Laws like these have nothing to do with hating on bowfishing. I really wish people would see the bigger picture when these laws are proposed. Like said above any sport will have bad apples in it because its the person not the sport creating the problem. I think when laws like this come up its so that bad apple in the bunch can't overdo things. It said above about guys who go out on a killing spree on a regular basis. Lets say you have 10,000 of a certain specie of a fish in a lake and one guy goes out 100 times that year and shoots 30 each time. He just killed 1/3rd of the population in one year and thats one guy. Now when you start getting groups together guess what happens. I know when the bowfisher community reads any law that may affect them sure they all get mad which sometimes it does seem that there sport is attacked but if guys would sit back and understand why things are being done they would understand better hopefully. Just like the lake that only allows one trophy size fish per day I think it is. When you kill all the big fish little replace that biomass in a lake so that one 40lb carp may now be replaced with 8 little carp in its place or gar for this instance. SHooting big ones does not eliminate populations it only overpopulates lakes because that big fish that used to take up a lot of the biomass is now gone.

I have shot bow for targets here and I never understood why they shoot the largest other than bragging rights of course like all fisherman.If they are practicing there archery skill like most say then the smaller fish would pose more of a challenge I would imagine.

I saw deer hunting come up also. Its huge up here and everyone does it it seems. Back a long time ago it was a survival thing and now its sport and population control here since there is an abundance. I guess comparing fishing to hunting. If you were really big into hunting and this monster buck you have been after for years gets shot by a guy and he just shot it for the heck of it and throws it in the trash thats kinda how it feels sometimes when we see these big fish weather gar or carp or whatever get shot and tossed aside.

With all due respect... I have never seen nor heard of anyone dumping deer or dove to rot. That's the difference. That's what I'm talking about.

Like I said before, I'm not against bowfishing nor am I anti-hunting. I agree that it's wrong when people go out and shoot more than their allotment and I applaud your efforts to let people know that you do not agree with illegally taking more than their share.

Seeing floating fish with a hole in it or seeing a huge number of gar hung up in trees in a creek with holes in them is what gives bowfishing a bad name and that's what the public sees.

But we know all that and that's not the point. Point is, I'm glad TPWD is raising awareness for this great fish we have right here in Texas.

DH,

Not all of us dump fish, like I have said before. Lumping everyone in together is the fundamental problem.

Also, I know you fish different areas than I do but I spend a LOT of time on the various lakes around Central Texas and have NEVER seen a dead bowshot fish floating in the water or at a boat ramp. The only bowshot fish I see are actually in other bowfishermen's boats. I fish Dunlap a lot which is one of the most bowfished lakes in Central Texas. In the summer, it is not uncommon to have 3 or 4 other bowfishermen on the tiny lake at the same time. Maybe us Central Texans just police ourselves better!!

If I saw a bowfisherman dump fish at the ramp or on the bank, I would not hesitate to call the local game warden whos number I have stored in my phone and would not hesitate to chew their a$$es out.

Mesquite, you are one of the good ones, so when we say they are dumpsing fish, we only refer to the ones that actually dump them.

I do not want bow fishing banned. I want the wasting banned.


Also, if deer hunting becomes unpopular, i will still hunt them. I hunt them for sport and for meat. I eat evryone i shoot. I enjoy it.

As far as dove hunting goes, those wasters and lawbreakers should be penalized to the fullest extent.

did not even usemy entire post

786 or whatever your name is...go hate somewhere else

How best to prevent gut hook of alligator gar? Use circle hooks or lures where the gar is less likely to shallow the bait I assume.

As far as my earlier comment on "more efficient" means of harvesting gar, I am referring to bow hunting at night with very powerful spot lights. I suppose though this would also apply to an lessor extent to those rod and reel anglers that are learning better how to catch alligator.

I've observed the discarded gar (either from bow fisherman or bank fisherman who believe they should all be killed) and as far as alligator gar go, I find only very small ones, usually actually in ponds / creeks and not in the main lake bodies. There longnose, shortnose, or even spotted gar seem a lot more common at least in the DFW area. It seems like bow fisherman still have plenty of big longnose gar to shoot in the lakes.

You're right, I don't see it anymore. But, I don't have to see it. All I have to do is read forums where the perps confess online for everyone to read. If you get on there at just the right time you will see the stupidity of SOME people before it gets deleted by a mod. You know what I'm talking about.

I appreciate your efforts to help teach fellow bowfishermen and I understand there are people that use what they take and actually read what they type before they hit submit. Like I said, I'm not totally against bowfishing.

But that's not the point. The point is... I'm sure that TPWD will do their very best to protect such an awesome fish we have right here in the great state of Texas!

Yes bowfishing is effiecient (if you can do it) for taking carp, little gar and buffs, but this issue is about Alligator Gar. And the most effiecient method I know of is jug lining, or whatever it is the commercial fishermen use with the loops and floats. Bowfishing for big alligator gar is not easy nor that effiecient.

Who was just speaking of taking big fish and making room for little fish. Isn't this the opposite of Lady Bird lake.

On Lady Bird you are limited to one carp over 33" per day. Keep the big fish there so the little ones don't take over.

Not sure what you are asking?

I'm following you, Tony. Yep- Harvest the small and leave the Bigguns to get bigger.

My guess is that TPWD is restricting the harvest(at least for the time being) on small AG as a way to maintain the current population while they do the studies (that we all agree need to be done) to decide what the best way to manage the species for the future. They want to allow folks to harvest a trophy fish.

(Still just an opinion)--> They recognize that the species(as a whole; not just Texas) is on the decline so they would like to take stock of where the Gator Gar stand so that they can ultimately create the best possible AG fishery for all of us. We all have our opinion on how to do it, but mine would be to allow limited harvest of small fish, less harvest of medium-sized fish, and issue tags for limited harvest of Trophy Fish.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Chad

Big Ted, I'm not sure why you're so upset. Since you brought up religion and terrorism in a less than favorable light, I suggested you take it to the Off Topic so we could discuss further. I'm sorry if my wording came out wrong. If you want some counter-points to your opinion on Muslims and terrorism then post up in the OT. Otherwise, it's no big deal.

dont need points man. i have seen that stuff first hand

btw, i am not upset at all. i just think it is funny someone calling me a PETA guy, when i am about as far opposite as you can get (on that other board)

I dont need to go to the off topic board. i see you spend a lot of time there. Most of the guys there are trolls just causing problems

Sorry to side track this discussion DHFisher, just allow this last post from me.

Big Ted, when you say Muslims aren't doing anything against terrorism and then lump all Muslims as being part of the problem you are sadly mistaken. Unfortunately, you seem reluctant to even let me show you why that may be (e.g., did you know about the Muslim families marching against terrorism, in Dallas?). I do think that you would be on much firmer ground if you said Muslims aren't doing enough.

Anyway, Happy New Year and good luck with the ATC if you're going this year.

Fair enough...THEY ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH!

It's funny to hear you guys talk about carp taking over.