Acquisition Feasibility?

[younggun308]

With the old Bowater paper mill in Calhoun, TN approaching death rattle, I have been thinking about these infamous cooling pools' potential as an addition to the TWRA's Chickamauga non-tier draw blind system. I would imagine Resolute would be looking to move this segment of their property at some point within the next 5 years.

Don't know water depth, level of pollutant cleanup needed to foster food source growth, etc. But you could potentially fit 5-8 blinds in there. Would be a good bit of habitat that goes unpressured from Mon-Wed every week, close to Hiwassee Refuge.

Anyone know anything specific about the property?

@CATCHDAWG @GUNNERX2 @casjoker @Hduke86 ?

 

[Trey13]

Yes. They hold a lot of ducks and geese on both sides of the roads. Not as many as in say 6-8 years ago but always go by and see something on it.

 

[WilcoKen]

It makes sense. TWRA should look at adding this to the…….
Nevermind…it makes sense.

 

[younggun308]

I don't know who to contact at the agency to ask about any past effort to get this, or whose attention to bring it to. There is the Purchasing/Accounts person for Region III, but I don't know if that refers to new properties or just equipment, vehicles, donuts, etc.

 

[Hduke86]

It could be one of the better places to have for waterfowl in this part of the state. That's IF they were committed to actually developing it. I would say the water pollution wouldn't be crazy bad but heck there's warnings pretty much with every body water around here. I say with it being that close to the Hiwassee that I hope it would not be something dangerous. They could easily drain and let dry out if possible and then go about planting it and flooding it. Hopefully TWRA has its eye on it and can make a move to better it. One prime example of a waterfowl wma that was pretty good not so so long ago was Yellow Creek. Back then it was first come first serve. There were some problems with how people gained access ahead of others if you ever been there you have to launch or walk from the front but there is private land backed up to it on the backside and it gave some folks a upper hand that could come from the private and be at the top 2 spots in literally a few minutes meanwhile the general public were trying to launch their boats upfront in a tiny creek that was not the best. Well Yellow Creek went to a draw and it got so grown up and they pretty much stopped planting and it went downhill rather quickly.

 

[Hduke86]

I don't know who to contact at the agency to ask about any past effort to get this, or whose attention to bring it to. There is the Purchasing/Accounts person for Region III, but I don't know if that refers to new properties or just equipment, vehicles, donuts, etc.

Maybe try sending emails to the commissioners and head honcho over the waterfowl division and see what they say. I'd definitely target the top 3-4 commissioners that are in the surrounding areas of it and maybe they can help get the ball rolling. If they want more opportunities for folks and especially the "East Tennessee" duck hunter then I don't see why they wouldn't give it some thought.

 

[GUNNERX2]

I don't know who to contact at the agency to ask about any past effort to get this, or whose attention to bring it to. There is the Purchasing/Accounts person for Region III, but I don't know if that refers to new properties or just equipment, vehicles, donuts, etc.

There is/was a person that evaluated land for purchase for the entire state out of the Region 2 office. He and I worked together back when I was DU State Chairman in 1990/1991. I wouldn't know who that person would be today.
I started to say that with I-75 running through the property, the attraction for increased usage by ducks & geese would be diminished but then I remember another WMA that had an interstate close by and I had to hold up shooting for fear of hitting a car.

 

[TAFKAP]

Maybe try sending emails to the commissioners and head honcho over the waterfowl division and see what they say. I'd definitely target the top 3-4 commissioners that are in the surrounding areas of it and maybe they can help get the ball rolling. If they want more opportunities for folks and especially the "East Tennessee" duck hunter then I don't see why they wouldn't give it some thought.

Make sure you use the word "opportunity" a lot

 

[Hduke86]

Make sure you use the word "opportunity" a lot

That's the truth, maybe come up with a song called "Waterfowl Opportunity" and sing it to each one of them.

 

[Trey13]

That's the truth, maybe come up with a song called "Waterfowl Opportunity" and sing it to each one of them.

I went by Johnson bottom Sunday afternoon. This was one of the blind sites. Those trees!

 

[TAFKAP]

What a beautiful opportunity

 

[Hduke86]

@Trey13 theres plenty of real Christmas trees up here on Lookout mountain that people put out on the curb. Come grab you a bundle cause that's about all that will fit in with that Charlie Brown Christmas tree blind. That's a joke of a "blind spot". Heck some wire fence with t-post would've been something quick and easy for Twra to do so that way anyone could drag a half load of brush and zip tied it

 

[Hduke86]

@Trey13 heck if I still waterfowl hunted like I use to then I'd let you use my layout blinds but I pretty much haven't touched my duck gun in a few years and got rid of a ton of stuff. Hope your boy knocks down a limit with that 20

 

[MickThompson]

Might be some short term opportunity arrangement but I'd imagine Bowatet/Resolute would want to sell the entire property since the mill would be pretty worthless without the ponds. Good looking spot regardless.

 

[casjoker]

I have run up and down the river in my boat there a few times and pass the pools on the HWY at least once a month. I almost always see ducks and geese in the area. I would say closer to 5 blinds than 8 but I haven't actually walked the pools. Not sure what's been dumped in there for chemicals and such but seems to be stuff growing in them now. I would think it would be fairly easy to turn them into a flood-controlled pool. I think it would be a solid idea and maybe the area could be set aside as a WMA but the HWY nearby would be a major deterrent. Maybe make it a waterfowl only WMA and face the blinds away from i-75

 

[GUNNERX2]

I failed to mention that the TWRA has a stringent set of guidelines to evaluate a potential property. I can't recite them as I don't remember what the criteria was. Some properties that we looked at I thought would be ideal but they didn't score well based on their grading system.

 

[Trey13]

@Trey13 heck if I still waterfowl hunted like I use to then I'd let you use my layout blinds but I pretty much haven't touched my duck gun in a few years and got rid of a ton of stuff. Hope your boy knocks down a limit with that 20

If u wanna sell them let me know or any decoys you have.

 

[younggun308]

I went by Johnson bottom Sunday afternoon. This was one of the blind sites. Those trees!
View attachment 124761

Yikes. Is that #5 or #2? Don't know how much the blind sites have changed over the years.

 

[younggun308]

Might be some short term opportunity arrangement but I'd imagine Bowatet/Resolute would want to sell the entire property since the mill would be pretty worthless without the ponds. Good looking spot regardless.

So I looked it up and the pools are made up of 3 parcels. Two are owned by Resolute/Bowater, but the lion's share of the north pool is owned by "McMinn Co Industrial Development Board." Not sure what sort of arrangement that is.

 

[Hduke86]

If u wanna sell them let me know or any decoys you have.

Heck if I still had them, id just give them to you but I don't even have a duck call anymore. Lol just a broke down deaf old Labrador

 

[younggun308]

It took 2 weeks, but I finally tracked down the correct contact.

First of all, I asked a question during TWRA's recent Facebook Live event, about how the agency acquires new lands (and who to talk to). That's when I first heard of a "Real Estate Division."

Second, I tried searching for it, trying to pull up a directory, and ended up finding one that I later discovered was incorrect (got a "fail to deliver" message in my e-mail…the lady on the directory hadn't been with the agency in years)—part of another state agency's old site that's somehow still active. Thankfully, the phone number hasn't changed. And today someone returned my call and gave me the right contact.

If you want to give the Real Estate division a "tip," send a message to Tim Churchill at [email protected]

He responded a little over an hour after I sent him a detailed message with parcel numbers, aerial photo, etc. Said they'll have their people evaluate it. I've also since let him know how problematic the current Search Engine Optimization results are.

 

[younggun308]

Update: noticed that the two pools north of the interstate, closest to the river have been drained. Gives the impression Bowater/Resolute doesn't appear to be using them as cooling pools. The furthest inland pool on the north side, as well as the pools south of I-75, still had water last week—and the south one definitely had ducks.

 

[cmn]

Maybe try sending emails to the commissioners and head honcho over the waterfowl division and see what they say. I'd definitely target the top 3-4 commissioners that are in the surrounding areas of it and maybe they can help get the ball rolling. If they want more opportunities for folks and especially the "East Tennessee" duck hunter then I don't see why they wouldn't give it some thought.

That is how to bring attention then maybe contact chief waterfowl biologist

 

[younggun308]

Found out at the leftover blind drawing that someone is leasing at least one of the pools for waterfowl hunting. And the guy who has the lease is buddies with a number of the local TWRA guys.
Would hate for that to mean the spot could never be acquired because of a conflict of interests.

 

[Trey13]

Found out at the leftover blind drawing that someone is leasing at least one of the pools for waterfowl hunting. And the guy who has the lease is buddies with a number of the local TWRA guys.
Would hate for that to mean the spot could never be acquired because of a conflict of interests.

Where is this at

 

[younggun308]

Where is this at

Right off I-75 on the north shore of the Hiwassee River.

 

[_wayne]

I went by Johnson bottom Sunday afternoon. This was one of the blind sites. Those trees!
View attachment 124761

This is hilarious. Do you have to draw for these or are they a first come first serve?

 

[Trey13]

This is hilarious. Do you have to draw for these or are they a first come first serve?

Draw