2008-09 Proposed Hunting Seasons Heard By TWRC
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission heard the 2008-09 hunting season recommendations from Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency staff among items on its agenda at its regularly scheduled April meeting.
The meeting was held at the TWRA Region II Ray Bell Building. It was the first meeting presided over by Gary Kimsey, TWRC chairman for 2008-09.
Due to the severity and relative uncertainty of the impact of last year’s EHD outbreak, TWRA recommended only a few changes to the deer regulations for 2008.
Big Game Recommendations:
- Add Shelby and Obion county to Unit L
- Increase antlerless gun opportunities in: Anderson, Benton, Blount, Carter, Chester, Claiborne, Fentress, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Henderson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, Meigs, Sevier, Sullivan, Tipton.
- Remove the Jackson county quota hunt.
- Allow Unit L Young Sportsman hunters the same opportunity of harvesting three does per day as the rest of the hunters.
- Allow Unit L and A hunters to harvest all three bucks with the same weapon in their unit of choice. They no longer have to switch units to harvests their three bucks.
- Add Polk county (East of Hwy. 411 & North of Hwy. 64) to the Oct 18-19 feral hog hunt with dogs.
- Add Polk county (East of Hwy. 411 & North of Hwy. 64) to the Oct 6-7 and 18-19 black bear hunt with dogs.
- Extend the bear archery still hunt from September 27 – October 24.
- Increase fall turkey hunting opportunities in Anderson, Benton, Blount, Davidson, Knox, Moore, and White counties
- Set the 2009 Spring Turkey opener for March 28, 2009 (Young Sportsman March 21-22).
- Defined a legal antler point as a projection of at least one inch long, measured from the tip of the point to the nearest edge of the beam, following the mid-line of the tine.
- Clarified bonus animals and youth accompaniment requirements.
- The Commission requested the Agency to look into expanding the deer archery seasons throughout the historic closed days in Unit B.
Draft Manner and Means Of Hunting
Draft Opening National Wildlife Refuges To Hunting
A proclamation was passed on spotted bass identification. TWRA was presented a check of $1,000 from the Volunteer Musky Hunters.
The TWRC next meeting will be May 21-22 in Nashville at Ray Bell Building at the Ellington Agricultural Complex.