Seguin lawmaker proposes help for blind hunters
Bill would allow laser sights on guns
By A.J. Bauer
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Tuesday, December 12, 2006

No state law restricts the hunting rights of people who are blind or visually impaired. There are, however, laws prohibiting the use of "beams of light" to aid a hunter.

State Rep. Edmund Kuempel, R-Seguin, wants to change that. He has filed a bill that would allow hunters who are legally blind to use laser sighting devices, as long as they are accompanied by a person who is not visually impaired and abide by the usual time and seasonal restrictions.

Such devices project a beam of laser light on an animal, allowing a seeing person to better direct a hunter where to aim.

Kuempel said that laser beams would give seeing hunters an "unfair advantage" but that such devices would make hunting "a whole new ballgame" for the visually impaired.

"This opens up the fun of hunting to additional people, and I think that's great," said Kuempel, who filed House Bill 308 late last month.

Steve Hall, director of hunter and boater education for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said that as long as people who are visually impaired take the mandatory hunter education class and obtain a license, there is nothing legally stopping them from going out on their own.

"But we've never had a case where someone with a visual impairment would want to hunt alone anyway," Hall said.

He said that the department has printed some of its educational materials in Braille and that it can fully accommodate any physical disability.

And while Hall said he can "count on one hand" the number of times he has witnessed a hunter who was visually impaired, he said the experience was emotionally rewarding to both the hunters and himself.

"They all took game, as I remember," Hall said.

Kuempel said he has yet to meet with groups that advocate for the visually impaired to talk about the bill but plans to do so soon. Tommy Craig, president of the National Federation for the Blind in Texas, said he had not heard of the legislation and did not anticipate his group issuing a formal opinion on such a measure.

Glenda Born, who works as an assistant technology specialist with the state's Division for Blind Services, said she thinks there are more important matters that need to be addressed.

"I personally think it's a little off the wall," said Born, who is blind.

The Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, under which Born works, had no official comment. Spokesman Glenn Neil said the department does not comment on pending legislation.

Kuempel said 15 states allow people who are blind or visually impaired to use laser sights, and he doesn't want Texas to lag behind.

"I talked to some people who were talking about legally blind people hunting, and I checked, and, lo and behold, other states already had it," Kuempel said. "So I said, 'It sounds like a good thing for the State of Texas and its people who are legally blind.' "

Find this article at:
http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/outdoors/12/12/12blindhunt.html 

Hunting in Texas from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

I have never hunted during muzzle loader season and don't understand some of the terminology, but if I understand it correctly, breech muzzle loading firearms are not classified as a muzzle loader authorized for use during deer season in Texas.

If someone understands and can clarify the wording and terminology used to define a muzzle loading firearm, please contribute to either affirm my thoughts or correct them.

Means and Methods - Firearms

Danny,

Five things I hope will help:

First, getting a lease usually takes time.  Get to know the people who interact with ranchers like foresters, wildlife biologists (TPWD or otherwise), ag salesmen, or even oilfield landmen.

Second, unless you have deep pockets you'll probably fill a slot on an existing lease.  Get to know those guys as much as you can before you sign.  I've had real good success hunting with others on leases, but as many on this board will attest to there are some real horror stories because everyone is not as ethical or safe as you'd like.  Expect to pay about $1,500/gun minimum for a decent place.  There are exceptions, but generally speaking its not going to be cheap.

Third, since the cost is so high most leases in Texas are overhunted.  Find out how big the lease is and how many hunters will be on the lease, what the bag limits are, and what the guest policies are.  Before I signed I'd call the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists and get his opinion on the hunting pressure.  What works with hunter density in ETX usually will not work in WTX.

Fourth, I'd also get Google Earth or some other capacity to look at the lease to see what's around it as far as water, cover, topography, and the size of offset ranches.  Sometimes a smaller lease next to a big ranch is a real honey hole.  But, these days with high fencing and the like those are few and far between.

Last, there are a number of guys that hunt public land on this site, but most of those are bow hunters.  I wouldn't hunt there with a gun though - at least for the first week of the season, and around Thanksgiving.

Welcome to Texas, Im asuming the big D is Dallas. If so check out http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/index.htm This is COE Corps of engineer land web site Dallas Fort Worth district. I personally dont hunt leases, now days it seem permission to hunt private is hard to get ( although I did just get permission to hunt 100 acres of private land after 4 years of keeping up fences).We have had good hunting on COE land. Some you have to pay a permit Some you dont. Benbrook Lake 1400 acres bow only,Grapevine Lake2300 acres,Lavon Lake 6500 acres (bow only feral hogs),Lewisville Lake8000acres (feral hog bow only). Hope this helps you get started. (Lake Ray Roberts 11811 acres  no permit required  All legal game as published in the Texas Outdoor Annual for these counties). For hunting info call TPWD 800-792-1112 ( Texas Parks and Wildlife Department). Rob

I FOR ONE HAVE NEVER TRAVELED THE DEVELS RIVER BUT WOULD LOVE TO. I HAVE KNOWN A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE AND ALL HAVE TOLD ME OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE LAND OWNERS. SOME HAVE EVEN BEEN THREATENED BY THEM. THAT SAID, I FOR ONE DO NOT APPROVE OF THIS "SWEETHEART DEAL". NOT WHEN THE DEPARTMENT CANNOT EVEN PAY IT'S BILLS TODAY. THE LAND OWNERS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CLOSE THIS AND OTHER AREAS TO PUBLIC ACCESS FOR YEARS. NATION WIDE THE PUBLIC ACCESS TO RIVERS IS FAST COMMING TO A HALT. THIS DEPARTMENT SHOULD AS STATED, TRY TO BE OPENING AND MAINTAINING MORE PUBLIC ACCESS FOR ALL OF US, NOT JUST TO THIER BUDDIES. OBSEEN

What's up, fellow hillbilly!! I am also from West (By God) Virginia brought to Texas by the military.  I'm from Fairview, WV in Marion County near Fairmont.  Brother, hunting in Texas is nothing like hunting in WV as far as people letting you on their land for free.  It's commercialized here and people pay a ton of money to hunt here.  I come from an area where farmers welcome you with hot coffee and breakfast, but here it’ll cost the hunter.  From my experience in Texas, landowners in general are stingy compared to the sharing landowners of WV.  I may upset a few Texans here and I apologize, but that’s the way it seems to me. Not all landowners here are stingy though; some are actually are fantastic folks.  You can read my post about the Texas Hunting costs that I posted last November.  You can read some of the comments for more info.  http://www.texashuntfish.com/app/forum/27190/Texas-hunting-costs-/Texas-Hunting-Texas-Deer-Hunting

You can obtain a free hunting/fishing license for being in the military. Here’s a link for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.  TPWD is the same as the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR).  http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/general/licenses/index.phtml#combo

They have public hunting land available for hunting and other opportunities on the TPWD website.  You may be able to hunt on military installations too.  I know people who hunt on Ft. Hood, but I’m not sure exactly how that works. http://www.hoodmwr.com/sportsmenscenter.htm

I wish I had land for you to hunt on, but I don’t.  I just bought my first lease this year, but it’s only available for my family.  I apologize that I can't help you. Hopefully you’ll find a true patriot on TexasHuntFish.com who will let you on his/her land or lease for a day or two.

 Thanks for your service, brother! Go Mountaineers!!

There are two governing bodies when talking about hunting on National Forest Lands.  First, you must follow all of the rules and regulations set forth by Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.  Second, and in addtion to TPWD, you must follow the the additional restricitions in place set forth by Federal Govertment.

Those guidelines are posted at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/texas/recreation/hunting.shtml

About half way down the page, there is "How To Recognize National Forest Land".

There is much information at the federal web site including detailed maps that are different than the maps you will see on the TWPD web site.

Another subject covered is how to obtain Anterless Deer Permits from the USFS.

By doing a little research, anyone with half a brain can find out "All you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask" about the Wildlife Management Areas within the state of Texas.

Steve Spence 

Colby, some of what Scott has posted is his own fear. I researched the problem at TPWD and below is  a copy and paste all in red is from their website

NUISANCE FUR-BEARING ANIMALS

Landowners or their agents may take nuisance fur-bearing animals in any number by any means at any time on that person's land without the need for a hunting or trapping license. However, fur-bearing animals or their pelts taken for these purposes may not be retained or possessed by anyone at any time except licensed trappers during the lawful open season and possession periods.

Nuisance fur-bearing animals may be captured and relocated if the person has received authorization from the department and the owner of the property where the release will occur. A monthly report is required and must be submitted to the department on number and kind of fur-bearers captured, location of release site, name and address of person authorized to release.

it seems easier to kill them than relocate them and that is ass backwards.

any time by any means seems clear enough, because it is your personal property!