With the season opener just a week away, there probably isn't a better time to throw around the fire, the mistakes that hunters most often make in regards to hunting regulations.

Here are a few that I've learned from speaking with TPWD officers and other sources.

Please add your own thoughts and comments as well.

1. Not properly tagging deer.

One officer even told me about a hunter who had used a turkey tag on his deer. Remember too that information must be completed on both the license and tag. AND REMEMBER TO CUT OUT COMPLETELY, THE DAY AND MONTH ON THE TAG.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/licenses/public/dont_get_tagged/index.phtml


2. Using both a tag and permit to tag a deer.

You don't need to use a tag from your license if you have a managed lands permit. Depending on the number of permits you have available, this can significantly increase your bag limit.


3. Hunting alone with a deferral.

A deferral does not permit a person, even somone 17 or older, to hunt alone. The general rule of thumb is that ANYONE who is required to have hunter education, cannot hunt alone until they have taken the course.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/hunter_education/required.phtml#deferral


4. Parents who carry the license of their child or spouse.

Simply put, you don't want to be caught carrying two licenses while hunting alone.


5. Loaded gun in a vehicle.

The safety issues alone should make this one a non-brainer. Besides, road and night hunting is always a serious problem facing TPWD officers, and a serious threat to honest sportsmen.


6. Sharing meat with another hunter without a completed Wildlife Resource Document.

Anyone who has ever watched TPWD officers check a vehicle work knows full well, they ALWAYS check the ice chests. If you're transporting deer meat, you need to have either a properly tagged animal, or a completed Wildlife Resource Document. You can find one on page 93 of the TPWD Outdoor Annual. Or, just use the link that appears on the page below to print several copies and keep them handy.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/general/transfer/

I would like to see the reg that states I can not carry my wife's license.

Simply put...you may not possess two valid licenses. That could be considered prima facea evidence that you intend to hunt from another's tag.

I can't agree more with the safety issue here, we only load firearms once in the blind and unload them before leaving the blind. However, I'm not aware of a regulation in Texas that prohibits a law abiding citizen from carrying a loaded gun in a vehicle.

In the TPWD Outdoor annual.

Page 19, In bold, Personal identification.
While hunting, fishing or trapping, persons 17 years of age or older must carry on their person a driver’s license or personal identification certificate issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Page 21. Texas resident.
It is unlawful to:
• hunt or fish without a valid license, or a permit and stamp endorsement on your person and available for inspection by a game warden, unless exempt by age, program or a reciprocal agreement with another state.
• use another person’s license or tag to hunt or fish.
• let someone else hunt or fish with your license or tags.

Plus what stinger13 said.

This is one that I expected and hoped for some good discussion.

While you can carry a loaded firearm in your vehicle, to carry a loaded hunting rifle or shotgun opens up another can of worms.

I'll let others take the issue from here.

What is the point of not having your gun loaded if you are hunting? Keep your finger out of the trigger gaurd and you have nothing to worry about.

I carry my sons license, I dont hunt off of it but, He would probally lose it or forget it if I didnt carry it. I never thought of the legality of this. I believe it should be ok as long as he is with me.

If you clean and quarter the deer, put it in the ice chest, do you have to carry the head with you ?

Mike9582, I make my daughter carry hers at all times, but when the hunt is over, she gives it to me for safe keeping until we go out again. I keep close tabs on it, and remind her that its her responsibility to maintain her license.

She forgot it a week or so ago when we went dove hunting, I had it, but didn't tell her. so I asked her when we got there if she had ammo, and license. she started to panic, I told her no license, no hunting and let that stew for a while. Then I let her off the hook

The regulation says "use another person's license" or "let someone else hunt or fish with your license or tags". I carry my younger sons license with me at all times. I have been checked several times when he was not with me and simply told the GW that it was my sons license. I have never been ticketed, warned or scolded for it.

I have my own license as well and I am not "using his license or tag" - just carrying it. That wording is not clear! I would really like to know what the official take on that regulation is!!??

I find the wording quite vague as well.

That being said, I don't understand what the problem - in most cases these are parents carrying their kids license with them. Most youngsters I know aren't responsible enough to keep track of a license, let alone a wallet to put it in.

i have a shotgun in the pickup everyday.
it has shells in the tube not in the chamber.

This is one of those cases where an officer can use his/her own judgement. IMO, it's best to avoid any potential conflict and have your child carry their own license.

If my kid was not responsible enough to keep up with a piece of paper, I certainly would not feel comfortable with them handling a firearm.

i keep my kids hunting license on me and have never had a problem with it. i also dont let them keep a gun on them at all times either, so it works out great!!!lol

My guns are almost always loaded, but rarely chambered with the exception of my 30-30. Never know when a coyote or hog might show it's head and I like to pop every one of either that I see.

I don't know that my 30-30 has ever been unloaded. I know it was still loaded when I put it back in my gun safe about 20 minutes ago.

Well since I am not using my wife's license but simply toting it , I plan to continue toting it for her besides she is a blonde and falls in the same category as a teenager. Yes I have been checked several times and had both licenses with me but nothing came of it.

Question?=i usually just take my deer to the processor just field dressed but this year we have bought hunting land, if i quarter a deer up and put it in a ice chest, where do i put the tag at when transferring to my home? do i just tape/tie the tag on the ice chest? or directly to a "body part" of the deer?

X2

I don't see anything vague or hard to understand.

It is unlawful to: hunt or fish without a valid license or a permit and stamp endorsement on your person and available for inspection by a game warden, unless exempt by age, program or a reciprocal agreement with another state.

Starting on the bottom of page 59 with "Proof of sex" through page 61 covers all that.

Download the 2010 - 11 Summary of hunting and fishing regulations in pdf form by clicking here.

thanks Rustler.

Dan can you please post the regulation that states that a person cannot transport a loaded firearm (hunting rifle, shotgun) in their vehicle. I have heard this several times but have never seen it in writing.

I know its not in the penal code so it must be somewhere in the game laws.