TWRC Establishes 2011-12 Hunting Seasons
Friday, May 20, 2011 | 09:15am
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission has approved the 2011-12 hunting seasons during its May meeting which concluded Friday (May 20) at the Ray Bell Region II Office Building.
The commission had received a preview of the hunting seasons’ proposals from Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officials during its April meeting. Chief Daryl Ratajczak and other members of the Wildlife and Forestry Division staff made presentations at the May meeting as well.
A major change includes a continuous deer gun hunting season which will run from the traditional starting date of the Saturday before Thanksgiving through Jan. 1. The second deer young sportsman hunt will be held the Saturday-Sunday following the Jan. 1 season-ending date.
Another major change is wild hogs are no longer considered a big game animal. Wild hogs are now classified in the nonprotected wildlife proclamation.
Landowners would be given the ability to kill wild hogs by means not previously allowed. This includes all legal weapons and live trapping with bait outside of big game seasons. Wild hogs can only be taken at select Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) during other scheduled hunts.
Quail and rabbit season will now start the first Saturday of November which in 2011 is Nov. 5. Quail season will now end on Jan. 31 in an effort to conserve the quail population.
Rabbit season will have its traditional season-ending date with most other small game the last day in February, which in 2012 is Feb. 29.
The TWRA had proposed to keep the hunting regulations intact for the next two years. However, the commission during its committee meeting elected to make the regulations valid for the coming seasons only and will re-evaluate the proposals next spring.
WMA quota permits will be reduced from a $20 refundable fee to a $10 non-refundable fee.
The fall turkey season has been moved from December to October and the number of days has been increased from 12 to 14. A young sportsman bear hunt has been established for the bear counties. It will be held the same weekend as the young sportsman deer hunt in the fall. The hunt will allow a young sportsman to harvest one bear.
A summary of the major proclamations for 2011-12:
· Proclamation 11-03 Proclaims Enterprise South Park WMA
o Changes the name of Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant to Enterprise South Park.
· Proclamation 11-04 Statewide Big Game Hunting Seasons
o Deer - Create continuous gun season running from the first Saturday before Thanksgiving to Jan. 1
o Deer - Increase antlerless opportunities in Benton, Hamilton, Hardin, Monroe, Marion, Perry, Sevier, and Union counties.
o Deer - Create a Red Deer season in a section of Claiborne County (Jan 14-22, 2012)
o Wild Hog - Remove wild hogs from as a big game animal and allow wild hogs to be taken at select WMAs during deer hunts (will be listed in new Nonprotected Wildlife proclamation)
o Black bear – Add 1 bear to the Young Sportsman hunts bag limit (TWRC Recommendation)
o Turkey – Move fall turkey season from December to October and increase the number of days from 12 to 14 (Oct. 15 – 28)
o Turkey – no changes to spring seasons
· Proclamation 11-05 Importation of Cervid Carcasses and Parts
o Add Allegheny County, Md. and Hardy County, W. Va. to the list of CWD containment areas
· Proclamation 11-06 Statewide Small Game Seasons
o Open quail and rabbit season the first Saturday in November
o Close quail season on last day of January to protect the resource
o Remove unprotected animals (placed in new Nonprotected Wildlife proclamation)
o Small game hunters will get almost two straight months (Jan.-Feb.) with no big game seasons
· Proclamation 11-07 Statewide Furbearer Hunting and Trapping
o Remove nutria (placed in new Nonprotected Wildlife proclamation)
· Proclamation 11-08 Statewide Nonprotected Wildlife - New
o Add House Sparrow, European Starling, Rock Pigeon, Nutria, and Wild Hog to the list of nonprotected and destructive species
o Create manner and means for landowners to handle nonprotected wildlife
o Includes all legal weapons, live traps with bait (outside of big game seasons), and a process to obtain exemptions which may allow the use of dogs in select areas (Overton, Fentress, Cumberland, Pickett counties), night-time shooting, and other methods as approved by TWRA
· Proclamation 11-09 Wildlife Management Area Hunting Seasons
o Wild hog hunting closed on all WMAs unless otherwise indicated
o WMA quota permits will be reduced from a $20 refundable fee to a $10 non-refundable fee
o Season adjustments on a few select WMAs
§ Region I – opens Dry Creek WMA (4,121 acres) to big game, small game
§ Region II – add hunts at Williamsport WMA
§ Region III – Allow hogs to be taken on South Cherokee, Bridgestone, and Catoosa during deer hunts and increase raccoon seasons in S. Cherokee (includes Tellico/Ocoee bear reserves). Increase opportunity on Chickamauga waterfowl draw hunts.
§ Region IV – allow hogs to be taken on hunts in North Cherokee, North Cumberland, Foothills, and Kyker Bottoms
· Proclamation 11-10 National Wildlife Refuge Hunting seasons
o Adjust season dates accordingly
o Remove armadillo and wild hog
o Add hunts to Hatchie, Tennessee National and Big South Fork NRRA
· Proclamation 11-11 Manner and Means of Hunting, Taking, and Trapping
o Remove gauge restrictions for turkey hunting (legalizes .410)
o Change caliber restrictions for muzzleloaders from .40 to .36 for big game
o Remove requirement that broadheads need to be of barbless design
o Add chasing of rabbits during night-time hours to a legal training activity
· Proclamation 11-12 Taking of Raptors for the Purpose of Falconry
Add process of drawing a permit to take peregrines according to Federal guidelines.
In other business at the meeting, the commission heard a presentation from Lyle Mason, manager of the Normandy Fish Hatchery. The commission also saw a recently completed music video “The Fishin’ Hole” and public service announcements that were presented by Information and Education Division Chief Don King
The TWRC will hold its next meeting on Friday, June 17 in Nashville at Ray Bell Office Building. The June meeting will have the committee meetings and formal session on the same day, a change from the regular two-day format.
---TWRA---