Somerville 21-22

[Beargrasstx]

Good luck

[txhunt7]

a topic I should probably ask a game warden, Does anyone every carry a handgun when hunting ? Does anyone know of anyone who has seen a mountain lion or tracks in the 711 WMA ?

[JustinInATX]

I mentioned this to @rem788 I saw the big cat up in a tree last night. Scared the **** out of me. It jumped from one tree to another as I was climbing down from mine. It was easily 80lbs or so. It being there explained why I saw zero anything during my sit. Tonight my big buck came out on camera right under my stand chasing a doe but I passed going out after last night. Might go again tomorrow.

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[rem788]

a topic I should probably ask a game warden, Does anyone every carry a handgun when hunting ? Does anyone know of anyone who has seen a mountain lion or tracks in the 711 WMA ?

You cannot carry a handgun on the WMA. Seems kinda stupid to me since we got out and stalk pigs which gets you in tight quarters with them and nowhere to go. At least with a handgun you could scare them off instead of getting run over by a sow with piglets. Same goes for tracking a wounded boar.


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[Pretengineer]

You cannot carry a handgun on the WMA. Seems kinda stupid to me since we got out and stalk pigs which gets you in tight quarters with them and nowhere to go. At least with a handgun you could scare them off instead of getting run over by a sow with piglets. Same goes for tracking a wounded boar.


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I’ve always carried one and all the GWs that have stopped me haven’t said anything about it.


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[rem788]

I’ve always carried one and all the GWs that have stopped me haven’t said anything about it.


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I’d like to carry one and maybe I’m misunderstanding the rules and regulations for the WMA then. The rules says possession of a loaded firearm is not allowed on person or in vehicle on the WMA, then define a loaded firearm as having a chambered round so maybe it’s not an issue as long as there isn’t a round chambered.


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[JustinInATX]

It is legal if you have a license on state managed wmas to carry but you must still abide by the hunting regulations and means allowed. If you wind up shooting a big cat you would probably have to prove you were actually defending yourself and not hunting it with the firearm.

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[rem788]

It is legal if you have a license on state managed wmas to carry but you must still abide by the hunting regulations and means allowed. If you wind up shooting a big cat you would probably have to prove you were actually defending yourself and not hunting it with the firearm.

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I think it’s different than regular WMA’s because it’s Army corps of Engineers land. I’d check with the new Game Warden just to be sure.


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[Beargrasstx]

From the GW in Somerville.... if you want his info, pm me
"Your able to carry a firearm (pistol) but needs to be holstered. You can't hunt with it. This does not apply to corp of engineer land.

Orange needs to be worn if they are hunting anything other than migratory birds. If you are hunting ducks/dove then you don't need to wear it but would recommend wearing it until your in your spot since other people are still archery hunting. Citation will be given if your caught hunting and not wearing it."

[Beargrasstx]

https://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/la..._2020_2021.pdf
Link to

10. Are there weapons and/or means and methods restrictions on public hunting
areas?
The “Means and Methods” restrictions as required under state law apply to all
Corps of Engineers hunting areas with the following additional requirements:
a. Hunting or shooting within 600 feet of homes, developed parks, roads, fishing
piers or platforms, farm and ranch yards, outlet structures, emergency spillways, or
other areas is prohibited unless otherwise stated or posted.
b. Pistols are prohibited.

c. Buckshot (any shot size large than #2 shot) is prohibited anywhere on
government property. Buckshot is prohibited due to increased public safety concerns.
Shotguns with rifled slugs are allowed when hunting deer and feral hogs except at those
lakes which restrict deer and feral hog hunting to archery only.
d. Crossbows may be used in accordance with state law when hunting deer and
feral hogs unless prohibited at specific lakes.
e. Muzzleloaders: Muzzle-loading shotguns may be used at any lake which allows
the use of a conventional legal shotgun as defined by state law. Muzzle-loading rifles
may be used only at Lake O’ the Pines, Town Bluff, Sam Rayburn, and Wright Patman
Lakes as stated in the Lake Information section of this guide.
f. The use of conventional center-fire or rim-fire rifles is prohibited at all lakes,
except Lake O’ The Pines and Wright Patman Lake as stated in the Lake Information
section of this guide.
g. The use of pellet, BB, or any other type of air gun is prohibited at all lakes.
h. Archery equipment for bow fishing must comply with TPWD regulations
https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/o...ng-regulations and will not take place within 600 feet of homes, developed parks,
roads, farm and ranch yards, outlet structures, emergency spillways, or other areas.

[rem788]

https://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/la..._2020_2021.pdf
Link to

10. Are there weapons and/or means and methods restrictions on public hunting
areas?
The “Means and Methods” restrictions as required under state law apply to all
Corps of Engineers hunting areas with the following additional requirements:
a. Hunting or shooting within 600 feet of homes, developed parks, roads, fishing
piers or platforms, farm and ranch yards, outlet structures, emergency spillways, or
other areas is prohibited unless otherwise stated or posted.
b. Pistols are prohibited.

c. Buckshot (any shot size large than #2 shot) is prohibited anywhere on
government property. Buckshot is prohibited due to increased public safety concerns.
Shotguns with rifled slugs are allowed when hunting deer and feral hogs except at those
lakes which restrict deer and feral hog hunting to archery only.
d. Crossbows may be used in accordance with state law when hunting deer and
feral hogs unless prohibited at specific lakes.
e. Muzzleloaders: Muzzle-loading shotguns may be used at any lake which allows
the use of a conventional legal shotgun as defined by state law. Muzzle-loading rifles
may be used only at Lake O’ the Pines, Town Bluff, Sam Rayburn, and Wright Patman
Lakes as stated in the Lake Information section of this guide.
f. The use of conventional center-fire or rim-fire rifles is prohibited at all lakes,
except Lake O’ The Pines and Wright Patman Lake as stated in the Lake Information
section of this guide.
g. The use of pellet, BB, or any other type of air gun is prohibited at all lakes.
h. Archery equipment for bow fishing must comply with TPWD regulations
https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/o...ng-regulations and will not take place within 600 feet of homes, developed parks,
roads, farm and ranch yards, outlet structures, emergency spillways, or other areas.

Thank you sir!


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[Beargrasstx]

Possibly where things get fuzzy...This is COE land but is licensed by TPWD and the rules, regulations are by TPWD. So the wearing orange rules are set by TPWD out there, so shouldn't the pistol law be the same as TPWD vs COE? I am working on getting this cleared up

I mentioned this to the game warden with screen shots of the COE page so we will see what he states but he already said no pistols and wear orange year round if archery hunting. Hopefully he will reply back and I will share what he states. As of now, all we can say is that pistols are illegal and must wear orange. He is the GW over our area and so guys that have had a previous GW tell them something different, well you are taking an unnecessary risk now by carrying a pistol etc.


Somerville Lake / Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) / Somerville WMA
14222 Park Road 57 Counties: Burleson / Lee
Somerville, Texas 77879-6418 Acreage: 3,180 acres
(979) 535-7763 Corps Permit: Not Required

https://tpwd.texas.gov/

Administration: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Legal Game: As published in the Texas Outdoor Annual for these counties.
General: Wildlife management and hunting lands on this portion of the project are
licensed to TPWD as part of their Public Hunting Lands Program. For hunting
information on this area please write or call TPWD at:
22
Public Hunting
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, Texas 78744-3218
(800) 792-1112 (512) 389-4800

[JustinInATX]

This is dumb. A lot of this is misinterpretation of the law on their part. Remember they don't make it, and often law enforcement doesn't apply it correctly. This clause is under means which which is in reference to the weapon utilized for hunting.

Would be interesting to see how that would shake out in court. I certainly agree it has no place for hunting, but self defense - Absolutely! I mean in that case I might as well pack one of my foldable AR-15s in my bag just in case. Then I just have a rifle technically.

Too many laws. I am a concealed carry instructor and this is stupid confusing.

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[Beargrasstx]

So here is the wearing orange clarification, TPWD book page xi

Hunter Orange
• fails to visibly wear at least 400 square inches of hunter
orange material with orange headwear and at least
144 square inches appearing on both chest and back
during daylight hours at times when hunting with firearms is
permitted. Exempt from these requirements are: (1) authorized department personnel and landowner employees, (2)
persons hunting turkey or migratory game birds, (3) persons
within the enclosed passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, (4) persons within a designated campground, designated
vehicle parking area, designated boat launching facility or
departmental check station, and (5) persons other than
hunters on COE properties.
NOTICE TO ARCHERY HUNTERS
AND RECREATIONAL USERS:
You must wear hunter orange during daylight hours at any
time when firearm hunting for any species is authorized on
the unit. Many units allow firearm hunting year-round for
rabbits, and firearm hunts for squirrel and dove often are
conducted concurrently with archery deer hunts.

[Beargrasstx]

This is dumb. A lot of this is misinterpretation of the law on their part. Remember they don't make it, and often law enforcement doesn't apply it correctly. This clause is under means which which is in reference to the weapon utilized for hunting.

Would be interesting to see how that would shake out in court. I certainly agree it has no place for hunting, but self defense - Absolutely! I mean in that case I might as well pack one of my foldable AR-15s in my bag just in case. Then I just have a rifle technically.

Too many laws. I am a concealed carry instructor and this is stupid confusing.

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Funny you say that...He did reveal that "constitutional carry" law is changing some regulations but it will take awhile for those changes to reflect in the book.

I asked there must not be a legal way to punish someone for carrying a pistol on the hip with the constitutional carry law? His response was simply, "it needs to be holstered and you will have to justify if you fire it"

So I hope all this information helps, clear as mud right? Definitely have to wear orange, year round even after March 31st when there is no shotgun hunting season and only archery pig hunting. It is the rule, no matter if we think fair or not.

The pistol thing seems to be at your own discretion with that last response and a legal nightmare for them I would imagine or you if you don't have a good justification for shots fired or proof etc. I don't know....


This stuff gives me a headache, irritating to me that these laws can't just be universal. Some areas in the state that are archery only you do not have to wear orange which is like most other states as you always see the Hunting Public or Hunting Beast guys never wear hunter orange in their ghillie suits.

It makes no sense that an archery only unit requires orange but allows duck hunters and they don't have to wear orange...Is a duck hunter going to shoot at something moving on the ground? Not in the air? is a bowhunter going to set up right next to duck hunters in a tree? Why wear hunter orange in an archery unit that does not have any shotgun or firearm season. Like Somerville for instance from March 31st to September.

None of this seems to be common sense, the GW is a really nice guy that I like and just doing his job. I am irritated with the govt employees that come up with these dumb rules that contradict themselves depending where you go.

All we want to do as hunters, is enjoy the land we pay taxes on to access and understand the rules clear as day. This is getting too complicated