I don't believe his comment was about a license....it was about hunting in a city. I kill squirrels all year long in Southlake. They have eaten holes in AC ducting and destroyed patio furniture. I leave 1 squirrel so he can relay the message to any transients thinking about homesteading.
The question about hunting in a city should be... can you legally discharge a firearm?

Shoot'em anytime you want and wrap'em with bacon.

Not within the city limits, subdivision or neighborhood and most HOA'a do not allow hunting or discharge of firearms.

Call your local game warden to find out whether or not hunting of a species is legal or prohibited where you live.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/warden/find_warden/county.phtml

I like the freebie birds.

Law from the 79th Texas Legislature (SB 734).

AN ACT
relating to municipal regulation of the discharge of firearms and certain other weapons.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subdivision (1), Section 251.002, Agriculture Code, is amended to read as follows:
(1) "Agricultural operation" includes [but it is not limited to] the following activities:
(A) cultivating the soil;
(B) producing crops for human food, animal feed, planting seed, or fiber;
(C) floriculture;
(D) viticulture;
(E) horticulture;
(F) silviculture;
(G) wildlife management;
(H) raising or keeping livestock or poultry; and
(I) planting cover crops or leaving land idle for the purpose of participating in any governmental program or normal crop or livestock rotation procedure.
SECTION 2. Section 251.005, Agriculture Code, is amended by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:
(c) A governmental requirement of a city does not apply to any agricultural operation situated outside the corporate boundaries of the city on the effective date of this chapter. If an agricultural operation so situated is subsequently annexed or otherwise brought within the corporate boundaries of the city, the governmental requirements of the city do not apply to the agricultural operation unless the requirement is reasonably necessary to protect persons who reside in the immediate vicinity or persons on public property in the immediate vicinity of the agricultural operation from the danger of:
(1) explosion, flooding, vermin, insects, physical injury, contagious disease, removal of lateral or subjacent support, contamination of water supplies, radiation, storage of toxic materials, [discharge of firearms,] or traffic hazards; or
(2) discharge of firearms or other weapons, subject to the restrictions in Section 229.002, Local Government Code.
(c-1) A governmental requirement may be imposed under Subsection (c) [this subsection] only after the governing body of the city makes findings by resolution that the requirement is necessary to protect public health. Before making findings as to the necessity of the requirement, the governing body of the city must use the services of the city health officer or employ a consultant to prepare a report to identify the health hazards related to agricultural operations and determine the necessity of regulation and manner in which agricultural operations should be regulated.
SECTION 3. Section 43.002, Local Government Code, is amended by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
(c) This section does not prohibit a municipality from imposing:
(1) a regulation relating to the location of sexually oriented businesses, as that term is defined by Section 243.002;
(2) a municipal ordinance, regulation, or other requirement affecting colonias, as that term is defined by Section 2306.581, Government Code;
(3) a regulation relating to preventing imminent destruction of property or injury to persons;
(4) a regulation relating to public nuisances;
(5) a regulation relating to flood control;
(6) a regulation relating to the storage and use of hazardous substances; or
(7) a regulation relating to the sale and use of fireworks[; or
[(8) a regulation relating to the discharge of firearms].
(d) A regulation relating to the discharge of firearms or other weapons is subject to the restrictions in Section 229.002.
SECTION 4. Chapter 229, Local Government Code, is amended by adding Section 229.002 to read as follows:
Sec. 229.002. REGULATION OF DISCHARGE OF WEAPON. A municipality may not apply a regulation relating to the discharge of firearms or other weapons in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the municipality or in an area annexed by the municipality after September 1, 1981, if the firearm or other weapon is:
(1) a shotgun, air rifle or pistol, BB gun, or bow and arrow discharged:
(A) on a tract of land of 10 acres or more and more than 150 feet from a residence or occupied building located on another property; and
(B) in a manner not reasonably expected to cause a projectile to cross the boundary of the tract; or
(2) a center fire or rim fire rifle or pistol of any caliber discharged:
(A) on a tract of land of 50 acres or more and more than 300 feet from a residence or occupied building located on another property; and
(B) in a manner not reasonably expected to cause a projectile to cross the boundary of the tract.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2005.

Translate that

Do as you wish....you will anyway! But billybob has a real valid point about discharging even an air powered rifle in the City Limits.

If your property within a city limit is an:

Agricultural operation" includes [but it is not limited to] the following activities:
(A) cultivating the soil;
(B) producing crops for human food, animal feed, planting seed, or fiber;
(C) floriculture;
(D) viticulture;
(E) horticulture;
(F) silviculture;
(G) wildlife management;
(H) raising or keeping livestock or poultry; and
(I) planting cover crops or leaving land idle for the purpose of participating in any governmental program or normal crop or livestock rotation procedure.

And it is 10 acres or more and not annexed after Sept. 1, 1981, you can legally hunt with 1) a shotgun, air rifle or pistol, BB gun, or bow and arrow discharged:
(A) on a tract of land of 10 acres or more and more than 150 feet from a residence or occupied building located on another property; and
(B) in a manner not reasonably expected to cause a projectile to cross the boundary of the tract.

Otherwise one may not.

I am a law breaker then....shot many tree rats trying to get into my house with a pellet gun.

"Eurasian doves are no different than pigeons requiring a valid hunting license" I won't argue the hunting license part, since I have one anyway. Nor the city part since I live in the country. But the just like pigeons part isn't true. Pigeons are regulated because they are officially "rockdoves" a native migratory species... Also the ringnecks may be tame in town, but in the country they are very wary, moreso than mourning doves and whitewings...

Nope. Feral rock doves, or pigeons, are not regulated. No season, no bag limit, no shooting hours. Plus, they are not native. Originally from Australia and Europe.

MEEE TOOO Clean ! We just have to be a little discreet!

Stinkin tree rats!

Quit jackin your jaws!!! A airgun in the city limits with a safe backstop behind it is fine. He said he didn't want to kill the so it doesn't matter anyways. And yes, as long as you have a valid hunting liscense and a airgun whos bullet does not cross property lines you'll be fine. And if it's quiet the neighbors won't report you, and even if they did you'd be breaking no laws. If you want to shoot a Eurasian dove in your backyard go for it, but if you don't than why are all you other guys trying to get him to start calling people and such?

You obviously don't pay any attention to your city laws or you live in the country. Many Texas cities have laws against discharging any firearm with a muzzle velocity over 300 ft/sec.... period

Pretty sure a airgun isn't a firearm.

Here's Southlakes laws
Sec. 11-31. - Discharge—Prohibited generally.permanent link to this piece of content

It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge any gun, pistol, rifle, firearm, crossbow, or any other weapon designed as an air projectile, or an air rifle or air pistol of any description by whatever name known, that by means of compressed air, compressed gas, springs, or any other means is capable of discharging shots, pellets, or any solid object at a velocity in excess of 300 feet per second, within or across the city limits.

Ya but try to capture this. That's south lake, not Brady, not Austin, not Dallas, not rochelle, not brownwood, not may, not rising star, not uvalde, not Amarillo, that's southlake. And southlake could a bunch of communist for all I know, or they could be a bunch of logically think well mannered respecting people. But that's southlake, and where I'm from it's ok to shoot a pellet gun, and it's ok to do so in lots and lots of other towns. From a guy that doesn't even want to shoot them we seem to have informed him on every law he'd need to know if he was to kill them. And being me I would want to spend a hour reading all these comments and another hour talking to the county boys and GW. Seeing the pictures I could guess pretty well that he could shoot a airgun legally being that HE HAS A BACKSTOP. Just saying. And a airgun is not a firearm. And here's why. Where does the fire in firearm come from? Why can a convicted felon not own a firearm but legally hunt rabbits with a pellet gun?

Squirrels are considered game animals and may not be legally hunted with a pellet gun or air rifle, regardless of whether or not you are in the city limits.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/regulations/fish_hunt/hunt/means/


Means and Methods

Firearms

Game animals and game birds may be hunted with any legal firearm, EXCEPT:

white-tailed deer, mule deer, desert bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope may NOT be hunted with rimfire ammunition of any caliber.

shotguns are the only legal firearm that may be used to hunt Eastern turkey during the spring Eastern turkey season (see County Listing). Rifles and handguns may not be used to hunt Eastern turkey.

pellet guns and other air guns are NOT LEGAL.

fully automatic firearms are NOT LEGAL.

firearms equipped with silencers or sound-suppressing devices are NOT LEGAL. (This will change with the 2012 season for those with the proper permits)

a shotgun is the only legal firearm for hunting migratory game birds (see Definitions - Legal Shotgun).

Even in a county without a season?

Maybe, but you will still get a "discharging a firearm in the city limits" citation. Only blemish on my record. bb gun = firearm? I guess so...

Better call the law then. Sometime it gets pretty ridiculous around here with the Internet game wardens. It is some invasive birds and tree rats we r talking here, not bald eagles. I'm guess ling none of y'all speed on the interstate either.

Brandon A,
Sorry if I offended you. I thought this was a forum where hunters shared information with each other. If I was unintentionally breaking a law, I would want to know about it. If people already know the laws and choose to break them, that is their prerogative as well. If you speed and get caught, you may have to face the consequences. Same with any law.

Nice pic!!

You can't shoot an air rifle in the city limits of nearly any town. Just had to go get my son's bb gun from the police station last month after they caught him useing it while I was work. They threatened me with a fine but we got a warning. Is that gonna stop us from killing tree rats and crackles in the back yard, no. Will I get a fine if we get caught again, probably.

You guys that don't believe it should call the non emergency line today and speak with a sheriff. They're there to provide info, in situations like this.

Wow, some of you are way too uptight. It's a damn BB gun, people. Get a life and quit worrying about what everyone else is doing.

If someone wants to shoot squirrels or dove in their backyard, who cares. I shoot my .22 in my backyard all the time and I live in a subdivision in DFW--I just use a suppressor so no one hears it.