The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has developed the Fight CWD Incentive Program for the 2021-22 deer hunting season which contains new hunting incentives to support TWRA’s chronic wasting disease (CWD) management effort.
The TWRA is helping people who harvest CWD-positive deer in two new ways. Hunters who harvest a positive deer will receive a $75 voucher redeemable for processing deer on their next deer harvest at participating processors. Residents who harvest two or more CWD-positive deer during the 2021-22 season will receive an annual sportsman’s license for 2022. If the hunter has a lifetime license, the annual license can be gifted to a person of his/her choice.
“Based on feedback from hunters, we have made improvements to the harvest incentive program this year,” said Joy Sweaney, TWRA biologist. “We are excited to be able to offer hunters free processing on their next harvest when a deer comes back positive for CWD, and hope it helps hunters to keep harvesting deer to help the fight against CWD.”
Hunters and landowners are the TWRA’s greatest partners in the fight against CWD. The goals of hunter incentive programs are to motivate hunters to harvest more deer in CWD affected counties which reduces deer densities and helps prevent the spread of CWD. The TWRA will continue to strive to identify new ways to support deer hunting which is the number one tactic for keeping CWD in check.
Hunter incentive programs may not be applicable to all CWD-affected counties. Those hunting in Unit CWD (Chester, Crockett, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McNairy, Lauderdale, Shelby and Tipton counties) have access to CWD hunter programs. Those hunting in Henry and Weakley counties have access to the Fight CWD Incentive Program and the Replacement Buck Program, but not the Unit CWD Earn-a-Buck Program.
Complete details on Fight CWD Incentive Program, Unit CWD Earn-a-Buck Program, Replacement Buck Program and Landowner Program may be found on the TWRA website, https://www.tn.gov/twra/hunting/cwd.html.