OK, I call the COE office in Lewisville about areas I can take my son squirrel hunting on Corp land. The lady I talked to was quite nice, but informed me that my son (age 8) cannot actually hunt because he can't take a hunter education course until he is 12, and COE requires a hunter education course. Well, I told her that their regulations say that under 17 are required to have a hunter education course as required by TPWD regulations, and under TPWD regulations, my son isn't required to have a hunter education course as long as he is "accompanied" by a person over 17 with a hunter education course (me). Again, she was very cordial, but disagreed and forwarded me on to their Ranger's voicemail. I guess I'll talk to him when (if) he returns my call. I've read both the COE regs and the TPWD regs, and I believe I am in the right. Can someone shed some light on this for me?

She is right. Minimum age to take hunter ed course is 12. COE can set their own rules by saying all hunters must have passed the course.

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

darn.. I should have read further down about COE properties requiring it.. I guess I need to find somewhere else to take my 8 year old.. I guess I could pay the $48 to hunt Ray Roberts TPWD land since the COE regs wouldn't apply there.. Anyone out there know of other places in North Texas I could take my son squirrel hunting?

The most current rules will be in the COE Public Hunting Guide published each year. You should be able to find it online. Been that way for Lewisville for years. Grapevine though a permit lake specifically states under the lake rules in the guide that though required for lewisville, hunter saftey is not for Grapevine. So looks like you may have a loophole there, don't know, but worth asking. Do note y'all will run into a few bowhunters in the woods on that lake. Lavon falls under the same permit lake deal as Lewisville, but that office has been known to be kid friendly and overlook it. All three lakes squirrel hunting will be spotty as to actually finding squirrels and many of the hunting areas with access points near populated areas you will find to have been trashed by the non hunting locals. bkchare, if you get the Roberts permit, pm me and I will tell you where I saw "a" squirrel beyond a place I was scouting for ducks. All I have, I know of nothing close with a good population of them.

I'd say get the APH permit. It allows you to hunt Caddo and LBJ National Grasslands which are both full of squirrels. This also gains you access to several small hunting areas at nearby lakes.

think i would double check because i believe as long as they are accomanied, by some one either had the class or exempt from it. at least i seem to recall that from my book.

i am sorry double checked, the person with them has to have had the class. but not the little one.

Call the game warden for the area. I used to hunt COE land and the book would say one thing and the Warden would usually say, "well as long as...." My point is, not every warden is black and white with these things. Talk to them, they've all been nice and respectful to me.

COE has their own rules that might be or not be in the outdoor annual. Go by their rules so check with them. From the book though:

"Please note that some federally controlled areas require all hunters using that site to have hunter education certification. In Texas, this includes Corps of Engineers property and most military reservations. Be sure to check with the specific area prior to going hunting."

Based on the outdoor annual, he can't hunt if the place you want to go in included in that 'some' area.

Here is the link for COE.http://www.swf.usace.army.mil/pubdata/ops/recnres/HUNTGUIDE06-07final.pdf

Welcome to the THF.

One thing about your post that needs to be corrected:

Quote:

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I'd say get the APH permit. It allows you to hunt Caddo and LBJ National Grasslands which are both full of squirrels.

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The Annual Public Hunting permit is Not Required on the LBJ Grasslands. It is on the Caddo.

Along the Red River East of I-35