TPWD is considering allowing the use of air rifles for hunting squirrel! This is big news for airgunners, as it will be the first game animal approved for hunting with air rifles in Texas! They are also extending the length of squirrel season in many counties, and in some increasing it to year round with no bag limit! I don't know about yall, but some of my fondest memories growing up were hunting with my pellet rifle. I put a lot of critters in the pot with it, and I'd love to share it with my boys. Also there are other exciting new laws to vote for. They are considering allowing bow hunters to carry a firearm during bow season- currently only handguns with a CHL are allowed during bow season to prevent the temptation of using your powder burner. I think that is unconstitutional and if you can't be trusted to sling your rifle during bow season you ought to not be hunting- i for one think you shouldbe able to carry your shotgun or rimfire or whatever you choose in the woods, even during bow season- for myriad reasons I'll not discuss right now. Please click this link and put in your two cents- your opinion matters! And please share your thoughts and opinions on these exciting new developments in the rules and regs!

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/feedback/public_comment/proposals/201403_hunting.phtml

I filled out the survey

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I wonder if this will change the definition for air rifles? As of now they are not considered a firearm thus a silencer can be put on or incorporated in the rifle's design?

As long as the device is integral to the air gun and cannot be effectively removed and installed on a firearm. So they usually get a "shroud", basically a hollow tube fit to the gun that runs the entire length of the barrel, with a couple of parts required to complete it. Maybe some baffles built from some type of thin plastic, etc. A lot of times you get the overmoulded plastic on a steel barrel, and you'd literally have to saw it off- not to mention thin plastic baffles that would be destroyed by the muzzle blast of a firearm... and etc... and etc. I guess if it would be just as easy or easier to start from scratch as it would to chop it off and remove it, you are good lol. A hollow tube with no baffles and just an end cap a little larger than the bore will usually qiet down the pop of an air rifle. The funny thing is, with the spring piston and nitro piston guns, most of the noise comes from the mechanical sounds of the spring and piston and putting a shroud on there does little to soften the noise, except with the most powerful models that actually give a good pop

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It's about time. They have already been legal for squirrels in Oklahoma. I have three different air rifles for plinking at things and keep one in the trailer at the hunting lease for same. If they make them legal for squirrels it may make me sell the ones I have now to help fund something like a 22 or 25 cal benjamin marauder with the integral shroud to do a little quiet squirrel hunting at the lease with. Just because I can. If it passes that is.

I sure hope it does. I did my fair share of hunting with just my old daisy 880 as a boy, and it never failed me. I even took my first bunny with a daisy 840 single pump bb gun, maybe 300 fps? Rolled it on the run with a single shot, and as soon as it started to scream my dog finished it off. I wouldn't reccommend it though. I think the 600 fps limit is pretty reasonable, however. Enough power to make a clean kill with god shot placement, and also allows people to get into it at a reasonable price. I can see the kids out there with their 880's chasing squirrels already. My personal air rifle is a .25 XS28M with a full performance tune by Mike Melick. Got it for christmas... will make a sweet little squirrel thumper for sure.

Bryan, the modifiable for firearm use policy was struck down in a Supreme Court case . Basically, the device is not a weapon itself and as long as it is not installed on a firearm it is not covered by the law.
http://policelegal.com/2010/07/06/federa...-not-a-firearm/

However, this does not prevent a DA from trying to prosecute you for having one.

I am all for legally being able to carry a gun while bow hunting because that would keep me from being illegal. we have had illegal immigrants wondering across the ranch from time to time mostly harmless but you never know who could walk up on you .the cartel has been know to send mules across and they have nothing to loose.

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Thank you to everyone for your support! I hope that this is not the only thread publicizing this opportunity to make your voices heard. It only lasts until 5:00 pm tomorrow!

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Okay I made a mistake. We have until 26 MARCH! Still, don't procrastinate. Vote now!

Done. Thanks for posting link

Done; appreciate the good word!

Done, always glade to help.

Maybe it is where I hunt. But the only time I was ever given a hard time about a side arm was when I did not have one. And was asked where is it and why do you not have it handy. Where I hunt you should always have a Firearm on you or dang close to you.

That is how things used to be in the river bottoms in Dallas, maybe fifteen years ago. I used to fish for big gar in the trinity and no one would call you out on carrying a shotgun down there for protection because you had people burning and dumping cars in the rivers, building meth labs, and growing pot and if you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, you'd become a "loose end". I guess that is what happens when you have a fairly remote/inaccessible area so close to a big city, criminals exploit it. But these days, I don't know. It is always better to be within the limits of the law, even if the local law enforcement apply a little common sense and decide certain things are okay in certain places. I do not want to be a criminal, and I'd prefer to be able to defend myself without making myself into one- whether it be from a criminal or a big hog I wounded with a poorly placed arrow

Done and you know I would fill this out haha

Done,Thanks for the link!

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