State Laws on hunting with airguns.

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Bedrock Bob

Bedrock Bob

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Jul 18, 2024
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New Mexico
What are the game laws in your State concerning hunting with an air rifle? Do you know them? Are you sure?

In New Mexico you can't hunt any game animal with air guns except collared dove, squirrel and grouse. There are no other provisions for air rifles.

In prior years you were allowed to shoot mourning and white wing dove with an airgun on your own property during season. The rules change every year. This year there is no mention of that.

.....

Here are the current rules cut and pasted from the official publication.

UPLAND GAME

Legal sporting arms for upland game: Quail and pheasant may be taken with
shotguns and muzzle-loading shotguns fi ring shot, bows, and crossbows. Eurasian
collared-dove, grouse and squirrels may be taken with shotguns firing shot, muzzle-
loading shotguns, rim-fire and muzzle-loading firearms, bows, crossbows and
compressed air guns firing a pellet .177 or larger.

MIGRATORY BIRDS

Legal sporting arms for migratory game birds: Migratory game birds may
be taken with a shotgun fired from the shoulder, provided it is no larger than 10-gauge
and is not capable of holding more than three shells. Migratory game birds also may
be taken with muzzle-loading shotguns firing shot, bow and arrows, and crossbow and
bolts.

......

Notice our law says "compressed air guns". Does that include springers? It's up to interpretation.

If you know the rules in your State post them! Let's find out where it's legal to hunt game with an air rifle.
 
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I pretty well got schooled with the Laws here in Texas about hunting,, But in Texas the Euro Dove , sparrow and starling are pest birds and can be taken any time with any thing, Blow gun , Slingshot, But you must have a hunting license for anything, Its a cover your butt thing.. We have very few game wardens Only one in Ector Co. But if you jump out and kill that rattle snake with a rock, stick or a gun, (Gun covers them all) You better have a hunting licence ...
Mike
 
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In Washington you can specifically shoot forest grouse, snowshoe hares and cottontails which are classified as game birds or game animals with .22 to .25 caliber airguns. You can also shoot unclassified wildlife.

WDFW Unclassified wildlife.png
 
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Small game can be taken with air rifles of any caliber and power level in MO. Whitetail must be 40 cal and up for air rifle. As long as the specified animal is in season.
In fact, Missouri was on of the first states to allow hunting large game with air rifles.

Pesting out of season is just that. No one seems to be too concerned here as long as it's truly justified pesting.

Bandits have a season for hunting or trapping, but if they're deemed a nuisance, act accordingly. I still have 5 coons to deal with that keep showing up and getting in the trash and tearing up my garden at night. I thought it was possums, but i caught a coon running off with a tomato just the other night. I didn't have the 30 cal with NV at the ready.
 
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I'm from North Carolina and pretty new to PCP hunting myself. Looking at the chart on PA seems there are no caliber restrictions for hunting in general. The regulation booklet doesn't list air rifles, but from what I can gather with as much information that is given. Airguns falls into the rifles and pistols category so it's legal to use for hunting. Anyone in NC would like to chime in if that's correct?
 
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The chart from airgunsporting.org (the one that PA uses) is fine for general looking up, but should not be used as a replacement for looking at the actual regs for your state. That chart was rarely updated after it first came out and I imagine it still isn't updated very often now.
Any and all questions should be directed to the local game warden for clarification.
 
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dv8eod said:
The chart from airgunsporting.org (the one that PA uses) is fine for general looking up, but should not be used as a replacement for looking at the actual regs for your state. That chart was rarely updated after it first came out and I imagine it still isn't updated very often now.
Any and all questions should be directed to the local game warden for clarification.
Click to expand...

Spot on. The map is a good general resource. I wish it linked to the various state websites for further information.

Our rules in NM change every year. Sometimes drastically. When you read the rules sometimes they need clarification.

The way I read our rules they don't allow springers. Only "compressed air rifles". That COULD mean only PCP's. I'm going to need to get that clarified. I want to hunt squirrel and grouse with my springer this fall.
 
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In SC you can use airguns pretty much any time you can use a PB gun. Legal for small game and large game (not much other than deer although there are hogs but I don't think they are protected). Only caliber restriction is you have to use 22 or lower for small game and larger than 22 for large game. A little goofy but my guess is they don't want guys hunting with a 25 or larger airgun for deer but saying they are hunting small game. Coyote, raccoons and fox are in the 22 and under list (light in my opinion). Most of the restrictions are "on public lands". On private lands the season stays the same but a lot of the restrictions go away.
 
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Bedrock Bob said:
I get that.

You and I may interpret the law that way.

Does the NMDGF?

That's why I'm going to ask for clarification. Just to make sure the wardens and I agree on the language.
Click to expand...
If NMDGF is anything like WDFW you're better off not asking. The likelihood that you'll get someone that understands the nuances of the question is remote and that won't be the person you are interacting with in the field. Ambiguity in the law is to your benefit.

I can make a thoughtful, reasonable and compelling argument that springers shoot compressed air. Is there a thoughtful, reasonable and compelling argument that they are something else? If not, why ask for clarification?
 
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Hal4son said:
If NMDGF is anything like WDFW you're better off not asking. The likelihood that you'll get someone that understands the nuances of the question is remote and that won't be the person you are interacting with in the field. Ambiguity in the law is to your benefit.

I can make a thoughtful, reasonable and compelling argument that springers shoot compressed air. Is there a thoughtful, reasonable and compelling argument that they are something else? If not, why ask for clarification?
Click to expand...

Because I want to know how NMDFG interprets that rule. Plain and simple.

"Thoughtful, reasonable and compelling" arguments are great in court. I would like to sidestep that if possible.
 
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NorCal David said:
You might want to get the person’s name who provides the answer. Then the guy in the field might be more accepting of the interpretation. BTW, I have never seen any regulation that differentiates Airgun types.
Click to expand...

I don't debate the laws with game wardens. I just sign the ticket and save it for court. I don't expect to encounter a warden where I hunt. I just want to clarify the rule.

The NMDGF office is just a half mile down the road and it won't take five minutes to ask a warden what he thinks. Of course i will collect his business card.

The courthouse is 12 miles away and takes months to get a resolution. It seems logical to drop in and ask the warden a question rather than risk an erroneous assumption.

I've always been impressed with our wardens and their professionalism. We haven't always agreed. And they don't always interpret the law the way I do. But if they don't it is to my advantage if I know that before hand. And I trust them to give me their honest opinion when I ask.
 
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Bedrock Bob said:
What are the game laws in your State concerning hunting with an air rifle? Do you know them? Are you sure?

In New Mexico you can't hunt any game animal with air guns except collared dove, squirrel and grouse. There are no other provisions for air rifles.

In prior years you were allowed to shoot mourning and white wing dove with an airgun on your own property during season. The rules change every year. This year there is no mention of that.

.....

Here are the current rules cut and pasted from the official publication.

UPLAND GAME

Legal sporting arms for upland game: Quail and pheasant may be taken with
shotguns and muzzle-loading shotguns fi ring shot, bows, and crossbows. Eurasian
collared-dove, grouse and squirrels may be taken with shotguns firing shot, muzzle-
loading shotguns, rim-fire and muzzle-loading firearms, bows, crossbows and
compressed air guns firing a pellet .177 or larger.

MIGRATORY BIRDS

Legal sporting arms for migratory game birds: Migratory game birds may
be taken with a shotgun fired from the shoulder, provided it is no larger than 10-gauge
and is not capable of holding more than three shells. Migratory game birds also may
be taken with muzzle-loading shotguns firing shot, bow and arrows, and crossbow and
bolts.

......

Notice our law says "compressed air guns". Does that include springers? It's up to interpretation.

If you know the rules in your State post them! Let's find out where it's legal to hunt game with an air rifle.
Click to expand...

Furbearer and Auodad are also permitted by NMDGF. Note, furbearer also includes mountain lions. At your own risk...
 
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Hal4son said:
How would the hypothetical interpretation be articulated that would make a springer - not an airgun?
Click to expand...

The "hypothetical interpretation" is they were talking about a PCP when they wrote "compressed air rifle" in the rules.

They didn't say any "airgun". They say "compressed air rifle". I'm sure you can see how a bunch of bigwigs on the State Game Comission may not have their airgun vocabulary down correctly. It's not a stretch to imagine by "compressed air rifle" they meant a PCP.

By your interpretation a Daisy Red Ryder is a "compressed air rifle" that fires a .177 projectile. Would it be legal to hunt mountain lion or audad in New Mexico with that? What would your "hypothetical interpretation" of our law be in that case?

I'm fairly certain a springer is fine to hunt squirrel and grouse. But I'm going to ask anyway....
 
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The state of NY has a list of small game animals and fur bearers, up to coyote... Only air gun requirement is 600fps minimum and .17 or larger. So technically a 760 pumpmaster is all that's needed, Lol. Yeah right...

You will need a license to hunt. There's a bunch of other regulations that have to be known, and how those are interpreted and by whom and where... I won't even get started. For smiles and grins, I sent the NY DEC an email to clear things up and have their official standings on specific matters (in print). Waiting for reply, only been two years or so...
 
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