The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission was presented a preview of the 2017-18 waterfowl and other migratory bird hunting seasons at its first meeting of 2017. The one-day meeting was held Friday (Jan. 13) at the Bass Pro Shops in the Pyramid.
The presentation in regard to waterfowl and other migratory birds was made at the January meeting due to recent changes in the timing of the federal regulation process. States will now set their waterfowl, dove and other migratory bird seasons early in the calendar year as compared to late summer in previous years.
Jamie Feddersen, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s Migratory Game Bird Program leader, shared proposed season dates and bag limits for all migratory bird species.
The TWRA is also recommending an operational statewide Sandhill crane hunting season. For the past four years, an experimental sandhill crane hunting season has been held in a limited area in southeast Tennessee. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved an operational season for Tennessee.
The agency is proposing a two-week shift in the American Woodcock season. Currently this season starts the last Saturday in October and the shift would have it beginning the second Saturday of November. Other seasons will remain intact with only date changes.
The commission will set the 2017-18 regulations at its next meeting on Feb. 17 in Nashville.
Ducks Unlimited representatives made their annual visit to a commission. DU’s Dave Kostersky and Tim Willis discussed Tennessee’s efforts with Duck Unlimited and prairie Canada to create and enhance wetlands.
The commission had asked the TWRA to review its big game check-in system. The commission is requesting that the agency check the potential cost of implementing a tagging system and the cost of surveying hunters to calculate a big game harvest estimate. This technique will complement the annual reported harvest from check-in.
The TFWC passed a resolution to honor Wade Bourne, an outdoors writer and broadcaster who recently passed away. A resident of Clarksville, he contributed to many publications through the years as served as editor-at-large for Ducks Unlimited magazine and as a senior write for Bassmaster magazine.
Mr. Bourne was a host/co-host for Ducks Unlimited TV the past 10 years, and for the past seven years, hosted the weekly hunting/fishing program Advantage Outdoors TV on the Nashville Network. Among his many honors was induction into Legends of Outdoors Hall of Fame and the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame.