About 60 people attended a public meeting in the Rhea County courthouse last week. The majority who spoke out were opposed to the computerized duck blind drawing, especially on the Yellow Creek unit of the Chickamauga WMA.
photo by Richard Simms
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission voted to begin a computerized drawing system for duck blind sites on the four units of the Chickamauga WMA (Candies Creek, Johnson Bottoms, Rogers Creek, and Yellow Creek).
The issue has been the subject of heated debate in Rhea County, mostly among hunters who utilize the Yellow Creek unit.
Last week, at the request of Tenn. Rep. Jim Cobb, TWRA held a public meeting on the issue. (More details HERE)About 60 people attended the meeting in the Rhea County courthouse and the majority of people who spoke out were opposed to the computerized drawing for blind sites... preferring instead to stick with the "first come, first served" policy that has been in place for years.
Eva Hampton doesn't hunt, but she spoke out on behalf of her husband and sons. Hampton held back tears as she shared the great memories of past duck hunting seasons on Yellow Creek.
"I heard what ya'll were planning and it stirred me up," she said. "That opportunity (for my family) will be gone if our local duck hunting is made a draw. So please, consider all the families that would be affected if local hunting is rented out."
Those who argued for computerized drawings claimed that a select group of hunters who had access to the Yellow Creek WMA across private land had an unfair advantage in claiming the best blind sites.
TWRA Regional Manager John Mayer confirmed that is the primary complaint he hears.
Rep. Cobb said, "(At Yellow Creek) These guys can be over a fence and be at their duck blind while everybody else is still in the parking lot."
Asked if that is fair Rep. Cobb said, "No, probably not."
William Brown, the wildlife commissioner from Chattanooga who represents Rhea County, did not attend the public meeting.
However observers at the TWRC meeting said Commissioner Brown offered a compelling argument and evidence of widespread support for the computer drawings. He said he received over 50 emails and phone calls in support of the changes and a petition in support with approximately 150 names, verified by corresponding hunting license numbers.
The new plan will provide for 25 designated blind locations, offered for two weeks at a time, on the four Chickamauga waterfowl units... Johnson Bottoms (5 blind sites), Candies Creek (8 blind sites), Rogers Creek (8 blind sites) and Yellow Creek (4 blind sites). Hunters who are drawn are the only ones who can be in the designated blind locations, and they can take up to three guests with them on each hunt day.
TWRC approved the same process for two West Tennessee management areas... Bogota and the new Thorny Cypress Wildlife Management Area in Dyer County. Similar random drawings have been held on West Tennessee waterfowl management areas for many years. A TWRA spokesperson said that more information on the Chickamauga application process will be announced at a later date.
To submit your opinion on the computerized drawings for duck blinds, send an E-MAIL. Opinions will not be posted unless you include your first and last name, and town as well as your phone number where we may call you for verification. Do not write in all caps. We will not publish phone numbers and you can request that your email address not be published. Opinions will be posted below.
In other action, The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission approved the statewide 2010-11 hunting seasons. The upcoming hunting seasons will have a few slight changes as approved by the commission.
No changes were made concerning deer season dates or to standard antlered and antlerless bag limits. Six Unit B counties will have more antlerless muzzleloader opportunities as a result of a move from the 5-day to the 14-day antlerless hunt. The counties in which the changes apply to are Anderson, Claiborne, Grainger, Greene, Hancock, and Johnson.
Hunters are required to check-in animals on the calendar day in which they are harvested also to aid in the agency’s law enforcement efforts. Internet check-in for bears has been eliminated to allow better data collection and to improve enforcement.
The TWRC amended the agency’s proposals and created four new hog hunts on the Cumberland Plateau. Cumberland, Fentress, Overton, and Pickett counties will now allow the hunting of wild hogs with dogs during the time frames of Oct. 2-10, Nov. 1-4, Dec. 2-15, and Dec. 31-Jan. 3. A new wild hog hunt (with dogs) has been created in Monroe and Polk counties Dec. 31-Jan. 3. Also, in the same two counties is the establishment of a bear dog training session that will run from Sept. 9-14. A no bag limit on wild hogs has been set for the South Cherokee National Forest.
The commission reduced the bear archery season to three weeks from the agency’s recommendation of a five week season. The bear archery season will now begin Sept. 25 and continue through Oct. 15 in Blount, Carter, Cocke, Greene, Jefferson, Johnson, Monroe, Polk, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties.
The special season fall turkey hunts and county deer quota hunts have been changed to non-quota hunts in many counties across the state. This change will eliminate the need for hunters to obtain a quota permit prior to the hunt. Hunters will be able to participate in any non-quota hunt in a county where the hunt is established. A Type 94 non-quota permit will be required except for sportsmen license holders and individuals eligible for the landowner exemption.
The next meeting of the TWRC will be June 16-17 and again be held at the TWRA Region II Ray Bell Building in Nashville.
To submit your opinion on the computerized drawings for duck blinds, send an E-MAIL. Opinions will not be posted unless you include your first and last name, and town as well as your phone number where we may call you for verification. Do not write in all caps. We will not publish phone numbers and you can request that your email address not be published. Opinions will be posted below.
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Lee Norris
Chattanooga
With the scarcity of good duck hunting sites in the greater Chattanooga area, the permit drawing process is the only way to ensure all hunters have an equal opportunity to hunt a well managed site.
I support the permit drawing process.
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Trey Wall
Chattanooga
This is the best thing TWRA has done for public ducking since I have lived here. One of the first opportunities I had to hunt in Tennessee was at Johnson's Bottom. To say it was a cluster is an understatement. I was impressed with the management of the duck conditions, but the hunting left a lot to be desired. Being a student at UTC, my resources where limited at best, I had few choices of area's that you where able to access by foot... These are all good hunting spots, now maybe some will actually have a chance to take a few birds.
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