Texas Approves Airguns and Airbows for Hunting

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) Commission has announced that effective Sep. 1, 2018 airguns will be allowed for the legal and ethical harvest of various game animals.

According to the TPWD, alligator, game animals, furbearers, squirrels, and non-migratory game birds (except Eastern Turkey) may be hunted with airguns and airbows provided:

• Alligators, big horn sheep, javelina, mule deer, whitetail deer, and turkey may be taken only with pre-charged pneumatic arrow guns, or airguns that fire a projectile of at least .30 caliber in diameter and at least 150 grains in weight with a minimum muzzle velocity of 800 fps or any combination of bullet weight and muzzle velocity that produces muzzle energy of at least 215 ft.-lbs.

• Squirrels, pheasant, quail and chachalaca may be hunted with airguns that fire a projectile of at least .177 caliber (4.5mm) in diameter producing a muzzle velocity of at least 600 fps.

• Arrows or bolts used with an airbow must conform to the same standards for projectiles for archery.

• Airbows may not be used to hunt deer or turkey during archery season.

For more information, go to tpwd.texas.gov.