Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is considering allowing suppressor use for hunting game animals. It is on the ballot for vote and will be opened up on Jan 26 for public input. Feedback can be left HERE on or after the 26th for a period of one month.

I know that there will be some nay-sayers, so hear me out. How many of you guys take ear-pro into the field when you go and sit in your blind or are on a stalk? Suppressors increase accuracy, muzzle velocity, and lessen (not silence) the sound signature of a shot. Ask anyone who has been around them, they are not "silent." For the guys who think poachers are using them...think again. It takes too long to get a suppressor, $200 tax per, and a person is inherently law abiding if they own one. Why would a guy go to all of that trouble to poach game? The animals will still no that a shot went off if they are shot at and missed. It is basically hearing protection for a hunter that won't be left in the truck.


We are afforded the right to purchase suppressors in Texas and hunt hogs, varmints, predators, and other non-game animals, so why not game animals? I am glad that TPWD got this right. I hope that everyone will support the removal of the regulation and leave positive comments on their website.

If you are still not a believer, PM me and I will be happy to take you out and let you shoot.

Scott

Would be great. I was just comriplating one, but leaning toward not. That way I could hunt with rifle if I wanted. This would solve that.

While I don't own a suppressor, I would fully support TPWD making them lawful for game animals. We put mufflers on everything else that can damage our hearing.

I have heard about this, but I have not found where they are even considering it. I looked at the link and didn't see anything. Maybe I missed it.

I would support it. I should have my suppressor in a few months....

I have done business with Scott, SilencedAmerica, and he is a stand up guy with no BS. HE shoots you straight and has prices that can not be beat. His customer service is beyond exceptional, actually calls you back when he says, keeps you involved in the process, answers any questions that you may have and best helps you get the trust set up for ownership of suppressors. One stop shop and I am proud to endorse Scott as the only guy I buy from.

It is about time that Texas let hunters use suppressors to hunt game animals. Let's support this and get it going this year.

I think it would be great. I didn't see any info on supressor use in the link or other links there? Do you have a specific link for this?

Hearing protection can be worn, why would we make it legal and allow something that makes a poacher more incognito? That's why immoral people don't poach, the fear of getting caught. Suppressors make it much more difficult to locate where a shot came from and also cuts down the distance the shot can be heard from obviously. It's why poachers use coke bottles and such, because supressors are currently illegal. I'm not saying I'm for or against it (it's the first time I have ever thought about it actually) but let's not lie to others or ourselves about suppressors being a poachers best friend

I've never seen a poacher use a suppressor. They won't risk having one with them. And yes, I know of a few of them. Poachers use a cheap rifle beacuase if they get caught, it's all gone. They don't use high end gear.

My Neighbor-from-Hell would love it.

Besides, a cross bow/bow is quieter if the poacher is sneaking onto someone's property to hunt. I would equate a suppressor to a .22. It's not whisper quiet.

"That's why immoral people don't poach, the fear of getting caught."

I have to disagree with you that people with morals don't poach for the fear of getting caught. There are several reasons that people with ethics and morals don't poach. Also I have known people that poach and mostly they use cheap .22's. Poachers usually don't go to the trouble of buying suppressors in the real world nor do they all shoot deer with hand made suppressors.

This makes no sense at all. They will use a coke bottle to make an illegal silencer, but wont use a legal on. Huh? Can you site one case where a poacher used a legal silencer?

Bwana83 suppressors are not illegal. They can be bought legally if done properly. I own 2 of them. I would love to be able to hunt with them.

I don't think I would support it. I just don't see the need for it on deer and I like to know what is going on around me in the woods. I personally don't hear the shot I take when I shoot a deer, it gets blocked out. I understand that suppressors are not "silencers" but they have to give some benefit to the hunter of not making game run as far away if at all. I think rifle hunting that you get one shot, if you miss you miss and if the deer stays then it is a dumba** and deserves to get shot. I think hearing protection is a poor excuse for needing a suppressor to hunt deer. I will probably get flamed but thats just my opinion!

If they were legal they would and that's my point. Yes you're correct to some degree but many poachers are opportunistic. They poach with what they carry. I unfor unfortunately know many

Most poachers are too lazy and like I'm about to write are opportunistic. They do it because it presents itself, not because they are after something they have to work at

use a potato at the end of the muzzle

If they were legal they would and that's my point. [/quote]

They are legal, and they are legal to use, just not on game animals. What difference does it make if someone is going to do something illegal with it. That is the same excuse anti gun people use to try to ban guns. Laws don't stop criminals, they only punish them.

Give me one example of a law that stopped a behavior. Just because something is illegal has no effect on criminals, only the law abiding.

Re-read my statement. I said nothing about "moral" people poaching. And from personal experience most poachers are legally doing something and an illegal situation presentitaelf and that's when an animal is poached. Those peep just aren't typically caught. Yes many people use 22s but many other people poach when they didn't plan on it, an opportunity just presented itself.

I DO NOT PAOCH and look down upon it GREATLY! I just grew up around a LOT of it

They are legal, and they are legal to use, just not on game animals. What difference does it make if someone is going to do something illegal with it. That is the same excuse anti gun people use to try to ban guns. Laws don't stop criminals, they only punish them.

Give me one example of a law that stopped a behavior. Just because something is illegal has no effect on criminals, only the law abiding. [/quote]

Lol how can u give an example of something that happened that didn't happen?! I have personally been with people on multiple occasions here a huge deer was standing beside a road a night and the ONLY reason the deer wasn't killed is because the people around didn't have the means to do it without getting caught. Some people will do things regardless of consequence, others do things because they fear the consequence. Making it easier to get away with something will in fact lend more peep to do it. I see and agree mostly with your point, but I'm trying to allow proponents of this law to come up with a stronger argument instead of squirting the reality

i would support it...

if someone all ready has a silencer and is a poacher, whats it gonna matter to them whether its now legal to shoot deer with them or not. they will still be doing the same thing they were doing before it was legal to use them on game animals.
i really don't see why it would matter if they make it legal, i really don't see people starting to poach deer and such just because a suppressor is legal. most people that pay and wait that long to get the suppressor don't really want it gone over a deer. unless poaching is just that important to them.

it would be nice to be able to use them anytime we want. mine should be here in a few months

Illegal to carry deer hunting, and a little fishy to have in deer camp or in deer country at night I guess is what I should have said to clarify

How will allowing the legal use of silencers make it easier to get away with? If someone wants to do it illegally the law won't matter. The only people that the law is stopping are the law abiding citizens that want to use one. No one else is being stopped.

Heck no wonder we are loosing gun rights on a regular basis. Even on a hunting forum some want to deny others the right to use something. I thought on a site like this that most would want to encourage the expansion of gun rights. We are freaking doomed.

It is not illegal to carry or fishy to have in deer camp. All someone has to say is that they are hog hunting.

why not just use bows,they make only alittle sound