Loaded or Unloaded Rifle when Dark

[DayDay]

TWRA Hunting guide states under Prohibited Acts:

7. Use or possession of the following equipment is prohibited:
.
.
.
>Rifles or handguns with centerfire ammunition between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise.
.
.
.

I'd rather have my magazine loaded before walking in instead of loading later than 30 minutes after sunrise while at my hunting spot. I'm worried about noise and dropping ammo in the dirt. I don't have a removable magazine.

This can be interpreted as we can't even be in the woods with a rifle and ammunition outside of legal shooting hours, or more likely, rifles or handguns that are not loaded are not considered "with centerfire ammunition" even if the hunter is in possession of the ammunition. Is anyone concerned about this?

At times, I've walked in with my magazine loaded and chamber empty but have never been checked by a wildlife officer to know what their take is on this. I suspect I'm not the only one and suspect that most people are loaded and chambered up once at their stand before legal shooting hours.

There are so many poorly written and unclear parts of the TWRA hunting guide.

 

[scn]

TWRA Hunting guide states under Prohibited Acts:



I'd rather have my magazine loaded before walking in instead of loading later than 30 minutes after sunrise while at my hunting spot. I'm worried about noise and dropping ammo in the dirt. I don't have a removable magazine.

This can be interpreted as we can't even be in the woods with a rifle and ammunition outside of legal shooting hours, or more likely, rifles or handguns that are not loaded are not considered "with centerfire ammunition" even if the hunter is in possession of the ammunition. Is anyone concerned about this?

At times, I've walked in with my magazine loaded and chamber empty but have never been checked by a wildlife officer to know what their take is on this. I suspect I'm not the only one and suspect that most people are loaded and chambered up once at their stand before legal shooting hours.

There are so many poorly written and unclear parts of the TWRA hunting guide.

They have a period in January and February where you can offer suggestions for changes in regulations. Why don't you re-write the regs for them to your standards?

 

[DayDay]

They have a period in January and February where you can offer suggestions for changes in regulations. Why don't you re-write the regs for them to your standards?

I'll gladly take a look. I've had a lot of experience with writing processes, procedures, and regulations so I might be able to help.

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

Too many bears where I hunt so my mag stays loaded when I am walking in the dark. I'll pay the fine if checked.

 

[SSlater]

TWRA Hunting guide states under Prohibited Acts:



I'd rather have my magazine loaded before walking in instead of loading later than 30 minutes after sunrise while at my hunting spot. I'm worried about noise and dropping ammo in the dirt. I don't have a removable magazine.

This can be interpreted as we can't even be in the woods with a rifle and ammunition outside of legal shooting hours, or more likely, rifles or handguns that are not loaded are not considered "with centerfire ammunition" even if the hunter is in possession of the ammunition. Is anyone concerned about this?

At times, I've walked in with my magazine loaded and chamber empty but have never been checked by a wildlife officer to know what their take is on this. I suspect I'm not the only one and suspect that most people are loaded and chambered up once at their stand before legal shooting hours.

There are so many poorly written and unclear parts of the TWRA hunting guide.

The guide is famous for it's vagueness and being poorly written.

 

[hammer33]

My .02 Regulations are left intentionally vague. It makes it easy for the officers to make a citation. Hear me out. Its like getting Al Capone on tax evasion instead of all the other crimes. Making a solid case against a poacher is hard. But, stopping the same guy on his way through the woods, looking at his magazine/rifle and busting him for having it loaded is easier and much less likely to weasel out of if brought to court.
The problem lies in trampling our rights for the sake of ease or convenience for the officers.

It was the same deal back when you couldn't carry a pistol while hunting even if you had a permit. It was thought that poachers would use the pistol, then shoot through the hole with an arrow to cover up their poaching. Making that case would require the officer to see the actions taken and have evidence. MUCH easier to make it illegal to carry a pistol during bow season, then simple possession of a pistol makes you a poacher or criminal, regardless of your 2A rights. Glad that got changed.

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

My .02 Regulations are left intentionally vague. It makes it easy for the officers to make a citation. Hear me out. Its like getting Al Capone on tax evasion instead of all the other crimes. Making a solid case against a poacher is hard. But, stopping the same guy on his way through the woods, looking at his magazine/rifle and busting him for having it loaded is easier and much less likely to weasel out of if brought to court.
The problem lies in trampling our rights for the sake of ease or convenience for the officers.

It was the same deal back when you couldn't carry a pistol while hunting even if you had a permit. It was thought that poachers would use the pistol, then shoot through the hole with an arrow to cover up their poaching. Making that case would require the officer to see the actions taken and have evidence. MUCH easier to make it illegal to carry a pistol during bow season, then simple possession of a pistol makes you a poacher or criminal, regardless of your 2A rights. Glad that got changed.

If true about poachers using broad head to try to cover gunshot wound is true, it is one of the dumbest things I've ever read. No way possible to do that the wounds are completely different.

 

[Tn Joe]

After being charged by a yote this past spring I'll keep my weapon loaded until I'm out of the woods.

 

[ScLowCountry]

The way that is written means you cannot possess a rifle with ammunition prior to 30 minutes for sunrise. If you want to be really specific, this means that you cannot walk in to your stand prior to 30 minutes. So you cannot be in your tree before shooting light. If you read this word for word

 

[Tenntrapper]

Personally, I think that's put in there in case there is an incident that might be possible spot lighting.
If hunting here on the farm...I'm loaded when I walk out the back door...mag and chamber.
Anywhere else...I load up when I step out of truck or boat.

 

[ImThere]

I guess I'm on the other side of the fence. I can easily walk to the stand with my Ruger American put the mag in the backpack and load in the tree. With my model 70 without a mag I guess it's a little harder? Idk. Not a big deal. I'm pretty familiar with my weapon. I'm not climbing a tree with a loaded weapon.
I do carry my pistol so if I needed to I could unload 6 rounds of 357 mag in to something.
I mean I don't put an arrow on the rest walking it to the woods in the dark.

 

[Lt.Dan]

My long gun is always unloaded going in if its still dark. My magazine is loaded and in my pocket. Just a safety issue. My pistol is always loaded, one in the pipe and holstered securely. Just another safety issue

 

[Omega]

Hmmm, I am always locked and loaded when I approach my stand, always done it this way.

 

[ImThere]

How many of you climb a tree with a loaded rifle?

 

[iowavf]

Glad our regs are different. If you have a weapons permit, I can carry an uncased loaded firearm in the my truck. Mine is always loaded with one in the chamber when I walk in or out.

 

[30-06 type of guy]

How many of you climb a tree with a loaded rifle?

Nope. I don't load mine until I either climb the tree or up against the tree.

 

[BSK]

How many of you climb a tree with a loaded rifle?

I have rounds in the magazine but not one in the chamber. And I take the round out of the chamber before climbing down.

Once out of the stand, I put the round back in the chamber for my still hunt out. Then round comes back out of the chamber before loading gun in transport vehicle.

 

[Lost Lake]

As I've gotten older, safety is on my mind just a little bit more. I'll not load until in my stand , and unload before getting down from a tree.

 

[Tenntrapper]

If I'm hunting from a tree stand...the chamber is empty going up or down. I only use ladder stands.

Few years ago, I was climbing down. Had unloaded my 336 and just slung it over my shoulder. Just as I turned around to start down, seen something whip by my eye...and suddenly get lighter. Something on the sling broke and had sent my rifle to the ground. Glad it wasn't loaded.

 

[Tweeter]

I have rounds in the magazine but not one in the chamber. And I take the round out of the chamber before climbing down.

Once out of the stand, I put the round back in the chamber for my still hunt out. Then round comes back out of the chamber before loading gun in transport vehicle.

Same for me, just the way Iv always done it.