TPWD Commissioners Propose Youth Rifle Season for the Month of October

[traildust]

Originally Posted by DoubleJ

At least we have generated some conversation on this topic and obviously some of us are very passionate about our opinions. Beleg covered it very well and pretty much sums up our position. The LSBA supports the youth of this state and have for years. Our booth at the TPW Expo has consistently been the most popular youth shooting event. We put the bow in the hands of over 7000 kids every year statewide. I will challenge anyone who questions our committment to youth hunters.

I also know for a fact, I was there, that the Commission used youth and women as their excuse for eliminating the minimum draw weight earlier this year not scientific evidence which was our recommendation. It seems to me they opened a youth archery season when they made that decision.

The following is an excerpt from TPWs Press Release regarding the upcoming public hearings:

"In response to a commission directive to seek additional opportunities for youth participation, the department is looking at extending the early youth only season to include the entire month of October and the late youth-only season by 12 days during January in selected counties to run concurrently with late antlerless and spike seasons. The intent of the proposal is to allow adults and children to hunt together during different special seasons."

Now a literal reading of the release "youth only" could mean no adult hunters without a qualifying youth. You also have to remember that in their infinite wisdom the Commission lowered the age for certification in Hunter Ed to 9. That means it is completely legal for an ARMED UNESCORTED 9 year old to be in the woods with you. Not likely but a scary thought just the same.

The LSBA could have supported the original proposal but Chairman Holt showed his true feelings about bow hunters when he issued the directive to consider the entire month of October.

If you think it will stop here then you are naive. We already have guns on MLDs in October now youth with guns in October. It's just one easy step to a General Season that runs from October thru January.

And just think we haven't even started facing the pending cross-bow issue yet but you can bet it's coming this next legislative session.

Having fun yet?

DoubleJ...Carry on..You have my support........I just renewed my membership...actually getting a family pack

[BearOmni]

Originally Posted by DoubleJ

I also know for a fact, I was there, that the Commission used youth and women as their excuse for eliminating the minimum draw weight earlier this year not scientific evidence which was our recommendation. It seems to me they opened a youth archery season when they made that decision.

Yes it does sound like a youth archery season was made. Maybe they need to be reminded of that.

The following is an excerpt from TPWs Press Release regarding the upcoming public hearings:

"In response to a commission directive to seek additional opportunities for youth participation, the department is looking at extending the early youth only season to include the entire month of October and the late youth-only season by 12 days during January in selected counties to run concurrently with late antlerless and spike seasons. The intent of the proposal is to allow adults and children to hunt together during different special seasons."

I like the last line of this. The way I see it is if they are hunting "diffrent special seasons" they should follow the rules of that season. For example, bow during oct.

The LSBA could have supported the original proposal but Chairman Holt showed his true feelings about bow hunters when he issued the directive to consider the entire month of October.

If this is true, and the chairman or any of the commissioners feel this way towards us, how do we go about removing them from their seat? Are they appointed, elected, and by whom? How long are their terms?

[LostHawg]

Didn't he refer to bowhunters as a "special interest group"?

[DoubleJ]

Yes they did Tracy. In my opinion this Commission has shown a tremendous disrespect for the 135,000 or so bowhunters of this state. They have forgotten the fact that bowhunters lobbied them to institute the Archery Stamp in exchange for our Special Archery Season. Now we are nothing more than a "Special Interest" group. Unfortunately the Commissioners are appointed by the Governor (who happens to be a bowhunter). Perhaps we need to be letting him know how we feel.

[LostHawg]

I just can't get over bowhunters willing to throw away bow season. Just doesn't make sense. What exactly is the LSBA standing up for if its not to act as a buffer to these?

On my list for tomorrow: Email the office of the Governor.

[JavelinaRuss]

Originally Posted by Bill M

Sorry JR but your experience is apparently limited making this statement. I find it curious that you keep knocking bowhunting during the Gen Season but don't mind putting the youth in the Archery Only.

I've had my say, I'm done.

Before I moved to South Texas In terms of the case that "Guns scare deer" thinking here's my observation from a 1,800 ac lease my folks and me were on not to long ago in Sutton County:

On this lease were ten hunters and only two were rifle only (my folks) the rest of us bow/rifle hunted and as such had ground blinds and tripods close to our feeding areas. Of all ten stand locations my parents stands had the most clam deer. Feeding stations were pretty much the same (two corn feeders in a small stand of cedar or oak) but the feeders with the more bowhunting going on at them the deer's head was on a swivel and the deer never seemed at ease.

The deer at my parents feeders never were skittish or jumpy, they just walked in and ate corn in peace and even stayed at the feeder when they left the area or walked back in to the feed pen a few minutes after they shot another deer. Everyone pretty much hunted the major holiday weekends and opening days and a few weekends in between so the blinds pretty much saw the same amount of hunting. it was from these observations I started putting a ground blind about 50 yds back on the major trail the deer used to my feeders and had wonderful luck bowhunting.

So my question is why are you still hunting after the archery season if it's SOOO much harder because all those rifles are going off?

[tinman]

Russ, I know you're tired of hearing about my little 198 acres in East Texas, but we haven't seen any deer at a stand since October.

Apples - Oranges

[BearOmni]

Is yes or no the only option here? How about a happy middle.

Youth's can use guns during October only on leases or ranches over 5000 acres located in a 3 buck county.


Naa, ......I still dont like it. Bow hunters have paid for the privilege of hunting in October without competition from gun hunters.
If this goes through, do yall think the archery stamp will go away?

[traildust]

JRUSS,
I know you make your living guiding, so are you thinking that if this is passes it will get more kids/parents hunting, therefore increasing YOUR workload....which in turn means more money in your pocket?... Your argument that you want kids to be able to hunt 95 days like bowhunters is invalid, because if THEY start out bowhunting, THEY can hunt the 95 days like US bowhunters. You have to crawl before you walk...Whats YOUR real agenda...personal gain?

[Bill M]

Originally Posted by JavelinaRuss

Before I moved to South Texas In terms of the case that "Guns scare deer" thinking here's my observation from a 1,800 ac lease my folks and me were on not to long ago in Sutton County:

On this lease were ten hunters and only two were rifle only (my folks) the rest of us bow/rifle hunted and as such had ground blinds and tripods close to our feeding areas. Of all ten stand locations my parents stands had the most clam deer. Feeding stations were pretty much the same (two corn feeders in a small stand of cedar or oak) but the feeders with the more bowhunting going on at them the deer's head was on a swivel and the deer never seemed at ease.

The deer at my parents feeders never were skittish or jumpy, they just walked in and ate corn in peace and even stayed at the feeder when they left the area or walked back in to the feed pen a few minutes after they shot another deer. Everyone pretty much hunted the major holiday weekends and opening days and a few weekends in between so the blinds pretty much saw the same amount of hunting. it was from these observations I started putting a ground blind about 50 yds back on the major trail the deer used to my feeders and had wonderful luck bowhunting.

So my question is why are you still hunting after the archery season if it's SOOO much harder because all those rifles are going off?

To answer your question, because it's legal and after 40 years of being strictly a gun hunter, I prefer bowhunting for the past 6 years. Your above experiences don't begin to speak to the small acreage bow hunter in Texas. I could give you my experiences but I won't bother, it wouldn't matter to you.

I have to wonder why someone that would do away with archery only season bothers to come to bow hunting websites. Make no mistake, October youth season WOULD do away with the archery season.

Originally Posted by traildust

JRUSS,
I know you make your living guiding, so are you thinking that if this is passes it will get more kids/parents hunting, therefore increasing YOUR workload....which in turn means more money in your pocket?... Your argument that you want kids to be able to hunt 95 days like bowhunters is invalid, because if THEY start out bowhunting, THEY can hunt the 95 days like US bowhunters. You have to crawl before you walk...Whats YOUR real agenda...personal gain?

I think JR's signature speaks volumes!

"I'm all for the sport of hunting by any legal means possible........My JOB depends on it!"

[LostHawg]

I think the primary problem is the actual hunter traffic. The more human scent left in the deers "safe haven", the less safe it feels and the more likely it will lay up and/or become skittish. The sound of a gun is much akin to thunder and as far as the deer is concerned, one boom in an 8 hour period is gone and forgotten. But, when you have hunters walking the senderos, fencelines and racing their ORVs back and forth looking for a hot stand, the quicker the animals become nocturnal. The other factor is safety. A bullet can travel quite a distance; an arrow a few hundred yards. A bullet will cross "198" mighty quick and with no substantial loss in energy. Just not what you want when you're camo'd top to toe and the shooter doesn't see you sitting 200 yards across the fence. They see "deer" at 100 yards, fence 50 yards further and brush/trees as a backdrop. They don't see bowhunter sitting on a tripod amidst a liveoak crown.

And, gun hunters, pertaining to human interaction, don't have to descent as the bowhunter does, so that means more human scent in the deer's safe haven and back to the going nocturnal thing...

So, safety and shot opportunity diminish quite a bit once the mass of gun hunters enter the picture. I've got 3 kids, so instead of 1 hunter in the woods, there's 4. So, using me as a comparison, that's quite an increase.

[Bill M]

LH it's unfortunate also that many, many in the woods are unaware of the change in law back in 2005 requiring that a projectile from a firearm not be shot in a direction that would cause it to cross property lines. I find it appalling that hunters don't update themselves with the regs every year. I basically have to keep my neighbors informed. At least on the ones that can effect my safety.

[BearOmni]

Originally Posted by Bill M

LH it's unfortunate also that many, many in the woods are unaware of the change in law back in 2005 requiring that a projectile from a firearm not be shot in a direction that would cause it to cross property lines. I find it appalling that hunters don't update themselves with the regs every year. I basically have to keep my neighbors informed. At least on the ones that can effect my safety.

Does that include .22's ......at night??

Sorry I couldnt resist, its my . I'll check in this evening when I wake up.

[LostHawg]

Originally Posted by Bill M

LH it's unfortunate also that many, many in the woods are unaware of the change in law back in 2005 requiring that a projectile from a firearm not be shot in a direction that would cause it to cross property lines. I find it appalling that hunters don't update themselves with the regs every year. I basically have to keep my neighbors informed. At least on the ones that can effect my safety.

Exactly.

Omni, that's funny. The only deer that I know of my grandfather ever killing he killed with a .22 LR while he was fishing. Came and told us kids he got him an 8 point bass....

[Roscoe]

The poll on this site is great, except the part where you can vote multiple times....