It’s hunting season — safety first

If you are like many Kyle residents, you probably are hearing gunshots, especially in the early mornings. Sept. 1 kicked off hunting season in Texas. That was the start of dove season. As fall progresses, more hunting seasons will begin, including quail season and bow season (where deer can only be harvested using a bow and arrow).

You may have wondered about the noise or maybe just want more information on the rules. As hunters are sometimes within or near the city limits, depending on the parcel of land, it’s a good time to remind Kyle residents, and hunters, of some basic hunter safety, courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife.

No hunter orange is required while hunting on private property, but it is recommended. When hunting on public land, hunters are required to wear 400 square inches of daylight florescent orange with 144 square inches appearing on both chest and back. Daylight florescent orange headwear must also be worn.

There are legal shooting hours for all game animals and non-migratory game birds. It is legal to hunt during the period from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Visit www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/usa/austin for sunrise and sunset for our region.

It is unlawful for any person, while hunting or engaging in recreational shooting, to knowingly discharge a firearm in such a fashion as to cause a projectile to cross a property line, unless the person owns the property on both sides of the property line or has obtained written permission from the owner of any land crossed by the projectile.

A hunting license is required of any person, regardless of age, who hunts any animal, bird, frog or turtle in Texas (except furbearers, if the hunter possesses a trapper's license.) The only exception is that no license is required for nuisance fur-bearing animals, depredating hogs or coyotes.

Below are just a few of the hunting season dates applicable for Hays County; note, a few different rules apply for the east and west sides of Interstate-35 when it comes to deer season.

Dove season:

Sept. 1 - Oct. 25, 2015

Dec. 18, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Quail season:

Oct. 31, 2015 - Feb. 28, 2016

Deer season:

Archery Only

Oct. 3 - Nov. 6, 2015

General Season:

Nov. 7, 2015 - Jan. 3, 2016

The City of Kyle reminds hunters to always practice safety and to be respectful, particularly around houses, businesses and school campuses.

Check out all the rules on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website: http://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/counties/hays