Clarification Made Concerning Archery Turkey Harvest

From TWRA

NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is making a clarification as there have been several inquiries concerning the harvest of wild turkeys in counties that have a fall turkey gun season.

Archers are allowed to harvest one turkey during the archery-only deer season in each of the counties listed that have a fall turkey gun season. (A list of counties that have a fall turkey season is located on page 40 of the 2011 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide).

The TWRA suggests all archery hunters obtain a 2011 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide. The guides are available where hunting and fishing licenses are sold and on the TWRA website, www.tnwildlife.org.

TN Brings Home 7 National Champioinships From SCTP Event

From TWF

TN Scholastic Clay Target Program's Teams Outshine 36 Other States with 23 Top Five Finishes

SPARTA, Ill. - Twenty one teams from the Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program competed in the sport's national championship event, held July 12-16 in Sparta, Ill. The result was seven national championships, 23 top-five finishes across all divisions, and the high overall shooter of the tournament.

Tennessee's 28 medals far surpassed those of the 36 other states with teams in the event, which included thousands of student-athletes from across the nation.

"Tennessee has become a pre-eminent state in scholastic shooting sports, and our teams did not disappoint at this year's national championships," said Andrew Peercy, who serves as TNSCTP's manager through the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, which runs the program. "Side by side, the males and females that make up our state's teams shot the lights out in Sparta."

The seven national championships included: Arlington High School (Shelby County), varsity trap; Richland Trap Team (Giles County), junior varsity trap; Hoodlum Alley Claybusters (Bedford County), intermediate entry trap; and Bethel University, collegiate skeet. The Jefferson County Patriot Shooters won two national championships in the "Game & Fish" state divisions, both as the high all-around team and in the trap event, as well as a high all-around championship in the "4-H" division.

Cody Hart from Houston High School in Shelby County was named the individual trap national champion and the high overall shooter of the tournament. It was the fourth year in a row that a Tennessee athlete has won the high overall award in trap, a division that included more than 1,200 shooters from across the nation at this year's event. For his efforts, Hart was also named winner of the Jeanette C. Rudy Cup, for the best performance among Tennessee shooters at the national championships.

For complete results from the national championships, visit www.shooterspost.com.

Four colleges in Tennessee offer scholarships for competitive shotgun sports, including skeet, sporting clays and trap. Student-athletes can earn scholarships and financial assistance at Bethel University, Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological University, and the University of Tennessee at Martin. The TNSCTP Scholarship Fund will award $15,000 in scholarships to SCTP athletes this year.

TNSCTP is a program of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, with approximately 2,000 student-athletes participating on an annual basis in competitions at the local, state and national levels. The program is made possible by support from key partners including the Tennessee Army National Guard, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Rio Ammunition. To learn more, visit www.tnsctp.org.

Permit for 2011 Elk Hunt To Be Auctioned on EBAY Throuh July 23

From TWRA

The final permit for participation in Tennessee’s third managed elk hunt will go to the successful bidder in an eBay auction from July 14-23. Proceeds from the auction benefit the state’s elk restoration program.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) again donated a permit to a Non-Governmental Organization to join four others who were selected from a computer drawing. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation (TWRF) is the recipient of this year’s donated special take permit.

The TWRF will award its permit to the successful high bidder through the eBay auction. The successful bidder will participate in the hunt along with Richard R. Rutherford of Walland, Terrell S. Holt of Columbia, John Mark Alston of Knoxville, and Jody A. Moore of Loudon who were announced as winners of the drawing during the June meeting of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission.

The 2011 Tennessee Elk Hunt will be held Monday, Oct. 17 through Friday, Oct. 21 at the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area in East Tennessee. The North Cumberland WMA will be divided into five elk hunting zones (EHZ). Each hunter will be designated an EHZ in a drawing to be conducted at a later date at a TWRA Region IV location.

All proceeds from the sale of the remaining special bull elk tag will go exclusively to the elk restoration program. The TWRF is partnering with Bill Swan, an active member of the Chattanooga Chapter of Safari Club International (SCI), on the promotion and sale of the last elk tag.

More information concerning the hunt will be listed in the eBay auction. Search “Tennessee Elk Permit” on EBay to find the listing.

TWRF is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting habitat conservation, an ethic of land stewardship, and Tennessee's hunting and fishing heritage for the benefit of TWRA and Tennessee's outdoor enthusiasts. 

Big Game Quota Hunt Applications Accepted Through July 27

From TWRA

NASHVILLE --- The application period for all Wildlife Management Area (WMA) 2011 Big Game Quota Hunts is continuing through July 27, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Applications are available and will be accepted at any TWRA license agent, TWRA regional office, or online. Mailed applications will not be accepted. The application period began June 15. The applications must be received by midnight (CDT) on July 27.

Sportsmen are reminded to read the application form carefully, fill out all requested information, double-check the form, and take it to a license agent where it will be entered into the system. When applying at any TWRA license agent, there is no fee for current Annual Sportsman License holders, Lifetime Sportsman License holders, or seniors possessing a Type 167 permit. For all other applicants, there is a non-refundable $10 permit fee for each drawing entered plus a $1 agent fee.

Hunters may also apply over the Internet at the TWRA website. There is no fee for current Annual Sportsman License holders, Lifetime Sportsman License holders, or seniors possessing a Type 167 permit. All other applicants, in addition to the $2 internet usage fee, will be charged a non-refundable permit fee of $10 per drawing entered. The $2 usage fee is collected by the company that maintains the Internet site. (It is not a fee that is charged by the TWRA.)

TWRA’s priority drawing system gives priority points (this year a maximum of 6 points) to hunters based on the number of years they have participated without being drawn for a hunt. Applicants who were successful last year will start over with a priority of zero.

When applying at a license agent, hunters must remain at the location while the application is processed to verify the information, such as hunt codes and their TWRA ID number on their receipt, is correct.

 

Elk Hunt Winners Annoucned at TWRC Meeting

From TWRA

NASHVILLE --- Four persons have won the right to participate in Tennessee’s third-ever managed elk hunt. The winners were announced Friday during the June meeting of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Region II Ray Bell Building in Nashville.

The four winners, all Tennessee residents, were selected in a computer drawing from 6,840 applicants. The elk hunt is scheduled Oct. 17-21, 2011 at the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area.

The participants for this year’s hunt will be Richard R. Rutherford of Walland, Terrell S. Holt of Columbia, John Mark Alston of Knoxville, and Jody A. Moore of Loudon. Daryl Ratajczak, TWRA Wildlife and Forestry Division Chief, announced the winners.

The fifth participant will be the recipient of a permit that is donated to a Non-Governmental Organization, which this year was the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation. That permit will be auctioned on eBay. The auction period will run July 14-23. Fund-raising proceeds are designated for the TWRA Elk Program.

In other business at the meeting, the commission passed proclamations with new language that would allow for land purchases to take place without necessitating a proclamation change. Small tracts of land are sometimes purchased adjacent to Wildlife Management Areas when they become available, especially in West Tennessee.

Stacy Surgenor, manager of the Flintville Hatchery, gave an update on activities at the trout hatchery. Fisheries Division Assistant Chief Frank Fiss gave an update on federal budgets that will eliminate much of the funding for Dale Hollow and Erwin hatcheries which supply trout to several popular fisheries in Tennessee. Both facilities are operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Trout stocking will continue as usual this year. Tailwater and reservoir trout fisheries will receive about 20 percent less trout in 2012 and even deeper cuts are projected for 2013.

Darren Rider, Boating Division Chief, presented a Memorial Day holiday weekend report. There were no boating fatalities recorded during the period. There were five accidents reported and boating officers made 20 boating under the influence (BUI) arrests.

Steve Nifong, Acting Law Enforcement Division Chief, presented an overview of the efforts of TWRA wildlife officers in response to the tornadoes in East Tennessee and the flooding in West Tennessee this spring.

The TWRC will not meet in July. The meeting schedule will resume Aug. 24-25 (Wednesday-Thursday) in Kingsport.

Application Period Deadline May 31 for State’s Third Elk Hunt

From TWRA

NASHVILLE --- The deadline to apply for participation in Tennessee’s third-ever managed elk hunt is approaching. Sportsmen have until midnight (CDT) on May 31 to submit their application to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

The third elk hunt will be held Oct. 17-21, 2011 at the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, located off I-75, north of Knoxville. Once again, there will be five Elk Hunting Zones designated at the WMA.

Persons may apply at any TWRA license agent, TWRA regional office or online at www.tnelkhunt.org. Mailed applications will not be accepted.

As in the previous two hunts, five individuals will be selected to participate. Four of the participants will be selected through a computer drawing conducted by the TWRA. Nonresident applicants will be restricted to no greater than 25 percent of the drawn permits.

The fifth participant will be the recipient of a permit that is donated to a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) which this year is the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation. The permit will be auctioned on eBay. The auction period will run from July 14-23. Fund-raising proceeds are designated for the TWRA Elk Program.

There is no application fee for current Tennessee Annual Sportsman License holders, Lifetime Sportsman License holders, or an Annual Senior Citizen Permit (Type 167). All other applicants will be charged a $10 non-refundable permit fee, a $2 internet usage fee (if applying online). For those applying at a license agent, there is a $1 agent fee in addition to the $10 non-refundable permit fee.

The successful applicants will be announced at the June meeting of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission. Successful applicants will not be allowed to reapply for an elk quota hunt permit for 10 years following a successful draw