The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold its first meeting of 2015 at the Discovery Park of America in Union City on Jan. 15-16 (Thursday-Friday). Committee meetings will be held on Jan. 15 starting at 1 p.m. while the formal commission meeting will begin at 9 a.m. on Jan. 16.
During Friday’s formal meeting, the TFWC will consider five rule amendments. They include adjusting fees on TWRA owned firing ranges, raising most current hunting and fishing licenses and permit fees, and creating some new fees relating to horseback riding, bicycling, and off highway vehicle use on TWRA Wildlife Management Areas, and simplifying the process by which the TWRA selects an organization to auction a permit for the special elk hunt.
Persons wishing to comment orally should plan to attend the meeting on Friday. As directed by state law, Friday is the only day on which any of the filed rules may be discussed or comments taken.
Thursday’s meeting will include a status report on several of the state’s annual hunting seasons which have now come to a conclusion. Darryl Ratajczak, TWRA Chief of Wildlife and Forestry, will give a summary on deer, turkey, bear, and sandhill crane seasons.
Don King, TWRA Chief of Information, will provide a capsule of the new television program, Tennessee Uncharted. Tennessee Uncharted premiered on Public Broadcasting Stations late this past fall and clips from the first episodes will be shown to the commission.
As requested from a prior TFWC meeting, TWRA Fisheries Division Chief Bobby Wilson will give a presentation in regard to stocking Florida bass in Tennessee waters.
Discovery Park of America is located at 830 Everett Blvd. in Union City. The meeting will be held in the Reelfoot Room. The public is invited to attend.