Air Rifle in a shotgun only zone?

[SquidBilly]

I'm looking to find doves near a lake that has shotgun only limitations.

Am I ok with my hand pump .177 for doves there or is this illegal/no go?

[Gasman]

Never bring a Daisy to a 12 gauge fight.

[pilgrimbizket]

Check the upland game regulations, i belive its illegal to take a gamebird w an air gun.

[SquidBilly]

After a little digging I found that CA defines in section 257 that "resident small game birds" as dove to pheasant to quail to turkey.

In section 311 the method of take for "resident small game" permits the use of air rifles with pellet size of .177 or greater.

http://www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/current/uplandgamebirdregs.aspx#250

[XVIga_Rob]

[CaptnCaveman]

Make sure to know your dove species. Mourning & White-wing doves are migratory game birds & not resident game.

[Eric Mayer]

You cannot take migratory game birds with an airgun (Dove is a migratory game bird). However, most other small and upland game can be taken with an airgun. Now, if you were shooting only Eurasian Collared Dove, you would be okay (not a migratory game bird).

Eric

[drutledge79]

Also turkey is fair game for the curious. I'd be wary of using an airgun in "shotgun only" area, though. I would check w/ the wardens on that one.

[Stevehazard]

May be shotgun only in regards to firearms. So airguns may be OK, so check more. Eurasian dove only with an air rifle either way.

[omgwtfbbq]

I'm looking to find doves near a lake that has shotgun only limitations.

Am I ok with my hand pump .177 for doves there or is this illegal/no go?

Depends a lot of the type of area you are hunting in. If it's DFW land, they can have more strict regulations than what is found in the general provisions.

I would opt on the side of safety and say shotgun only means, shotgun only. Only other way to be sure is to call the local whatever agency has jurisdiction over the property.

[pennstater]

Slight hi-jack: Eric, I just went over to Varminter and registered. Looks like a dandy to me. Same name as here.

[tony270]

An air rifle is not a firearm, you are okay if air rifle is a legal method of take.

[edgerly779]

For mourning dove it is not a legal method of take.