There won't be a lot of "action" at next week's meeting of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission. However there will be some interesting discussions.
DEER BAITNG
The biggest hot button probably involves deer baiting. At least one TWRC member has said it is his mission to make deer baiting legal in the state of Tennessee. The Commission has directed newly-hired Wildlife Chief Greg Wathen to present a report on deer baiting.
Wathen has already said that the TWRA Staff would recommend against the legalization of baiting.
Wathen says from his research he found that in the Southeast and Midwest about 50 percent of the states allow baiting for deer and turkey.
Of course it is currently legal to feed deer and turkey in Tennessee. However all evidence of any bait must be removed for at least 10 days prior to hunting the area.
Wathen says the concerns are the transmissions of disease and potential impacts on wildlife behavior. He says depending upon the Commission's direction, the Agency would like to conduct a PR campaign to discourage feeding, even though it is legal.
Commissioner Bill Cox says he's really on the fence on the issue.
"I'm usually pretty opinionated," said Cox. "But I really don't know how I'd vote on this right now. I guess it would be dependent upon what biologists say about disease."
Cox says that if the Commission keeps talking about the issue, he suspects somebody will eventually bring it to a vote.
LOSS OF PUBLIC LAND
The TWRC will also hear a report on the loss of public hunting lands. Wathen says that the number of state-owned WMA's has increased in the last 5-t0-10 years. However other public hunting lands, such as Bowater and other large timber company lands, has dropped from 800,000 acres to 58,000 acres.
That is worth repeating... other public lands accessible to hunters have dropped from 800,000 acres to 58,000 acres.
Cox says the impact of such a loss is obvious.
"This is absolutely the most critical issue facing all states in the South," said Cox. "We're losing land at an incredible rate. If we have to keep raising rates (licenses fees) as the number of hunters decrease, we're moving toward an aristocratic hunting situation like they have in Europe. It's critical to find alternative sources of funding."
Wathen says the impact will be the difficulties in recruiting new hunters, especially in urban areas where hunters desperately need a place to go.
"It's a huge challenge and it's not going to be an easy challenge," he said.
DUCKS UNLIMITED REPORT
The TWRC will also hear a report from Ducks Unlimited. The Agency provides annual funding to DU that goes for habitat work in Canada. Of course they also cooperate on various projects in Tennessee as well. Wathen says the amount changes but that TWRA gives between $75,000 and $200,000 a year to Ducks Unlimited.
BIG GAME HOUSECLEANING
The only issue scheduled for a vote at this time is some "house cleaning" on Big Game Season. Wathen says due to some confusion at the last meeting, they accidentally left out a 2-day bear hunt (no dogs) in Sevier and Cocke Co. He expects them to reinstate that hunt and to clarify some language about hunting equipment.
WILD SIDE REPORT
Bill Cox SAID he also requested a report on the Tennessee Wild Side TV program from TWRA Marketing Director Jay Langston. Cox says he believes the Agency needs to make a serious effort to have the Tennessee Wild Side program aired on commercial televisions rather than PBS stations where it currently airs.
"We're paying $125 cpm (cost per thousand viewers)," said Cox. "I've talked to folks in the industry who tell me about other programs that are only spending $25 cpm."
The Marketing Director position is a new position created by TWRA a few months ago to try and help the Agency's image, and find potential new sources of revenue.
The meeting will be held July 19-20 at the TWRA Region II, Ray Bell Office Building in Nashville, TN
Committee meetings begin at 1 pm on the 19th, full Commission at 9 am on the 20th.