Texas Hunting Forum

can you dove hunt in FT WORTH

Posted By: SwampHunterFw

can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/07/11 02:15 AM

can you dove hunt in ft worth if you have more than 10 acers ? i called city an they said i could but i donno where i can find it so if a uneducated cop comes out i wont get a ticket

Posted By: NewJeep

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/07/11 02:30 AM

senate bill 734 I believe

Posted By: Bill Waldschmidt

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/07/11 04:27 PM

There are other requirements.

Land annexed after Sept something 1981, 1000 ft away from residential development/road/public park

Posted By: dgilbert

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/07/11 04:48 PM

And permission from land owner of course.

Posted By: TexasWoodrow

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/07/11 05:20 PM

If so I'm gonna hunt ft worth

Posted By: mohunter

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/07/11 05:33 PM

1000 feet from public buildings, school, church, daycare. 650 feet from a housing develpment, 150 feet from an individual house. Just went through this with Prospher and those are the guidelines they sent me.

Posted By: ntxtrapper

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/08/11 12:34 AM

This is straight from Fort Worth's City Code. See number 6.

Sec. 23-6. - Discharging firearms.

For purposes of this section, "firearm" means a gun, pistol, rifle or other device designed, made or adapted to expel a projectile through a barrel or cylinder by using the energy generated by an explosion or burning substance or any device readily convertible to that use.

It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge a firearm within the city; provided, that this section shall not be so construed as to prohibit the discharge of a firearm if:

(1)
The person was on premises owned or operated by any branch of the armed services of the United States government, Texas National Guard, Texas State Guard or any responsible organization existing for the purpose of operating and maintaining a rifle or pistol firing range, provided such discharge is in the course of the regular functions and course of training of such branch of the armed services or such other organization and provided, further, that such branch of the armed services or other organization has secured and holds a permit from the city council;

(2)
The person was lawfully defending person or property;

(3)
The person was a certified peace officer or certified security guard in the performance of his or her duties;

(4)
The person was using blank cartridges for a show or theatrical production, for an event sponsored by a military organization, or for signal or ceremonial purposes for athletic events;

(5)
The person was using blank cartridges for bird disbursement, had a valid current permit to participate in the city's bird relocation program and is operating in accordance with the city's adopted bird disbursement policies and program;

(6)
The person was discharging a shotgun, air rifle or pistol, BB gun, or bow and arrow on a tract of land that is ten (10) acres or more that was annexed by the city after September 1, 1981 and the discharge was more than one hundred fifty (150) feet from a residence or occupied building located on another property and was in a manner not reasonably expected to cause the projectile to cross the boundary of the tract;

(7)
The person was discharging a center fire or rim fire rifle or pistol of any caliber on a tract of land of fifty (50) acres or more that was annexed by the city after September 1, 1981 and the discharge was more than three hundred (300) feet from a residence or occupied building located on another property and was in a manner not reasonably expected to cause a projectile to cross the boundary of the tract; or

(8)
The person was discharging a firearm in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the city.


(Code 1964, § 27-10; Ord. No. 16641, § 1, 10-11-05)

Posted By: Sniper John

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/08/11 01:12 AM

HB2127 was signed by the Governor on 6-17-11.

It was specifically enrolled to prevent Fort Worth from prohibiting the discharge of weapons on tracts of more than 100 acres in its extraterritorial jurisdiction or areas annexed on or before September 1, 1981. It looks like they worded the bill in such a way that it only applies to Ft Worth.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB2127
http://www.hro.house.state.tx.us/pdf/ba82r/hb2127.pdf




H.B. No. 2127

AN ACT
relating to the municipal regulation of the discharge of firearms
and certain other weapons in certain counties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 229, Local Government Code, is amended
by adding Section 229.004 to read as follows:
Sec. 229.004. REGULATION OF DISCHARGE OF WEAPON BY CERTAIN
MUNICIPALITIES. (a) This section applies only to a municipality
located in a county in which the majority of the population of two
or more municipalities with a population of 300,000 or more are
located.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 229.002, 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 on or before 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 100 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 100 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 2. 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, 2011.

Posted By: RDub270

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/08/11 01:08 PM

Opening day last Thursday me and several 1000 of my closest friends driving on FW's North Freeway at sun up were treated to the sight of several blaze orange clad fellows shooting dove in the field immediately SW of Meachum Blvd/I-35W. It was an odd site as traffic rolled along at 10mph (typical speed for drive time at that location) watching people shooting shotguns close enough to the highway to get sprinkled by pellets should a gun be pointed our direction. The field is within Loop 820.

Posted By: TurkeyHunter

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/08/11 02:39 PM

I remember dove hunting an area just on the boundary of Ft Worth about 15 years ago. There was a new housing addition not all that far away but plenty far to be safe. We were not shooting in that direction either.

Nobody hunted it opening day. Seems like there were a lot fewer people dove hunting as well.

On the Saturday morning of the first hunt, after shooting awhile we had the police helo come out, followed by Ft Worth police officers, and then Sheriffs office and eventually Game Warden. It was kind of funny all the law.

They eventually had some internal person go look up the boundary info and we were in the right (as we knew). Game Warden and Sheriff apologized and left. The city police acted like they were a bit irritated there was nothing to charge after so much time.

After that we each carried a copy of the property boundaries from that county office where you get such things. However, nobody ever returned to question us.

We hunted that place one more year. It was great and we shot a lot of birds. Then it was taken over by Ft Worth. I drove by there a couple of years ago....housing editions all over the place....all developed now.

Posted By: GSS

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/08/11 03:00 PM

It was a state Representative whose hunting had been impacted by Ft Worth annexation that prompted the 2007 (or was in `05?) legislation, preventing cities from banning discharge of firearms under the current laws. I don't remember his name, but as the bill was originally written, it was to address only "future" annexations.
Then someone asked "can it be made retroactive?"...and there was quick agreement of "sure, why not", so it went back to 1981 annexations. It is tied to the agricultural laws that were needed to prevent new subdivision occupants from bitchin' about farm/ranch work 'bothering' them.

Posted By: SwampHunterFw

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/09/11 02:01 AM

so if my land is used for AG cows goats an sheep , but was annexed bedfore 1981 i cant shoot on it ?

Posted By: Sniper John

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/09/11 04:52 AM

Originally Posted By: SwampHunterFw
so if my land is used for AG cows goats an sheep , but was annexed bedfore 1981 i cant shoot on it ?


Read the bill. Has nothing to do if your land is in AG.

If your land is...

in an area annexed by the municipality on or before 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 100 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

Then yes, you may hunt on it.


State law trumps City regulation.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 229.002, 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 on .......

But I suspect you would get complaints and have to present rroof that you are in the right. Realize this bill was only signed around two months ago. Not many officers will be familiar with it.

Posted By: ntxtrapper

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/09/11 11:19 PM

If everyone will read my first post you will clearly see if the property is at least 10 acres and was annexed after 1981 your good. 99% of the undeveloped areas where you will find 10 acres and doves will be annexed after 1981.

The new bill applies to property annexed before 1981 and is at least 50 acres.

Posted By: Sniper John

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/10/11 02:32 AM

But Swamphunterftw included "but was annexed bedfore 1981" in his last post and the bill passed this year related to land in Ft Worth annexed before 1981 says at least 100 acres, not 50.

Posted By: Topshot

Re: can you dove hunt in FT WORTH - 09/10/11 04:39 AM

So no shooting a bow on my .2 acre lot? What about if I am inside my house or garage?

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