The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet Thursday and Friday at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s Region II Ray Bell Building with a variety of items.
The commission meeting is returning to the traditional two-day format from a one day meeting that was previously announced at the final meeting of 2012. The commission meeting will open with committee meetings at 1 p.m. on Thursday, while the formal session is at 9 a.m. on Friday.
Among the agenda items on the first meeting of the year will be a report of the wild hog control season on Catoosa WMA by TWRA Region III Wildlife Program Coordinator Kirk Miles. The report will include participation estimates and the number of hogs that have been taken.
The Tennessee black bear hunting season recently concluded. The commission will hear a summary of the 2012 season.
A history of the TWRA’s big game check-in process will be made. The check-in system provides TWRA biologists accurate and useful harvest information. In addition to providing the harvest data, the check-in system also attempts to make the check-in process user friendly and satisfy the needs of sportsmen.
Prior to the commission meeting, a public meeting is being held (Tuesday, Jan. 16) concerning the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed closure of tailwaters on the Cumberland River and its tributaries to boating traffic. An overview of the meeting will be given. The TWRA was voiced opposition to the closure.
The TWRA, in cooperation with other agencies, began a reintroduction of the lake sturgeon to the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers. Jason Henegar, TWRA Statewide River and Streams Coordinator, will report results from the monitoring effort that have generated data about fish growth, movement patterns and survivability.
In other agenda items, there will be a presentation from the public regarding an off-highway vehicle program.
Don King, TWRA Information and Education Division chief, will have a preview of the recently completed Charlie Daniels Public Service Announcements. Kirk Miles will give a preview of the 2013 Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival to be held Saturday and Sunday at the Hiwassee Refuge.