Can you shoot a deer legaly in texas with a .45 or 9mm?

seets · 05-24-2008, 06:26 PM

I no this sounds stupid, but me and my friends were havin' a discussion and now I'm curious...

Thanks

**wtnhunt** · 05-25-2008, 06:37 AM

Welcome to the forums. Not sure on the laws on Texas, sure someone here will know.

bowhunter56 · 05-25-2008, 07:59 AM

don't you get rules and regs with your hunting lic..

seets · 05-27-2008, 11:19 AM

im 16, still, and my dad doesnt no for sure....

**wtnhunt** · 05-27-2008, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by seets

im 16, still, and my dad doesnt no for sure....

All I could find online was this http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publicat...al/hunt/means/, nothing specified on pistol calibers just says no rimfires. I would encourage you to call your local warden and ask him/her to be certain.

**toddyboman** · 05-27-2008, 03:42 PM

welcome to the forums

I bet one of our many Texas members will know

**Texan_Til_I_Die** · 05-27-2008, 04:04 PM

Legal? Yes. Smart? No.

Unless you're talking about a .45LC instead of .45ACP. The Long Colt is at the very bottom end of what I'd consider to be the minimum effective handgun caliber for deer. But since you lumped it in with the 9 MM, I suspect you're talking about the ACP.

seets · 05-28-2008, 01:52 PM

haha, wow! You really know your calibers, and yes i was talking about the acp, thanks

**rodngun** · 05-29-2008, 05:07 PM

Its legal to hunt deer in texas with a handgun.That being said,I would not do it unless I had a 44 mag or bigger.Take into consideration the new law concerning the recovery of game.I like my deer to go about 2 feet,2 feet straight to the ground.A .22 will kill a deer if the shot placement is right,but it is illegal to shoot em with a rimfire in texas.My point is why would you shoot them with a handgun? I dont think I would shoot them with a handgun (its not that they cant or wont kill a deer -they will) its the fact of shooting a deer with say a 9 mill or 45 or even a .357,Why would you want to chance the deer going say 100 yards or maybe even 200 yards??I just believe in the Bang Flop principal and my handloads of 140 gr accubond-there is no chasing a wounded animal.Hope this helps you out a little.

**TexasDeerHunter** · 06-07-2008, 07:07 AM

It is legal to hunt deer in Texas with any centerfire caliber , any guage of shotgun, rifle or handgun. There is no limitation on the number of rounds you can have in the gun. It is illegal to hunt deer with any rimfire, not just the .22. This includes cartridges such as the .44 rimfire and others.