Hunting & Fishing Hunting pig or coyote in eastern Texas?

[Lofty]

Im moving to Texas, SW of Houston to be exact, within the next month or two and I want to hunt a little. Whats the best way to break into hunting in the Lone Star State?

I see a lot of farmers and ranchers complain about yotes and pigs, then they want to charge you $500 to go out and kill some for them. Is that pretty much my only option if Im new to the area and dont know the land owners?

Also, can anyone tell me if hunting non game animals with a suppressor is allowed in Texas?

 

[nnn66]

I live in far west Texas and we have plenty of free pig and coyote hunting out here. I also have lived in east Texas as well as central Texas and have friends and family who allow me to hunt on their places. Feral hogs are quite abundant in many parts of Texas. I'm not sure where you will be SW of Houston, but it's likely good hog country. There are some who will charge you through the nose for hunting, but there are also plenty of landowners who hate hogs and want them dead. I have an uncle who has about 3,000 acres in central Texas and he has given me the green light to kill any hog I see 365 days a year. He hates them!

My advice would be to get settled into your new home and then start meeting some people who hunt. It won't be long before you come across the right guy who will turn you on to some free hog hunting. I routinely fill my freezer with venison and feral hog meat from various ranches and I have never paid a dime to hunt. It's all about who you become friends with! And, yes, you can hunt with a suppressor in Texas.

 

[hlee]

If you don't know someone with some land, the most sure way to get into some hunting is to either buy some land of your own or to get in on a lease. There is some public land, but the vast majority of the state is privately held. What land is public is either over-hunted (Sam Houston Nat Forest, for example) or hunt by draw (various WMAs, for example) Also, please be aware that fences mean something in Texas and you cross property boundaries at your peril. I've heard is said in other parts of the country that "Fences are for cows, signs are for people." In Texas, land not being posted does not mean that someone won't zing a bullet into your personal space for being on their land.

You can find all you want to know about the rules and regulations for hunting in Texas here...

Recreational Fishing and Hunting Regulations

Means and Methods
Firearms

NEW LAW: Silencers may be used to take any wildlife resource; however, all federal, state and local laws continue to apply.

I also find it ironic that farmers complain about the pigs then charge a premium for hunting them. Also ironic is the sentiment that pigs are dirty, filthy, disease ridden vermin (and on par with rats and below prairie dogs). But, they sure are tasty...

 

[Lofty]

Thanks for the advice guys....appreciate it.

 

[Garvey]

What these guys said is exactly right. One thing you can do to "network" is find the nearest long range rifle club, make friends, and the rest should follow. There is the Texas Precision Rifle Club, we hold a monthly match, somewhere. It's usually a ways north of where you will be, but if you have the time to drive come out, join ($100 for the year) and $20 per match.

Up until last September you could hunt predators and hogs with a suppressor. Last year deer (game animals) was added to the list. Woo Hoo!

As far as I'm concerned a Tennessean is always welcome in Texas. After all y'all helped us win our indepenence.

 

[Skullcreek]

Not in Texas but I gladly pay reduced rates for hogs and coyotes only here in Georgia. I have a main lease I do my deer and turkeys on. We have hogs on that place too but they just aren't there 365. I also have permission to hunt other places I don't need to pay on. I feel better paying a little so other lease members don't get bent out of shape. It's easy to get tons of acres to hunt coyotes here if you know a lot of folks like I do. There are a lot of people that like to hunt hogs here so primo places ain't cheap.

 

[Lofty]

After all y'all helped us win our indepenence.

LOL....with the way things are going, who knows, I might be moving to Texas just in time to help do it for Tennessee.

 

[cockcroft]

Suppressors are legal for game and non-game hunting in Texas. All ranchers and farmers hate the hogs but most would rather complain about them then let you hunt them.