Laughlin residents reminded to be cautious, respectful of base hunters

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Austin M. May
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  As evidenced by local merchants lining their shelves with camouflage clothing and deer attractant, hunting season is rapidly approaching Southwest Texas.

Anyone who frequents the nature trails and other wooded areas on the outer edges of Laughlin should be aware that beginning Sept. 1, hunting will be authorized in many of those areas.

According to Capt. Jim Harrison, Val Verde Military Sportsman's Club president, hunting has been authorized on base since the '80s, and is highly beneficial to residents and employees of Laughlin.

"There is little to no natural predation on base, so hunting keeps the number of wild animals on base at a manageable level," the captain said.

According to Captain Harrison, a few areas on base allow rifles for hunting deer, and those weapons may only be used in restricted firing lanes, but other hunters using bows and shotguns are less restricted in their movements because of the significantly shorter range of the weapons.

All authorized hunting areas are marked with appropriate signage, Captain Harrison said. "The areas are clearly marked with signs displaying the dates that the area is designated as a hunting area."

In some cases, hunters are required to wear blaze orange attire and display a red flag signaling their presence in a hunting area, but exceptions are made for bow hunters and anyone hunting turkey, and non-hunters are strongly advised to stay clear of hunting areas during the season.

Hunters are required by Laughlin Air Force Base Instruction 32-7064, Base Hunting, to inform security forces when they enter and leave hunting areas, and there are restrictions on the number of hunters that can be in an area at any given time. They are also required to report any unauthorized personnel in the hunting areas.

Hunting is restricted to VVMSC members and their approved guests only to ensure the safety of all involved, Captain Harrison said.

"Every effort is made to ensure the program is conducted as safely as possible," he added. "All hunters must have completed the Texas Hunter Education Training Course (or equivalent from another state), and have been trained in Laughlin-specific hunting regulations to further enhance safety."

LAFBI 32-7064 can be found on Laughlin's internal home page from a government computer with access to the local network.

For details, contact Captain Harrison by emailing jim.harrison@laughlin.af.mil.