BOYCOTT the TWRA

[Madbowh]

There's always room for improvement how many times throughout your life have been responsible for something and when all said and done realized you could've done better nothing in life is perfect and no person is, so for this I'm not very judgemental on twra ways of doing things. I avoid twra because of there harshness on law enforcement, they expect us to read, memorize, and keep a regs book in our back pocket, which is how many pages long?!?!?! When you think your in the right your not they will find something wrong and they don't leave you alone until they do. I agree with ruger they will ask always change to benefit themselves as all politicians do. Now for the guy that says he don't want to expose his kids to the boat ramp drama, how will your kids learn to act in public when they come across these situations when they are not exposed to it, not saying go looking for issues but things in life shouldn't be avoided because of this. I hunt private and wma and have in multiple states, I don't see any thing better here in tennesse than in states where the game wardens aren't as educated and so called conservationist in fact there's one state I can recall that's way better than Tennessee and there game wardens are not required to have 4 years of college and they without a doubt do nothing on that democratic/ ridiculous state

 

[Headhunter]

I have tried to contact anyone I know that currently works with or for the TWRA in any capacity. They have no comment and can't really blame them, this is a heated subject.

I have searched the internet and talked to friends who have experience with the TWRA. From I what I been able to find out, the wildlife division and the Commission is who needs to be contacted if you have feelings about this at all. The wildlife division is who makes recommendations to the wildlife commission. That is the main way changes, good and bad are made and the commission has a lot of power. Joe Benedict is who we need to for sure express our concerns to and all the commissioners.

I talked a person in the wildlife division yesterday. He talked, was informative, and was fair. We agreed on some things and disagreed on others.

The way this proposal of duck blind regs was created to me is wrong. It may be the only way they know. This proposal comes from an "everyone gets a trophy" thought process. Call the wildlife division and find out how this came to be.

They do not know how they are even going to enforce the laws being created. The game wardens are understaffed and overworked as it is and they want to add having them available to settle blind disputes, people being in the wrong blinds, people running around in the dark on bodies of water they have never been on trying to find their blind or their designated spot to hunt from, they created blinds that no blind hopping is allowed so that the group that has the blind for a handful of days can make the call on how many days they hunt in order to let it rest???? Really? How do you determine what blinds are 3 day, 7 day, no blind hopping, which ones the TWRA builds, which are temporary, etc? Give it a year or 2 and there will be no blinds is what I believe will happen.

He said they based this on the fact that the majority of duck hunters only a few days every season? If that is how it is handled then the deer limit should 1 or 2 deer TOTAL per year.

This proposal might be ok for 1 place in each part of the state, maybe east, middle and west or 1 place in the whole state. Or at the most, you split the duck season. But the 3 or 7 day thing is just plain stupid. For the most part, and the guy at the wildlife division agreed. at best there are 6 or 7 days in a season when most blinds have a chance to kill ducks. Having a blind for a season gives the chance that you can hunt at least when weather conditions are favorable and the hopefully some ducks are using the area. You get 7 days or worse 3 days that even if you get to pick which days you want, but absolutely no way to know what conditions are going to be on those days when they are picked in August or September? Really?

YES this crap comes from "everyone gets a trophy", "we can't hurt anyone's feelings", etc. mentality. This is unbelievable to me

 

[RUGER]

YES this crap comes from "everyone gets a trophy", "we can't hurt anyone's feelings", etc. mentality. This is unbelievable to me

I just hope nobody gets killed this coming year if this crap goes through.
Duck hunting can be dangerous when you know where you are going. I am scared it will be deadly for some that have no clue where they are or where they are going.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

And you forgot one thing Southern Sportsman,
They are appointed politically, so therefore, they are as useless as the politicians who appoint them. They serve a master other than "we the people"

There are a few good ones. But when immensely important decisions are made by 13 people with varying degrees of qualification, often little personal knowledge about the subject matter on which they vote, and basically no oversight, this is what you might get.

 

[TNGunsmoke]

I just hope nobody gets killed this coming year if this crap goes through.
Duck hunting can be dangerous when you know where you are going. I am scared it will be deadly for some that have no clue where they are or where they are going.

Or if they do get to the right spot, and there is an old blind there that is usable, and the floor falls through on them, or a support breaks, or any other possible things that can happen in a duck blind.

 

[waynesworld]

I have never watched one of their meeting but just went on and looked at their bio's they have. This doesn't look like a typical political crony appointment's but i would guess they get recommendations from some of the sportsman's clubs. If you think this group is bad go to the TN General assembly web site and watch them make laws.

 

[silentstalker]

The answer to your question goes back decades to the TN Game and Fish Commission and later TWRA. Concerned sportsmen largely affiliated with the TN Conservation League (now TN Wildlife Federation) had seen how leaving laws and seasons to politicians was detrimental to modern wildlife management. They lobbied for a system where the Commission set the seasons and bag limits. And, at the same time, they set it up that the Agency would be self funded through license fees and applicable federal aid monies.

And, as a whole, it has been wildly successful. If you have lived through the decades of having almost no deer and turkey in this state to where we are now, you would greatly understand the benefit of this system.

From my observations on what happens in other states where politics take the forefront on most major decisions for those wildlife agencies, I have ZERO doubt that the TCL was on the money.

Is the current system perfect? No. But, I can about guarantee that you won't like the result of it being changed back to where politicians control the purse strings and make all of the decisions.

Having hunted and fished in Colorado nd California, I will affirm we have it beyond good in TN.

I understand the frustrations around the duck hunting issue at only the basest level, so take this with a grain of salt, but these same things were said back when F&W and TWRA reintroduced turkey, and now I have never seen so many turkey! I grew up here when no one bothered turkey hunting because there flat were not any, and now you cant go hardly anywhere without seeing large flocks.
Same thing was said about how they would manage the elk herd. Now look at what we have, and that is growing!
I will agree I think the Commision and TWRA could be more consistent with wild pig hunting laws and areas, they could and should allow night hunting for varmints with proper equipment, and the lake and river fish management is a bit more of a mess than it should be, and the absence of enforcement is horrendous as far as creel limits. I also agree that lack of enforcement of bag limits is what has ruined the quail hunting here, and is really threatening dove hunting.
So yes, the Commission could do a far better job in many aspects that they are in fact, responsible for, but I am willing to see how the duck program works out before completely condemning it. Everything has a learning curve, so give it a little time before throwing them under the bus.

 

[HatchieLuvr]

I've said well before the recent terrible situation at Reelfoot, that "if it were a perfect world" then the state/feds would close (as in sell!) ALL west TN refuges except Reelfoot! I could care less what happens at Reelfoot (with regards to hunting) but I know for certain the classic days of west TN duck hunting are GONE and have been for decades! Most waterfowl that do make it down here spend their days refuge hopping. The local clubs, landowners and "wade in" duck hunters sit and watch most of the big groups of birds just fly around from refuge to refuge all day. I don't particularly think refuges are doing the job the original plans called for anymore, there are simply to many of them now. If the ENTIRETY of Reelfoot proper was made a no-hunting refuge then that might appease the "refuge-ites" and the rest of the land would be left "up to the market" to dictate what it's use would be.

Show me ANYTHING the govt manages that is successful??? The govt doesn't give 2 steamin schitts about hunters, they want to buy up/confiscate every acre of land they can and in fact BUILD refuges. It's all about control for them and they don't want ANY of us to own any prime land. Reelfoot is a classic example of what happens when the govt gets involved with private matters. They are like a robber who breaks into your house only to then claim it's THEIR house and YOU must adhere to their laws and accommodate THEM!!!

And as far as "public hunting" show me where in The Constitution it states that it's the govt.s responsibility to provide ANYONE with a place to hunt??? (Now where did I put that Nomex suit? )

 

[Ranger Scout]

Yep, I mean it. Stay legal, but any support for the TWRA should be stopped in any way possible. They have never really done anything conservation wise.
There are barely any food plots anywhere, our fisheries are being destroyed every single day year round and state wide. You can call, take pictures and videos, report violations, etc. and every single day fish laws are being broken, mainly people keeping every single fish they catch.

This duck hunting proposal is just plain stupid.

I think politicians are horrible, but maybe it is time things are changed in the state of Tennessee. I think we are the only state in the country, there may be one or two others, that the conservation laws are setup how they are.

You are dead wrong about the TWRA if it wasn't for them having the kind of deer, and turkey management in the 70s and 80s you wouldn't have the kinds of numbers that you have now when I was a kid if you shot a deer you tagged it when it hit the ground carried it to a checking station and checked it in that day. If you saw a turkey you had better turn your head the other way for a few years then the flock got large enough to hunt. They have made mistakes like letting the commercial fishing about wipe out the shovel bill, also years ago the crappie and Jack were almost wiped out, what people don't understand is that when you are dealing with nature you have to continuously adjust the rules because things happen that are out of hunters and the TWRAs hands it's a good thing that the rules aren't set in stone so they can be adjusted. I guarantee what rules that they have changed on the duck blinds will be re looked at in a few years and be adjusted again. The comment about the food plots I don't see why it would be the TWRAs responsibility to feed deer, and turkey that totally should be up to mother nature because the more man messes with wildlife the more damage he can do if not being careful. If a hunting club wants to plant food plots then so be it, you should have that right.

 

[waynesworld]

I just listened to the last commission meeting and there were no comments from the public. If you are dead set on boycotting and saying the sky is falling i would hope you are at the next meeting getting all your voices on record. Along with letting them know by letter and posting on there social media.

 

[TAFKAP]

I just hope nobody gets killed this coming year if this crap goes through.
Duck hunting can be dangerous when you know where you are going. I am scared it will be deadly for some that have no clue where they are or where they are going.

Like some dude accustomed to running an outboard at full throttle on a river/lake that sees a +/- 2' elevation change all year.....drops a boat in at Reelfoot & launches himself into the dark on a submerged stump.

 

[Hduke86]

Ok now we're getting a little sidetracked. This whole boycotting thing is just NOT realistic. I compare this to the Defund the Police movement by the left. They're not happy with what some police officers did or do so they want them gone. Just like here in this thread, yes mistakes have been made on BOTH sides of the argument but I for one know that twra has helped out tremendously with restocking and setting limits on game and HELPING to have a plenty of wildlife around. This is NOT what caused this thread to start. It's over the blind proposal changes and nothing to do with wildlife management but more or less the management of hunters opportunity. I've said from the get go that I'm AGAINST the change and I'm from East Tennessee. There's going to be wasted blinds and interruptions in the hunts. These locations are not like going out on a main lake at mile marker so and so but hazardous to navigate. I'm all for blind hopping IF you don't mess with the stuff that's at the blind and it's AFTER legal light. I know I'm in the minority probably in East Tennessee when I say I hope it gets stopped and they back up and punt when this has been discussed more cause it seems as though it's not been well thought out and it's to say "hey here's more opportunity" but at what cost and complications. More opportunities to me is more land to hunt and this proposal is NOT more land. Ive had the same opportunity living 4 hours away as someone living 5 minutes away. The only difference is I have to drive but my chances were just as good as a local to get picked.

 

[Shanman]

I just listened to the last commission meeting and there were no comments from the public. If you are dead set on boycotting and saying the sky is falling i would hope you are at the next meeting getting all your voices on record. Along with letting them know by letter and posting on there social media.

Well put WW.

 

[Gphunter]

Keep in mind that the TWRA is a law enforcement branch. They do not make the rules. This duck blind debacle, gross mismanagement of turkeys, and other rule and policy mistakes belong to the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Wrong ! TWRA do make the rules - local laws are set by TWRA . Ducks are federal migratory birds . On that dates and limits are set by the feds .

 

[Headhunter]

Ok now we're getting a little sidetracked. This whole boycotting thing is just NOT realistic. I compare this to the Defund the Police movement by the left. They're not happy with what some police officers did or do so they want them gone. Just like here in this thread, yes mistakes have been made on BOTH sides of the argument but I for one know that twra has helped out tremendously with restocking and setting limits on game and HELPING to have a plenty of wildlife around. This is NOT what caused this thread to start. It's over the blind proposal changes and nothing to do with wildlife management but more or less the management of hunters opportunity. I've said from the get go that I'm AGAINST the change and I'm from East Tennessee. There's going to be wasted blinds and interruptions in the hunts. These locations are not like going out on a main lake at mile marker so and so but hazardous to navigate. I'm all for blind hopping IF you don't mess with the stuff that's at the blind and it's AFTER legal light. I know I'm in the minority probably in East Tennessee when I say I hope it gets stopped and they back up and punt when this has been discussed more cause it seems as though it's not been well thought out and it's to say "hey here's more opportunity" but at what cost and complications. More opportunities to me is more land to hunt and this proposal is NOT more land. Ive had the same opportunity living 4 hours away as someone living 5 minutes away. The only difference is I have to drive but my chances were just as good as a local to get picked.

Wrong. Completely wrong. I am not against TWRA law enforcement. Actually there are not enough officers, way understaffed and underpaid, and I believe I said so, but if I didn't I more than support TWRA law enforcement. More officers are needed no doubt.

The way the TWRA handles conservation and wildlife management is truly sad. There is example after example of this and I am FAR from alone in my thoughts and feelings. The TWRA has had some successes but lately it has become a joke and I rarely if ever meet anyone who supports how they operate.

Also I rarely hear anyone complain about the game wardens. All the wardens I have had dealings with have been professional and helpful. I just wish there were more of them, especially to help save all fisheries in our state.

 

[Headhunter]

The answer to your question goes back decades to the TN Game and Fish Commission and later TWRA. Concerned sportsmen largely affiliated with the TN Conservation League (now TN Wildlife Federation) had seen how leaving laws and seasons to politicians was detrimental to modern wildlife management. They lobbied for a system where the Commission set the seasons and bag limits. And, at the same time, they set it up that the Agency would be self funded through license fees and applicable federal aid monies.

And, as a whole, it has been wildly successful. If you have lived through the decades of having almost no deer and turkey in this state to where we are now, you would greatly understand the benefit of this system.

From my observations on what happens in other states where politics take the forefront on most major decisions for those wildlife agencies, I have ZERO doubt that the TCL was on the money.

Is the current system perfect? No. But, I can about guarantee that you won't like the result of it being changed back to where politicians control the purse strings and make all of the decisions.

The Tennessee wildlife federation is useless for the most part and are as political and meaningless as most all politicians. I have no clue what their purpose is, other than poor communication, lying to the very people they say they are going to help (I saw this personally and the land they said would never be lost to hunting is lost and in the super slim chance the land was lost, the land they said would take its place, well nothing, no land has replaced what was lost) and they never communicated about what was happening or the "deals" they were making. I don't believe or suspect anything wrong happened, but it does make a person wonder if someone was paid off. All the "we (the TWF) will not let this happen and if so we will get an equal amount or more land to replace it was nothing but blowing smoke. What a waste of time it was dealing with them.

 

[Headhunter]

If you hunt deer and turkeys in TN but you think TWRA has done nothing for conservation, there's not much helping you. And think there shouldn't be seasons.

Silly talk. Facts don't matter to you, just the story from one guy you know.

I'll agree. Sounds like they mishandled that WMA.

But they've done more for conservation than you know.

I disagree, deer and turkeys, what does it take to have deer and turkeys? Game laws that limit harvest and a place for them to live and people to hunt.

What story are you referring to? The Cumberland Wildlife Management Area? It isn't a "story" and was personally told to me by Mary Motlow, she was a close, dear friend of mine. She had a lot to say about how disappointing the TWRA was. That is why that WMA was lost.

TWRA does no conservation to speak of, no manipulation of land, etc. Just get land and introduce the animals and pass laws that help the animals get to a healthy population. How hard is that, especially with deer and turkeys.

Since you know so much, educate me on conservation and how they have contributed, other than buying land and saying it is open to hunting.

 

[Hduke86]

Wrong. Completely wrong. I am not against TWRA law enforcement. Actually there are not enough officers, way understaffed and underpaid, and I believe I said so, but if I didn't I more than support TWRA law enforcement. More officers are needed no doubt.

The way the TWRA handles conservation and wildlife management is truly sad. There is example after example of this and I am FAR from alone in my thoughts and feelings. The TWRA has had some successes but lately it has become a joke and I rarely if ever meet anyone who supports how they operate.

Also I rarely hear anyone complain about the game wardens. All the wardens I have had dealings with have been professional and helpful. I just wish there were more of them, especially to help save all fisheries in our state.

So your idea of "fixing" things is boycott the place that employees these hardworking good officers that rely on TWRA for their livelihood. I don't get where TWRA is supposed to just come up with so much money to do ALL the things you want them to and still be able to float. But hey you've got your mind made up cause anything outside of your "idea" of boycotting TWRA is wrong cause I've read all the posts and it's either WRONG or Disagree but yea good luck on boycotting. How are you supposed to boycott TWRA and still fish and hunt in Tennessee. I guess landowner exemption.

 

[Monk74]

Keep in mind that the TWRA is a law enforcement branch. They do not make the rules. This duck blind debacle, gross mismanagement of turkeys, and other rule and policy mistakes belong to the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Doesn't the twra plant food for wildlife on Corp land?

 

[Monk74]

Has any employee of the twra or a wildlife commissioner taken the time to join our conversation or answer questions? I've had good experiences with a commissioner or two. But commissioned officers or land managers have gone out of their way to be rude, arrogant asses to so many of my friends for no reason at all. That's the gospel truth. So anyone who thinks this is a bunch of drama with no background info to it, don't judge the guys on here speaking the truth. I don't think they'd be complaining if they thought twra was doing a good job.