TWRA Hears 2010-11 Hunting Seasons Proposals During April Meeting

In the recommendations presented by TWRA Big Game Coordinator Darryl Ratajczak, no changes were presented concerning deer season dates or to standard antlered and antlerless bag limits. The agency did propose to liberalize antlerless muzzleloader opportunities in six Unit B counties (Anderson, Claiborne, Grainger, Greene, Hancock, and Johnson) by moving them from the 5-day to the 14-day antlerless hunt.

 

TWRA is recommending the elimination of all special season deer quota hunts and creating comparable non-quota hunt opportunities (See attached deer table below).

 

The TWRA is recommending that all feral hogs and wild boar will now be referred to as wild hogs. A new wild hog hunt (with dogs) would be created in Monroe and Polk counties (Dec. 31-Jan.3).

 

Concerning black bear recommendations a bear dog training season in Monroe and Polk counties would be created (Sep. 9-14). TWRA is recommending the elimination of internet check-in for bears to allow for better data collection and to improve the agency’s enforcement capabilities.

 

Regarding special fall turkey hunts, TWRA is proposing their elimination and creating comparable non-quota hunt opportunities (See attached fall turkey table below). There would be no changes to the spring turkey dates or to the standard bag limits.

 

The agency has proposed to the TWRC that hunters be required to check-in animals the calendar day in which they are harvested.

 

During Wednesday’s lengthy committee meetings, the commission heard a report on the April 13 meeting of the Norris Lake Fisheries Advisory Committee (NLFAC). At that meeting, the NLFAC voted down a proposed compromise to change the slot limit on smallmouth bass on Norris Lake. The TWRC supported the NLFAC’s decision and voted to take no action on changing the existing slot limit for smallmouth bass on Norris Lake. The current regulations were passed in the TWRC’s October meeting and the commission strongly respects and supports the decisions made by the NLFAC.

 

In other items, the TWRC passed an amendment to the commercial use of wildlife. This amendment will affect live species that may be bought and sold in Tennessee, particularly crayfish and salamanders. The purpose of the amendment is to prevent the commercial sale of crayfish and salamanders for bait obtained either by collection within the state or by those being purchased from outside the state. Sport anglers will still be allowed to collect and use crayfish and dusky salamanders for bait except from those areas identified in the Live Bait Proclamation.

 

Dr. Mark Fly, Professor and Human Dimensions Research Lab Director with the Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, UT Knoxville, discussed  the “Every Child Outdoors–Tennessee Coalition, Tennessee Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights Resolution,”  recently signed by the Governor, and the upcoming Governor’s Summit on “Every Child Outdoors.”  TWRA is a joint presenter of the summit to be held May 11 at Montgomery Bell State Park in Dickson County.

 

The TWRC had an emergency budget revision. TWRA, in cooperation with the city of Clarksville, has been awarded a grant to construct a dock, anchoring system, and gangway with utilities for transient boaters on the Cumberland River at the new Clarksville Marina. The $321,000 grant is being made available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program. The Clarksville project was one of the 13 sites chosen for the competitive grant.