reading, and understanding, is the banks of rivers and streams are included. Does this mean landowners will be required to follow this law also? So ranches that border a river will have to use a shotgun to deer hunt on or along the banks? If so, it's going to make a whole lot more landowners unhappy.

From my understanding, private land owners, their guests and lessees are exempt. Also exempt are public ground hunters with the proper permits/permission. Apparently this has been presented every legislative session for a number of years. Finally got traction this year.

[Texas Grown]

From my understanding, private land owners, their guests and lessees are exempt. Also exempt are public ground hunters with the proper permits/permission. Apparently this has been presented every legislative session for a number of years. Finally got traction this year.

Under what section or subsection does it say that? I'm only seeing in Section 1.04 (c) Exceptions (5a) and (5b) that releases land owners or their agents to dispatch venomous snakes and nonindigious animals.

There will be a few amendments to this bill in the future.

[Sasqy]

Great !
now I need a deer lease.

[marshman]

So how far from the bank do you have to be? If I launch my boat and hunt on public land how far inland would you have to go? I’ve hunted some public land that I accessed by boat and hunted within 15-20 yards from the water.

[jnd1959]

This will affect some gator hunters and methods used.

I wonder what this will do to the public draw gator hunts. Those require a 22, if I recall, for dispatch.

Edit: Oops. Didn't read far enough. Thanks TG.

[bigchiefj]

I wonder what this will do to the public draw gator hunts. Those require a 22, if I recall, for dispatch.

Edit: Oops. Didn't read far enough. Thanks TG.

All the drawn alligator hunts require a shotgun for dispatch.

This law won't affect any alligator hunting because a shotgun with shot is still allowed.

[jnd1959]

All the drawn alligator hunts require a shotgun for dispatch.

This law won't affect any alligator hunting because a shotgun with shot is still allowed.

Thanks. I was thinking it was .22. Makes more sense with a shotgun.

[C.Read]

So how far from the bank do you have to be? If I launch my boat and hunt on public land how far inland would you have to go? I’ve hunted some public land that I accessed by boat and hunted within 15-20 yards from the water.

The way it reads to me is you can't be on the actual bank. Once you step off your boat and into the wood line you are technically in the woods and not on the river bank.

[Texas Grown]

There's a provision/exception for gator hunting.

I'll get back on the distance from a bank you have to be when I get more time. I did run across that.

[Texas Grown]

So how far from the bank do you have to be? If I launch my boat and hunt on public land how far inland would you have to go? I’ve hunted some public land that I accessed by boat and hunted within 15-20 yards from the water.

This was one of my concerns as well. As I sometimes do the same thing on some public lands. Here is the law as it reads:

Sec. 1.014

62.014 (b)

Except as provided by Subsection (c) [(d)], a person
	may not discharge a firearm or shoot an arrow from any kind of bow
	if:
	(1) the person is located in or on the bed or bank of a
	navigable river or stream at the time the firearm is discharged or
	the arrow is shot from the bow; or
	(2) any portion of the ammunition discharged or arrow
	shot could physically contact the bed or bank of a navigable river
	or stream.

My comment: The key word in part (2) is "could". As to archery equipment, my thoughts are if your arrow can land or hit the bank, then you're not far enough away. If it's a rifle, pistol, or shotgun with slug, then the same would apply. But I would think that common sense and reason would also dictate that a peace officer would reason that if you're not within 100 yards and shooting towards the bank or "navigable river or stream", then they probably would not pursue it as an offense. But it could be possible that such could be pursued.

And like I said earlier, my personal opinion is this bill is going to have some amendments added to it to compensate for landowners, the public, and our court system. This bill was to protect just a select group of landowner(s). And not thinking about landowners in whole with other interest. I'm no attorney, or officer of the law in any form. This is just my personal opinion and observation.

[Texas Grown]

This could affect some of the draw hunts as well. I got drawn for a hunt last season in a State Park where my backdrop was over the Guadalupe River. The river it's self was less than 200 yards away.

[bossbowman]

Crap, I stand to lose some hunting ground over this. I'm sure others exploited this as well but it was for the most part kept on the down-low.

[bigchiefj]

If you're a landowner or have proper authorization to hunt private land, you don't have to worry about this law and hunting too close, or in, the river. Are you going to call the law on yourself?

This law was specifically created to put a stop to deer hunting in the public land of the riverbed. Unless you want to get close with buckshot.

I'm sure there's been a few instances with trespassing, but the state took this away from all of us because of a few people that choose not to follow the rules.