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TWRA News / Press Releases

11/10/2008 ~ TENNESSEE’S GUN SEASON FOR DEER OPENS NOVEMBER 22

Tennessee’s first segment gun/muzzleloader/archery season for deer opens across the state on Saturday, November 22, in Units A, B, & L according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

The season for each unit is as follows:

  • Unit A - Nov. 22 – Dec. 7 & Dec. 20 – Jan. 11.
  • Unit B (East Tennessee) Nov. 22 – 30 & Dec. 20 – Jan. 7.
  • Unit L - Nov. 22 – Dec. 7 & Dec. 20 – Jan. 11.
No more than one antlered buck may be taken per day. The statewide bag limit for antlered bucks is three, except a hunter may take no more than two antlered bucks from Unit B.

For antlerless deer hunting in Units A and B during this season, refer to the list of hunts on page 21 of the hunting guide. There are quota and non-quota hunts listed on that page.

The bag limit for antlerless deer in Unit L is three per day. An Annual Sportsman, Lifetime Sportsman, Type 167 Permit, or Type 94 permit is required to harvest antlerless deer during this season on all non-quota hunts in Units A, B, & L.

Antlerless deer are defined as deer with no antlers or deer with antlers less than 3 inches in length.

For more information about Tennessee’s deer hunting seasons, refer to the 2008 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide available at all license agents or on the TWRA website at www.tnwildlife.org.

11/10/2008 ~ USDA SWEETENS THE POT FOR WETLANDS RESTORATIONS

In the last several months, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made restoring wetlands more attractive for private landowners under several initiatives and programs.

In October, USDA announced additional payment incentives to be provided through several Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) wetlands and bottomland hardwood conservation practices. Under an ongoing (continuous) signup, participants can apply for 10 to 15 year contracts on eligible lands for the CP23 Wetlands Restoration-Floodplain, CP23A Wetlands Restoration–Nonfloodplain, and CP31 Bottomland Timber Restoration on Wetlands practices. In addition to the standard 50 percent cost-share for habitat restoration costs, they can now also receive a 40 percent Practice Incentive Payment on eligible restoration costs, a $100 per acre up-front Signing Incentive Payment, and an extra 20 percent added to the annual rental payment they receive each year of their CRP contract.

Several months ago, several new State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) practices were announced for Tennessee, which included three CP38B "Wetlands for Wildlife" practices. Depending on site suitability, land may be enrolled as SAFE Shallow Water Areas, SAFE Wetlands Restoration, or SAFE Wetlands Restoration (Non-floodplain) practice.

These SAFE wetlands practices have the same incentives as the above-mentioned practices except for the additional 20 percent extra on the annual rental payment. "The previous CP9 Shallow Water Area practice was very popular with duck hunters, and will likely be even more popular with the added SAFE financial incentives," Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Wetlands Biologist Chris Hunter notes.

Land eligible for any of the CRP or CRP-SAFE practices must meet certain cropping history criteria. Check with your local USDA Service Center for eligibility.

In the new Farm Bill passed by Congress in May and effective as of Oct. 1, 2008, lands enrolled in the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) under permanent easements, 30-year easements, or restoration agreements will receive compensation rates that are significantly higher than they were prior to Oct. 1. The WRP also pays for 100% of the restoration costs for permanent easements and 75 percent for 30-year easements and restoration agreements. To be eligible for WRP, the land must have been owned for at least seven years.

"This is a significant move towards achieving wetlands acreage goals set by TWRA for adequate management of the many wildlife species that use wetlands, wetland buffer areas, and bottomland hardwoods," said TWRA Executive Director Gary Myers. "The USDA and private landowners are essential partners in increasing wildlife habitat on private lands."

Interested landowners can apply for these programs and find out more information at their local USDA service center. The TWRA has several wildlife biologists that can provide technical assistance to landowners on both wetlands and uplands habitats and assistance on navigating conservation programs. Visit www.TWRAprivatelands.org and click on the county the land is in for their contact information.

11/03/2008 ~ TWRC PASSES SPORT FISHING REGULATIONS

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission (TWRC) approved the sport fishing regulations for next year during its regularly scheduled meeting held Oct. 22 – 23, 2008 in Kingsport, TN. The new regulations go into effect on March 1, 2009.

Changes in the sport fishing regulations for Region I (West Tennessee) are as follows:

  • Amended the proclamation to keep the smallmouth bass minimum length of 15 inches on Kentucky Lake.
  • Establish the crappie creel limit for waters in West Tennessee (Kentucky and Barkley Lakes and west to but excluding the Mississippi River) of 30 per day. The daily creel limit for crappie on the Mississippi River is 50 per day.
The TWRC also removed all wording in the proclamation regarding the use of a tooth patch for differentiating spotted bass from largemouth bass.

During Wednesday’s committee meetings, the commission voted to keep the change to commercial fishing regulations that removed all seasons and size limits on paddlefish statewide. All gear and closed water regulations would remain in force. This change will become effective on Nov. 7, 2008.

The TWRC’s next meeting will be held Nov. 19-20 in Nashville at the TWRA Region II Ray Bell Building.

11/03/2008 ~ TWRA REFUGES CLOSE TO PUBLIC ACCESS NOVEMBER 1

Several TWRA waterfowl refuges in West Tennessee will close to public access November 1, 2008 and will remain closed until March 1, 2009. These areas are designed to provide migrating waterfowl a place to feed and rest, undisturbed by human activities. The refuges are closed to public access, except in designated observation areas, each year during the peak of the migrations.

The refuges in West Tennessee that will close November 1st are Bean Switch (Weakley Co.), Cypress Pond (Decatur Co.), Eagle Lake (Shelby Co.), Hop-in (Obion Co.), Horns Bluff (Crockett/Gibson Co.), Jarrell Switch (Carroll Co.), Maness Swamp (Weakley Co. – closed until Feb. 14) and White Lake (Dyer Co.). Black Bayou Refuge (Lake Co.) will close to all hunting on November 14, 2007.

For all information concerning refuges in Tennessee go to www.tnwildlife.org.

11/03/2008 ~ REMEMBER - ASK FIRST BEFORE HUNTING ON PRIVATE LAND

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) would like to remind all hunters that Tennessee State Law (TCA 70-4-106) requires all hunters to have permission before hunting on private property.

Every year TWRA Offices across the state receive calls from landowners about people hunting without permission. TWRA Law Enforcement Personnel will, as in past years, assist landowners who wish to sign a warrant and prosecute hunters for hunting without permission.

TWRA urges all hunters to obtain a 2008 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide or go to www.tnwildlife.org and review the information before hunting. Each year, hunters are issued citations for violations that a few minutes of reading could have prevented.

11/03/2008 ~ REWARDS OFFERED FOR INFORMATION ON POACHING

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) offers rewards of up to $1000.00 for information which leads to the arrest and conviction of wildlife poachers.

Activities such as shooting from public roads, taking over the limit of game, hunting over bait, or spotlighting deer are illegal. Such actions cannot be tolerated and should be reported to the TWRA.

If you have information about poaching activities, call the TWRA Poaching Hotline. The hotline numbers are: West Tennessee (1-800-831-1173), Middle Tennessee (1-800-255-8972), Cumberland Plateau (1-800-241-0767, and East Tennessee (1-800-831-1174). All information will be kept in the strictest confidence.

Remember – "Stop Poaching" – in West Tennessee, call 1-800-831-1173 to report game law violations.