Carrying Pistol during Bow Season

I think that it may not be legal but I wanted to check with members on this site. Is it legal to carry a pistol during archery season if you are the land owner? I am not a CHL holder. I was wanting to carry a pistol with me to and from the stand because I have seen a few coyotes hanging around my stand and feeder lately. Does anyone have experience with this law?

It is only legal for LTC/CHL holders.

It is legal for anybody to take a pistol or a rifle now, it changed a few years ago. It was a silly rule.

Really? I was unaware that it changed.

37 states recognize the need for bowhunters to protect themselves. I believe Texas is included. Concealed carry isn't necessary I believe if you are a landowner because the law allows for carry by "keyholders" to carry anyway. Any vehicle, watercraft, your property or property you are in control of, law allows you to carry without permit.

Really. You can hunt non-game species with firearms and WT with archery equipment at the same time during archery only season.

You can shoot a pig all year long

The legislation considered running into bears and other dangers like drug dealers and such. It was determined that the need to defend yourself didn't end just because it's deer season. Righteous judgement I'd say!

I'll repeat what a game warden told me.... If the game warden can't tell the difference between an arrow wound and a handgun wound, he ain't much of a game warden...

my understanding is CHL/LTC laws apply to them, and castle doctrine applies to landowners or others on "premises under their control"...

Agree. I support game wardens, the work they do and the laws they enforce. My dad was a cop and we grew up with an overstated application of game laws that I thought conflicted with logic. Like this law about carrying any gun while bow hunting. I get what some may be trying to pull, but that shouldn't prevent a bow hunter from carrying a rifle to a bow stand if he wanted to legally hunt with a rifle at the same time. A violation would only occur if a game animal was taken with illegal means.

I'm glad that law changed because it's one that i would have to break, i have seen game cam pics of the predators on my lease and i will never be without my side arm out there.

Yes, it is legal to carry a pistol during archery season. I'm not the land owner and not a CHL holder, and I carry a pistol during archery season.

Just to add to this; every law abiding American, much less Texan, should have their LTC and should always carry as allowed by law.

The only stipulation is that it must be visible at all times unless you have a LTC.

On private property?

I believe every law abiding American should be allowed to carry without restriction or a LTC. But hey, Texas is pretty good about handgun laws, regardless.

LOL Incorrect statement and has been for a few years. Funny that people rely on websites other than those that provide accurate info. Google TPWD hunting regulations and it's right there if you make the effort.

What are these predators you are scared of?

We cant have multiple weapons on us at one time on Ft Hood and no hand guns period. If your bow hunting you can only have your bow, if your gun hunting you can only have one gun. Ive never felt unsafe even just with a bow in the dark.

I got my CHL years ago just because of the rules for bow hunting. Funny thing is I don't carry at any time, including when I bow hunt. I tried a couple of times, but I did not like the extra bulk and weight, especially considering I hunt from tree stands.

I really have not ever come across a rabid hog yet while hiking to my tree stand in the dark in the early morning. Just don't worry about it. But that IS why I got my CHL in the first place.

Yea, kinda hard to feel unsafe on a large government military installation!

What about hunting on public land, Archery only????

What is so scary about the woods at dark? Carry a rifle for pigs but a pistol for protection against what? Other people would be the only real danger to me, so I could understand carrying near the border I guess. No predators in Texas scare me enough to carry everywhere I go at camp.

I hunt public in Oklahoma. Came across a dude that was not hunting and was shady creeped me out pretty bad I had no weapons as I was just scouting. Like to keep a pistol on me now.

I’m not talking about the garrison part of Ft Hood I’m talking about the 200k acres much of it heavily wooded where people hunt. Oh and 2 mass shootings in the last 10 yrs on Ft Hood sounds real safe.

8 years ago my Uncle was shot and killed out of a tree stand. Shooter walked out of court because my uncle decided to remove his orange vest and hat once in stand. I have never seen a Deer in a tree but rules are rules I guess. The message is The impossible is never impossible. New hunters or more the less careful are those I am worried about on public or private land. Go hunt Lake Meredith and you will see the insanity (people shooting like wild bill, roadside fist fights over deer, and more orange then brown) In addition, where I hunt most of the season, we have a big cat in the area and I may not take him or her out but will attempt to slow down. Fort Hood is not safe either if on post or hunting back in the sticks.

I never walk on my property that I don't have a Glock strapped to my hip. It's not because I'm scared. It's like to old Scout Motto: BE PREPARED which means you are always in a state of readiness in mind and body to do your DUTY.

I used to not carry while bow hunting, but carry ALL the time now for 3 reasons.

1) 3 lions have been spotted on our place.

2) Packs of aggressive feral dogs. People dump them all the time out there, they are starving/ form packs and chase deer & livestock. One of the guys on our place was chased up onto the tractor he had just got off of by feral dogs. Those dogs weren't playing, and he wasn't armed.

3) Illegals. Have seen many, and more than once they have approached us out of nowhere at camp. The BP just lost a group of 10+ on our place. Always prepared....

No I don't carry a pistol in bow season. I do have a rifle or two on my Ranger that I hunt out of.

I do carry during bow season, but just the Snakeslayer loaded with .410 #8.

Too fat to run, too old to fight. Too mean not to protect me and my loved ones.

Well, the way access is restricted on any govt property (someone knows you are there and has checked your background) there is no reason to feel unsafe from people IMO, even sneakins, would pose little danger. Large predator wise, you have cougars and that is about it. A formidable foe, when hungry, a predator, that will have severed your spinal cord, before you know they are in the vicinity, unless you are very astute or extremely lucky. Just knowing they are in the area, gives me pause, slows me down, and refocuses my attention span. I large fixed blade knife in hand is a wonderful tool to complement increased awareness should you find yourself being escorted from the woods, by one. Being loud, large, and bold also helps....but a pistol report, will usually be the best deterrence, and send them moving along.

you obviously know nothing about Ft Hood lol

You can ridicule me all you want, and I hope it makes you feel better.

Fact is, I probably have more govt background, knowledge, experience, than you and several of your friends.

I know up in Colorado most of us carry a pistol openly on national forest land while bow hunting for elk and the game wardens don't even look twice. A magnum revolver is pretty much standard equipment in bear country.

I always carry my pistol up on our land when bow hunting and have dropped the bow on more than one occasion to blast a pig or a coyote. That's private land of course.

But you don’t know that you can drive right into Ft hood training areas without ever seeing an entry control point? Ft Hood is 210k acres only the garrison has entry control points where they check your ID before entering. They do random car searches but it would be easy for anyone to sneak weapons in. The public can come and go as they want through the roads going through the training areas. Lots of poachers are caught on Ft Hood hunting illegally and a couple yrs ago a friend encountered a man in shorts and no shirt walking through a training area with a large metal spear. There are a lot of shady people in and around Ft Hood but I guess you know it all lmao. Put the beer down buddy.

Lots of rules out there. Public Hunting on Core of engineers land I would say no. They restrict firearms only to the legal means defined in the rules. There was talk about a bill that would do away with this restriction but don't know if it ever passed. I think it is still making its way through congress.

I heard that same thing...I was talking to a local guy...you know the guys that ride around the core property, and check things out, help folks, remind them of the rules, etc. but have no real responsibility, ranger wise? He was basically saying, they don’t get real excited about many things, these days...obviously you can take that many ways, but we had been having a conversation about changes in firearm restrictions.

Actually, Sir, I am aware of these facts. And a bit later, I will PM you with some facts that may surprise you, that probably need to be kept out of a public forum such as this. FYI, I don’t know everything, but I do appreciate you being aware that I am relatively well versed in a number of subjects.

W Why should it be kept off a public forum? Anyone can hunt on Ft Hood as long as they can meet the minimum rules. Register firearms with Ft Hood, Ft hood area access pass, and Ft hood hunting license. It’s open to civilians and military and you can legally hunt and enter training areas without going through an access control point. It’s not a secret. By the way I retired from the Army from Ft Hood and I am a Ft Hood volunteer deer guide so yes I know a lot about Ft Hood and know all the regulations.

You just proved exactly what I stated that you took originally exception to...Personally, think you should lower your attitude a notch or two...

I don’t have an attitude you attempted to speak on something you know nothing about. Sorry for hurting your feelings.

That is not an issue with me, you are just pushing the forum decorum a bit far.

LMAO. I’m done wasting my time with you this is getting sad.

Game warden told me you must have ccp. Donot know hy but most likely some where shooting deer with pistol and claiming they arrowed them

Yes, I agree, there are too many rules on public owned property (government owned). We pay taxes, the government uses those funds to purchase “public property” then erects fences to keep the public out. Then, when they do let us in to our property, they force us to pay a trespass fee and put onerous rules, in place, so that we struggle to enjoy our property. Then they tell us they have to have these rules, in place to protect us, evidently from ourselves. Then they use these rules to advance their political agendas. It is a vicious and never ending cycle. Ultimately, they really don’t want us using the public owned land at all, so they regulate our use to the point where we just become frustrated and quit using our own property, that our tax dollars paid for.

Rant Over...

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Is your lease in Robstown??

Lol, no. One in SE Duval County, and one South of Hebbronville waay out in the boonies.