Shooting Does?

[PEC]

That is incorrect. General season rules apply to muzzleloader season. Only time you can take doe is during archery season and the first 17 days of general season. you can use your bow for does during archery season and the first 17 days of general season. No more does by Any means for remainder of season.

Wrong!!!! Does are legal with ML except on MLD land then the permits prevail

[woodsman]

Yeah I get to hunt 1-2 times per season (I'm completely remodeling our '55 house), and I didn't get to hunt during archery for a doe this year. So the possibility to take 2 bucks and 2 doe with a gun w/o much competition is very attractive. This will be my first ML season, I plan to hunt either the Davey Crockett or the Sabine come January. Plus areas with unbalanced buck/doe ratios should still have rutting activity going on.

Ordered a T/C Impact .50 Cal, can't wait to try it out.

[ETXBow]

Yeah I get to hunt 1-2 times per season (I'm completely remodeling our '55 house), and I didn't get to hunt during archery for a doe this year. So the possibility to take 2 bucks and 2 doe with a gun w/o much competition is very attractive. This will be my first ML season, I plan to hunt either the Davey Crockett or the Sabine come January. Plus areas with unbalanced buck/doe ratios should still have rutting activity going on.

Ordered a T/C Impact .50 Cal, can't wait to try it out.

I'm afraid you can't take a does on public land without an issued tag. Even during muzzle season.

[woodsman]

I'm afraid you can't take a does on public land without an issued tag. Even during muzzle season.

Word for word from TPWD Regs:

Archery Only:
No permit required to hunt antlerless deer unless MLD permits have been issued for the property.

General Season:
On USFS, Corps of Engineers, and river authority lands, the take of antlerless deer shall be by permit only.

Muzzleloader-Only:
No permit required for the take of antlerless deer, except on properties for which MLD permits have been issued.

Each of the three seasons has completely separate rules. The part that says, "On USFS, Corps of Engineers, and river authority lands, the take of antlerless deer shall be by permit only" is ONLY under the GENERAL season. That USFS permit restriction is not listed under the ARCHERY season nor the MUZZLELOADER season. Actually, it explicitly states that you do NOT need a permit for either Archery or Muzzleloader.

Here's the logic as I see it: If you had to have a USFS permit for ML, then you would need one for Archery, as the rules are written identically. But nobody would argue that you don't need a USFS permit during Archery. Any GW will tell you that & hundreds of antlerless deer are taken every year during Archery on NF property w/o a USFS permit.

USFS Permits required:
Archery: No
General: Yes
ML: No

But I may be missing something here...

What's your take? Good discussion going here, as there always seems to be confusion on these types of rules.

[ETXBow]

Your right, very good discussion as there are always different interpretation of the laws, any laws.

I like your interpretation of this one. It reads like I would like it to read.

I just hope a GW agrees.

Now, we do agree that bow season is over the last day of general season right? That is how my GW read it.

Isn't it strange to think that something we all study year round can still be so confusing? I don't know what's harder this year? Actually hunting the deer or figuring out when and with what we can hunt them?

I think seeing them is the hardest part this year!

[woodsman]

So true, ETXBow. You would think they would maybe use a Table under each county that we could cross refrence what season the different permits are required and whatnot. Just like how TPWD illustrates the various boat launch facilities at all the lakes (pretty easy to see which have restrooms, gas, bait, courtesy dock, etc.) All this verbage makes my head spin!

And yes, I agree Bow ends on last day of General. Although you'd think they would allow Bow during ML, since it's still far more difficult than using a gun! Can you imagine getting a ticket for shooting a deer with a bow and arrow when you should have used a gun?? Go figure...

[ETXBow]

I don't know if it really matters this season anyhow.... I couldn't shoot one with a camera! Ya gotta see em first.

[bossbowman]

I've got to bump this back to the top with all the new counties that had a january muzzleloader season added last year. During muzzleloader season "antlerless tag required only on MLDP properties", what the hell does that mean?, I CAN'T shoot does(antlerless) during ML season or I CAN?

I would really like to know since our 4 doe days ended over the thanksgiving weekend.

[Felix40]

It means you can shoot does during ml season if you have tags left for them and havent met your bag limit for the county yet.

[bossbowman]

It means you can shoot does during ml season if you have tags left for them and havent met your bag limit for the county yet.

You would think they would no go all lawyer speak when writing the county regulations. What is worse the wording for the regulation online is different than the print version and even more vague, identical wording would be nice... typical TPWD