More Opportunities Update

[GUNNERX2]

But at the in-person draws, they'd keep drawing until all the blinds were taken.

Yes they did. I took a blind years ago that no one wanted in the in person draw. Won't say that we set the world on fire but I was pleasantly surprised with what we killed. Didn't hunt it all that much and killed over 100. Just never know

 

[West_Tn]

same thing happened at in person draws also...many times

It's not even close to the same thing.

 

[Smashdn]

At some point I'll lay out the issues we had up here in KY with our F&W commissioners & brass rigging public duck blind draws at Ballard and some other shenanigans. It's wild but it'll take some time to lay it all out.
All been investigated by the Inspector General and others. I'll try to write the story sometime from a laptop.
As confusing as this new direction from TWRA is, I promise you all I still think it's an improvement to see the lack of resources we devote to waterfowl up here.

Being a ky guy myself I look forward to you explaining it. A cautionary tale to the TN folks to fight tooth and nail to keep your blinds and do everything as transparent and out in the open as possible.

The old pill bucket under the counter is bs I hope y'all never have to contend with.

 

[MickThompson]

I just wish they would work on the habitat instead of messing with the blind drawing's. I grew up hunting Old Hickory. Started hunting in the early 90's. It is shameful what they have let it come to. I know we think the flyway has changed and and the weather has changed....BUT if there is no habitat ducks are not sticking around. Here today gone tomorrow. I've just learned to roll with the punches. TWRA is going to do what they want no matter what we think. They don't care if another duck is shot in Tennessee as long as we keep buying the high dollar license.

The problem we have hunting river systems is the USACE and TVA. They control the water and they kill the aquatic vegetation. As much as TWRA want to plant it pales in comparison to the amount of food that aquatic vegetation could provide if left to grow. Over here the Corps focuses on boating recreation at the near exclusion of any other recreational interest so we are going to lose out.

 

[cmn]

But at the in-person draws, they'd keep drawing until all the blinds were taken.

This is true but then they would not fix or build the blind and some changed their minds and did not hunt them

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

This is true but then they would not fix or build the blind and some changed their minds and did not hunt them

And there were repercussions for ppl that didn't follow the rules. I've only duck hunted for a decade and only participated in draws at Cheatham. But even the crappy blinds got rebuilt or repaired.

 

[younggun308]

The problem we have hunting river systems is the USACE and TVA. They control the water and they kill the aquatic vegetation. As much as TWRA want to plant it pales in comparison to the amount of food that aquatic vegetation could provide if left to grow. Over here the Corps focuses on boating recreation at the near exclusion of any other recreational interest so we are going to lose out.

With the increasing popularity of year-round bass fishing on the corps lakes I wonder if that's changing. Grass has certainly made a comeback on Nickajack and Chickamauga.
Though water management remains a tough thing to contend with in the winter.

 

[Smashdn]

This is true but then they would not fix or build the blind and some changed their minds and did not hunt them

This new way will be no different. There'll be blinds not built or repaired.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

Being a ky guy myself I look forward to you explaining it. A cautionary tale to the TN folks to fight tooth and nail to keep your blinds and do everything as transparent and out in the open as possible.

The old pill bucket under the counter is bs I hope y'all never have to contend with.

I'm certainly no expert on it but I read through that entire OIG report back in what, 2013 or 2014 maybe? I've heard a lot from some west KY locals who are certainly more plugged into that whole scene, and it is a scene, but like anything else there's probably some embellishment. I'll read it again when we get back from vacay and try my best to recount it all.
Smashdn, once upon a time I feel like I read something about some funny business with Murray State and Ballard WMA, you ever hear anything about that? That was way before I started hunting west KY or anywhere else for that matter.

 

[Smashdn]

I only know the stuff in the IG report and a little stuff going on at Boatwright from someone who hunted there pretty regular.

I don't know how long Ballard has been a wma but I found an old concrete blind, not a goose pit, on a slough down there that was never in the published blinds.

The locals down there always knew to an extent that stuff was going on. I got the impression it wasn't the local wma management making those decisions but they were being told what to do.

 

[RUGER]

A cautionary tale to the TN folks to fight tooth and nail to keep your blinds and do everything as transparent and out in the open as possible.

We tried and twra said piss on all of you and did what best suited their family and friends

 

[big 8s in Weakley county]

If they wanted to stop blind selling they could have done that last year. They had the perfect setup and a word was never mentioned of it. Maybe cause one of there own was involved is why they swept it under the rug.