The 2015-16 hunting seasons preview, with recommendations by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, were presented to the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission. The commission’s two-day meeting concluded Friday at the Holly Fork Shooting Complex.
The April meeting marks the TWRA’s annual presentation of the hunting seasons. No formal action was taken by the commission on next year’s seasons. The 2015-16 hunting seasons will be set by the commission at its late May meeting in Nashville and will go into effect Aug. 1.
TWRA Deer Program Coordinator Chuck Yoest presented the Agency’s recommendations concerning deer season. The recommendations featured only a slight change, the addition of a pair of non-quota antlerless hunts in Claiborne and Rhea counties.
After discussion on the deer season hunting preview, the TFWC passed a motion to direct the TWRA to develop a proclamation for a two-buck limit. There will be a comment period upcoming to receive public input for the change of a three to two buck limit.
The agency’s fall turkey hunting season recommendations called for the closing of four southern Middle Tennessee counties. Coffee, Franklin, Lincoln, and Moore counties would be closed for the 2015 fall season, Also, the limit would be reduced in the fall from six to three birds in 10 counties, mostly in the mid-state area due to concerned area hunters.
Black bear proposals included in the expansion to include all of Hamilton County. The county is one of the counties in the transitional bear hunting zone that was established last year. There was also a slight adjustment to the bear dog training season in BHZ 3 to reduce conflicts on Labor Day.
The annual elk hunt is held in October on North Cumberland WMA. There are five designated elk hunting zones. The TWRA is proposing the closure on zones 1 (Chestnut Ridge, Fork Mountain area) and 4 (Anderson and Massengale areas) and opening zones 6 (Braden Mountain area) and 7 (Tackett Creek area).
Joy Sweaney, Wildlife Management Area coordinator, brought forward numerous recommendations regarding changes to hunting seasons on WMAs. Most notable of these changes is the increase of public land turkey hunting opportunities in West Tennessee.
Some East Tennessee WMAs that are placing restrictions on quail and rabbit hunting while habitat restoration projects are underway. A complete listing of the proposed changes in regard to WMAs will be available soon on TWRA website.
There were two proclamations brought forward and passed by the full Commission that increased hunting opportunities for Tennessee sportsmen. Paint Rock Refuge was re-proclaimed as Paint Rock Wildlife Management Area. This will increase hunting opportunities and other activities on the area. The Commission also proclaimed Happy Hollow WMA, an 1,800 acre tract in Middle Tennessee in Hickman County. Details on the new hunting opportunities will be available in the 2015-16 Hunting Guide which will be available in August.
The TFWC took action to restore Carroll Lake since a June 2014 flood which caused damage to the gates resulting in the lake being drained. Carroll Lake is a 100-acre TWRA family fishing lake in Carroll County located off of Highway 22 between Huntingdon and McKenzie.
The entire meeting can be viewed online on the TWRA website at www.tnwildlife.org.