# Toting a Firearm & shooting at night



## BigSwole (Apr 30, 2012)

What are the laws on this.

I know the regs for duck hunting with steel shot.

What can i take with me and shoot as long as im far enough away from civilization.

I have been on top of beavers and snakes id like to shoot both. I know the beavers are open season year around..

I want to stay legal so if i can awesome, if not then oh well ill keep watching em swim by.


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## BigSwole (Apr 30, 2012)

And ive searched everything i know of, and for the record. Google brings this thread up on page 1, so hopefully a dnr or other knowledgeable person will reply because im sure im not the only one wanting to know.

Thanks in advance


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## BigSwole (May 1, 2012)

From what ive found on here :

http://www.eregulations.com/georgia/hunting/legal-firearms-archery-equipment/

Unprotected species equals any firearms, so that means beavers which are unprotected could be shot with anything and be legal??

What about on the water and at night?!


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## turky93 (May 1, 2012)

On private property, nothing is stopping you from shooting a beaver with a pistol at night as long as you're far enough away from any homes or roads to discharge a firearm.


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## castandblast (May 1, 2012)

There a lot of different factors here in your questions that will determine your answers. For instance, who owns the water your on? (C.O.E, TVA, etc, etc.) All of the governing bodies will have different laws about firearms. It will be your responsibility to know what the laws are for where you are. 

Yes, beavers are legal. However, I believe non-venomous snakes are considered non-game species and are not legal.


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## BigSwole (May 1, 2012)

Its the flint river that im asking about. Its not corps water.

I was asking regarding water mocasins.


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## FERAL ONE (May 2, 2012)

just leave the snakes alone.  probably only one in a hundred you see will be venemous and they will leave you alone as well.


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## BigSwole (May 2, 2012)

Well that one chance they don't leave ne alone id like to be prepared. Plus im looking for the legality of what i can vs cant do. Id rather know im legal and stay within the laws then second guess myself. 

I do alot of hunting and fishing and i like to know whats legal vs what isnt


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## sleeze (May 2, 2012)

I would like to know this as well...cant never have too many weapons on you,,,as long its legal of course.


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## turky93 (May 3, 2012)

Its not something you need to be doing on the river. 
I thought we were talking in regards to a pond or swamp on private property. 
Legal or not, you're going to be sick with yourself when a bullet skips off the water and kills somebody fishing down the river.


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## BigSwole (May 3, 2012)

I duck hunted nearly 50 times last season. On public water. Shooting a gun on the water isnt something new. Im not going to be firing off rounds in any direction for giggles. Im asking for the legality of what i can and cant do. Like if i have a shotgun, do i still need steel shot for being on the water?

Is there any law that says you cant ahoot a beaver with a .45?

Im not irresponsible and running reckless. Im trying to understand the law on this before i even go out that way im within the confines of the law.


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## NG ALUM (May 3, 2012)

I understand what you are wanting and there is always some negative feedback on this site, but don't worry about it..My understanding is this.

When you are fishing on private waters there is no law limiting you to any firearms you can posess in your boat. There is also no law restrictin the killing of beavers on private property except that they must be taken by legal means such as trapping or shooting. You may not poisen them or anything like that. There is actually a bounty on beavers in place at alot of local governing authorities such as laurens county commissioners office and they will pay 10-15 $ per beaver tail. check with you county government for bounties.

On public waterways such as the flint river there is also no laws limiting the firearm you posess in your boat. However there may be federal army corps of engineers regulations limiting the firearm you can posess on some bodies of water, this mostly applies to lakes but not exclusively. (I would check lake laws before jumping in a boat with a gun on somewhere like lake lanier). You should be fine on the flint river to have a firearm and it's actually probably smart to take one. 

There is no law forbidding you from shooting beavers on public waters such as the flint river, ocmulgee river, altamaha river etc...as long as you kill them in a legal manner (don't drop firecrackers on their heads and such). 

As for snakes, they are considered a non game species and non games species law applies. you have the full right to defend yourself and kill a venemous snake with anymeans necessary including firearm in order to protect yourself, boat, and occupants of the boat. 

I would be a little more careful as some snakes are federally protected such as the black indigo snake and you would not want to be caught killing one. make sure what your shooting is a water moccasin and such..

but yes, on the flint river you can kill snakes and beaver no problem.


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## BigSwole (May 3, 2012)

THANK YOU NG!!!

thats how i interperted it but i just wanted to make sure. Im not looking to kill any snakes but i would rather be prepared and ill get rid of the beavers. According to dnr webaite they encourage you to because of the over popluation and destruction they cause.

Thank you very much for an educated explanation. It admazes me that the people on this site who will go out of their way to type up drama but bite their tounge on saying something smart.

Once again thank you, im sure im not the only one wondering thia and wanting to know.


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## NG ALUM (May 4, 2012)

Your welcome bud, just keep in mind im not an expert at state game laws so be careful.


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## FERAL ONE (May 5, 2012)

i guess i was the one the "drama" quote was attributed to, but i too was just trying to help.  before yall get too far "interpreting" the law, you may want to read this exerpt taken from the georgia dnr webpage.  just because an explanation sounds educated, it may be best to realize that an internet chat board quote is not a legal defense to a game warden.

 "Despite the relatively low level of danger posed by venomous snakes many people consider their fear justification for killing snakes. In Georgia it is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and a year in jail to possess or kill many of nongame wildlife species, including non-venomous snakes (O.C.G.A. §27-1-28). "


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## BigSwole (May 5, 2012)

Not so much feral, i wasnt referring that towards you, and not just talking about in this thread. Like in the deer hunting, fresh w fishing, waterfowl, every year 1 month into the season the mods (prob yourself included) have to go around cleaning stuff up and reminding ppl on what they can vs cant say.

Its never something that could be a debate or argueing 2 sides its just people posting the first dumb comment that comes to their minds.

But nack to topic, thanks for the heads up on the snake deal. I generally try not to mess with snakes more so they always find me. Last year a wm climbed into the boat with my wife and I so im going to try not to do that again. 

But my original question was directed more so to shooting beavers, because i didnt know if special rules came into effect at night. Honestly if i had a wm trying to get in my boat id be blasting it wether i was legal or not.


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## FERAL ONE (May 5, 2012)

10-4 .  in my reading of the travels of lewis and clark, one of their favorite foods during the trek was beaver tail.  i have to admit i sort of thought to try one one day but have never slung an arrow through one .  we see em regular, just haven't decided to bring one home yet !


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## BigSwole (May 5, 2012)

Well during duck season i shot a fat one, i wanted to do a mount but one of my shot busted his front teeth so i didnt get that one mounted. However i caped him out(which takes FOREVER) and i called a friend of mine who takes anything i shoot or catch and do not want or w.e and him and his buddy picked it up and gutted him and put em on the grill.

They said it was good however, the next one i get they are going to soak it in saltwater and marinate it first. (Ive read that is the only way to do it)

But they liked it and asked for another...


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## BigSwole (May 5, 2012)

Try to kill em if you can they are destructive creatires.

One of my go to duckholes back in a VERY hidden area now has a beaver dam across it. I jumped it in my godevil but its hard work and if i dont make a path while its warm i wont be able to get back there during duck season.

Just have something to kill it with cause they are very TOUGH. A headshot from a 12 ga. 4 shot 3.5 in shell from 10 FEET didnt kill it right aeay as you would think. Another well placed shot did tho.

Upon caping it i found shot barely under the skin on top of the skull plate. And there hide is like a hog. Thick and full of fat


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## NG ALUM (May 6, 2012)

FERAL ONE said:


> i guess i was the one the "drama" quote was attributed to, but i too was just trying to help.- I AM A POTTY MOUTH - before yall get too far "interpreting" the law, you may want to read this exerpt taken from the georgia dnr webpage.- I AM A POTTY MOUTH - just because an explanation sounds educated, it may be best to realize that an internet chat board quote is not a legal defense to a game warden.- I AM A POTTY MOUTH -"Despite the relatively low level of danger posed by venomous snakes many people consider their fear justification for killing snakes. In Georgia it is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and a year in jail to possess or kill many of nongame wildlife species, including non-venomous snakes (O.C.G.A. §27-1-28). "


Non-venemous is the key to this last sentence. Thats why I stated to make sure that what you were killing is indeed a water mocassin, Rattle snake, etc...I didn't try and intrepret the law, I called a DNR agent and summarized what he said as he was saying it. As I stated earlier in the other post. Nobody is going to mess with you for killing a venemous snake, just make sure it's venemous. Non-venemous snakes serve a good purpose and nobody should go around blasting them. I thought I made that clear.


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## BigSwole (May 7, 2012)

Once again thanks ng, sometimes when im out and its 2-3 am and i go wherever i think the game im chasing will be at. I have been keeping my 12 ga. In the boat on the gun rack. My worries were being way back somewhere my go devil could get me and being eye to eye with a wm that didnt like me too much. (I have been chased before)

Snakes dont bother me (spiders do though)and i have no problem handling them. But i do not like being chased by one lol. 
I would say being chased by a ven. Snake is where i draw the line on my care for them.


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## NG ALUM (May 7, 2012)

lol...I hear ya on the spiders! I hate those dang things, I go back and forth on what im most scared of, it's always been spiders but this year it changed to snakes. I shouldn't say Im scared of snakes though. I have just realized the real danger in getting bit when hunting by myself. I use to run around barefoot around the farm and never thought twice about it. I don't mind a snake as long as I see it coming, its being surprised by one that sucks!! lol...But as far as spiders, they seem to get bigger at night on those bushes along the river and ponds. I'd shoot a hole in the bottom of my boat if it was big enough and jumped in with me...lol.. good luck in your critter chasin'.


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## BigSwole (May 18, 2012)

Ok fellas just wanted to update this.

I talked to a gw yesterday and asked him about shooting beavers.

You can shoot them with your bow, you can shoot them with a gun. However only if they are swimming. If they are on land, they are on privste property, so that would be a no-no.

I know we already covered it but figured i would just add to it. Also for those in lake blackshear area the "fish refuges" which are mentioned in the regulations are open for fishing. They took the bouys down that marked them and the gw said as long as the bouys arent up your good to go.


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## Larry Young Jr (May 28, 2012)

I dont shoot beavers. Reason I dont is because some of my best duck holes are made by beavers. Why shoot 1 enless your are going to eat or make something out of it. The beaver ponds all over the world make a place for animals and people to drink and find food. What are beavers doing wrong on the flint river to shoot them? What are they messing up? No I am not a bunny hugger, But if you are not going to use it for something why shoot it? I do under stand if they were on your land and they were eating your trees or in your pond they can and will cause damage.
 Beavers were your first core of engineers. They damed up the water and made ponds for others to use. Also beaver ponds are natural water filters.  
 I see you like to duck hunt. Here in Ga. there alot ducks harvested on beaver ponds. 
Now shooting snakes. well everyone has their own Ideas. I have bow fished for alot of years, not as much in my older days. But I have been more this year than others. I carry a gun but it is other animals than snakes and wildlife. Plus 90% of the people that shoot at snake cant hit it.. I have killed 3 snakes in the last 52 plus years that I can remember. I only did that because I was in fear of my. I life. Now how many snakes could I have shot 1000,s. I have spent alot  time in the outdoors from Ga. to Colo. I have rule if the snake leaves me alone, I leave them alone. Last year there was only 3 snake bites reported last year in Ga. that were poisionous!
You have fun out there and be safe.
Good Luck
Larry


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## BigSwole (May 28, 2012)

Hey larry, i do get the tails and the cape and i have a buddy of mine who likes the meat so i give it to him once im done with mine. So really none of it is going to waste.

But ive got a personal vendetta on em this year. They dammed me out of one of my spots. I jumped it one time and got across it but i dont know how safe thatll be at 4am and chilly weather. So i have some work to do.

I havent shot any snakes. Was only asking regarding moccasins. I dont have anything against snakes and i actually like them. I just dont like being chased by a poisonous one.

So to answer your question, the beavers are veing used for everything from skin to feeding people. The snakes arent a problem till they chase me


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## Larry Young Jr (May 28, 2012)

Your good man. I wasnt judging you. I was making a statement. I hate seeing people just shoot something because they Can. I have seen people shooting wildife and throwing them in a the ditch. Someone that feeds others with thier harvest and use what they harvest is a true sportsman.


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## Larry Young Jr (May 28, 2012)

BigSwole said:


> Hey larry, i do get the tails and the cape and i have a buddy of mine who likes the meat so i give it to him once im done with mine. So really none of it is going to waste.
> 
> But ive got a personal vendetta on em this year. They dammed me out of one of my spots. I jumped it one time and got across it but i dont know how safe thatll be at 4am and chilly weather. So i have some work to do.
> 
> ...



 Now that would be a DEAD SNAKE!!!!


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