Regulations and Regulators

Unckebob

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Aug 21, 2022
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Many people know that Texas has very little public land. After a lot of research, I found a spot very close to my house that allowed hog hunting for free. But the piece of land is controlled by a second regulator.

I go to the Regulator's website which is out of date (aplications are for prior years and for returning hunters only) Which instructs new hunters on that land tells me I need to turn in my application in person.

When I get to the station, I learn that they no longer see visitors due to Covid and that I need to email Ranger [PITA]. I am told I need an "Application" and a "Liability Waiver" (Note the singular tense). I quickly find the liability waiver for the site , but I cannot find an actual application. form

Trying to complete the application process, Ranger PITA informs me twice my applicatios are incomplete but won't tell me what document I am missing (even though I asked him that specific question. I repeatedly asked where "the application " was that I was missing. His answer was to read the regulations.

Last night, I finally realized there was no "Application" form at all. Instead, there a two "Liability Waiver" forms that need to be filled out with barely any differences located in two different locations In the mass of other regulations.

I am 100% certain that Ranger PITA knew the correct answer and simply didn't want to let me know there was no "Application" form at all and that I simply needed to fill out two different liability waivers.

The land in question would be perfect for new hunters to start learning without having to go in on an expensive dear lease. People like Ranger PITA prevent hunters from enjoying our limited public lands.

Rant over.
 

Soj51hopeful

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so after you fully read the regulations you figured it out. Maybe ranger pita is tired of people half assing. Always two sides to a story.
 
OP
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Unckebob

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so after you fully read the regulations you figured it out. Maybe ranger pita is tired of people half assing. Always two sides to a story.

No, I finally realized there were two separate Waivers of Liability.

The instructions clearly state I must fill out (1) "application" and (1) "Waiver of Lisbility."
- It linked directly to the "waiver of liability" I was to sign. Having completed it, I thought I was done with that part.
- I kept looking for the "application" that I was told to fill out. Having filled out hundreds of applications, I have have a good idea what an "application." looks like. There was nothing that looked like or was identified as an "application."
- The second waiver of liability differs only from the first one I signed in that it would allow me to hunt more areas than I was requesting. Nothing in the regulations to suggests it was the "application" I was instructed to fill out.

I worked it out but it involved too much time. I think people not used to complicated regulations and unhelpful Ranger PITA will simply give up.
 

thinhorn_AK

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99% of government employees are pieces of shit. It’s more interesting for them to jam you up than to help you. Sucks but it’s true.
 

FLATHEAD

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Jun 27, 2021
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Sounds like another place where they allow hunting, but dont really
want you there.
Disappointed in TX lately myself.
 

TSAMP

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Jul 16, 2019
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Sounds like maybe PITA didnt want you there. There's a local park 600 hundred acres or so. I have been trying to deer hunt in for 6 years, but it's a application process and then a selection is done. I've never made the cut. The Ranger explained to me so many people want to come hunt it. Then go once or twice. Leave trash and leave a stand up and try the next year. Which they aren't authorized for. They now hang onto the good ones who actually kill deer (doe only) and don't make waves. So it seems until one of these guys dies ill just be applying, it's the principal of it now.

No idea if that's how it is there or not, just providing a different perspective.
 

dtrkyman

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Oct 2, 2014
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“Politeness is the first thing people lose once they get power”

Ranger boy sounds like an ass!

Probably keeps lots of people from getting access, report him!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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OP, message sent. Been hunting public land here in TX for 30 years now. It can be tricky but it's not impossible and there isn't anyone "out to get you" although some do get tired of the same dumb questions from people who aren't willing to do their homework.

I have a brother who is prone to conspiracy theories. He has sworn up and down for the past 20+ years that the state game and fish and forest service are "out to get him" - mostly because he does not pay attention to details, doesn't think all the rules apply to him, and goes into every situation with a victim's mindset. Honestly, it's exhausting to be around people like this.

Ironically, that brother of mine gets drawn for a doe tag on NF every single year and I've been drawn one out of the past six. And yet, the "man" is still out to get him. LOL
 
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Rich M

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You know how to apply next year. Like the other guy on here, there are a lot of guys applying and ranger probably has other stuff to instead of helping folks fill out applications.

It is a tough reality we have these days. I have to wait 3 yrs between permits to hunt within about 75 minutes of my house.

Try to get a decent muley or antelope permit somewhere. You’ll be waiting a while, and they may or may not tell you if your permit was incorrect.

All im saying is this is the new normal. Cant fight city hall or the mobs of folks applying for every available hunt. Gotta roll w the punches and realize it aint personal.
 
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Unckebob

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OP, message sent. Been hunting public land here in TX for 30 years now. It can be tricky but it's not impossible and there isn't anyone "out to get you" although some do get tired of the same dumb questions from people who aren't willing to do their homework.

I have a brother who is prone to conspiracy theories. He has sworn up and down for the past 20+ years that the state game and fish and forest service are "out to get him" - mostly because he does not pay attention to details, doesn't think all the rules apply to him, and goes into every situation with a victim's mindset. Honestly, it's exhausting to be around people like this.

Ironically, that brother of mine gets drawn for a doe tag on NF every single year and I've been drawn one out of the past six. And yet, the "man" is still out to get him. LOL

I have found the Texas Parks and Wildlife staff to be very helpful even if they never draw me for anything 😁😁. ( Iam hoping to win a South Texas Nilgai hunt eventually.)

My family and I spend a lot of time in the state parks. During Covid, Dinosaur Valley SP saved our sanity.
 
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OP is dealing with the Corps (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), which I expected, which has nothing at all to do with Texas. The Corps operates reservoirs and locks and dams all over the U.S., many of which provide for public recreation, including hunting. There are many Corps lakes in TX that allow hunting and most people who hunt there have literally no idea who actually manages the land because they are run as wildlife management areas or state parks, even though the underlying land is Corps land. Corps employees tend to know the least of any public land employees in the state about hunting because most of them are not from Texas and because hunting is only a tiny fraction of what they do. Plus their regulations are extremely complicated - being CFR (code of federal regulations) regs and not State regs. That means they follow a lot of federal nationwide laws that the local office has no control over.

Like anyplace, you gotta do your homework and be patient. Usually you're dealing with someone very new to the office because that's who they have working with hunters. Keep in mind Corps lakes' biggest users are water skiiers, jet skiiers, swimmers, fishermen, recreational boaters, etc. and they deal with a lot of drunk and disorderly people. Those are literally the crappiest entry level public land jobs available and are usually filled by people who couldn't find a job with the FS, NPS, FWS or even BLM.

It pays to educate yourself and be kind - just like when you're dealing with literally anyone else on the planet.
 
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