Duck Hunters

[3apantherfan]

I have been duck hunting my whole life, now im starting to venture out on my own, and was wondering if you can hunt Mac Lake?

I have plenty of area's to hunt but me and a friend of mine got in an argument about Mac Lake! So any help will be appreciated!

[tvc184]

[quote name="3apantherfan" post="1014153" timestamp="1306369165"]
I have been duck hunting my whole life, now im starting to venture out on my own, and was wondering if you can hunt Mac Lake?

I have plenty of area's to hunt but me and a friend of mine got in an argument about Mac Lake! So any help will be appreciated!
[/quote]

Mac Lake near south of Moss Bluff?

[3apantherfan]

Yes Sir!

[tvc184]

I've never been there but it looks like a navigable waterway.

Looking at it on the map, it is likely a navigable waterway. If so, you can likely hunt there.

If it a question like pops up from time to time that someone owns the bank and doesn't want people hunting in "their lake"? I big case came up in Texas a few years back in the Big Hill Bayou and Keith Lake area. A long time hunting club claimed sole use of a lot of the water as they owned the bank and all land surrounding a lot of the waterways.

The ruling then is should be the same as now and that is that the water is open to the public. The land may not be but a person cannot stop access to a navigable waterway and it is a crime to do so. I haven't duck hunted in a long time but if it is still legal to hunt from a boat not under power, then you should be able to legally hunt Mac Lake.

For clarification I would call a game warden with the TPWD and get a final judgment on it. I made such a call last year over a piece of water that had a sign saying no entry allowed. I called TPWD from my cell phone while in the boat and the warden said that the sign was meaningless. The land was restricted but not the water.

Is that what you had in mind or something else?

[3apantherfan]

Pretty Much, we were hunting the Reservoirs down 563, and a bunch of ducks were going down in that area. We were trying to figure out where it was and the best explination was Mac. Then my friend said he didn't think you could hunt it because something to do with lake Charlotte but i dont think he realized that it was on completely different sides of the "split" in the river.

And i also had a question about navigable waterway but you cleared that up, so thanks!

[tvc184]

[quote name="3apantherfan" post="1014382" timestamp="1306441143"]
Pretty Much, we were hunting the Reservoirs down 563, and a bunch of ducks were going down in that area. We were trying to figure out where it was and the best explination was Mac. Then my friend said he didn't think you could hunt it because something to do with lake Charlotte but i dont think he realized that it was on completely different sides of the "split" in the river.

And i also had a question about navigable waterway but you cleared that up, so thanks!
[/quote]

This article from the Texas Parks and Wildlife website explains some of the navigable waterway rules/laws in Texas. It is really about the stream bottoms (recreational vehicle use on dry stream beds) but talks about the laws on navigable waterways under Texas law. The second paragraph down talks about public access. One of the main keys is that the water has to be accessed from a public location like a bayou, river, etc. If you have to cross private land to get to it, then it is not public. From the maps, Mac Lake has direct access to the bayou and then Trinity Bay.

The federal law also deals with navigable waterways but theirs has to do with any waterway that is effected by the tide. I think the bayou leading up to Mac Lake from Trinity Bay is in the tidal basin and is also under federal laws for navigable waterways.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/nonpwdpubs/water_issues/rivers/navigation/sweeney/

I would still make a call to Parks and Wildlife and they are glad to help with the laws.

[bronco1]

Mac Lake is part of the Wallisville Project. It is legal to hunt but, if you want to build a blind you have to put in for a permit.

Here is a link their website:

Scroll to the bottom for the hunting map
[url=http://http://www.swg.usace.army.mil/wallis/Recreation.asp]http://www.swg.usace.army.mil/wallis/Recreation.asphttp://www.swg.usace.army.mil/wallis/Recreation.asp[/url]

Hunting Rules and Drawing Info.
[url=http://http://www.swg.usace.army.mil/wallis/Rules.asp]http://www.swg.usace.army.mil/wallis/Rules.asp[/url]

[TallinaBoyz]

Can you duck hunt on Lake Conroe??

[tvc184]

[quote name="Buccaneer#3" post="1015869" timestamp="1307022675"]
Can you duck hunt on Lake Conroe??
[/quote]

I thought that it was legal but you have to comply with all other laws like your shot can't cross a property line without prior written consent, etc.

[TallinaBoyz]

[quote]Can you duck hunt on Lake Conroe??


I thought that it was legal but you have to comply with all other laws like your shot can't cross a property line without prior written consent, etc.[/quote]

thank you