Nearly 1,000 people disqualified in first duck blind drawing

[rsimms]

Nearly 1,000 people - 983 to be exact - have been disqualified from the first of several 2022 Tennessee duck blind drawings. The problem came about after the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission (TFWC) passed a new rule preventing an individual from filing an application. Each application now requires a minimum of four people in a party before the application will be considered.

Full story here: https://newschannel9.com/sports/outdoors/more-confusion-in-tennessee-duck-blind-drawing-process

 

[Displaced_Vol]

Thanks for the article @rsimms

They're gonna keep trying to treat symptoms with no regard to the actual problem.

This is nit picky but I noticed the comms director acknowledged many of their "customers" were upset with the changes… part of the problem is they see folks as customers instead of constituents or better yet stake holders. This is not a strictly contractual, business relationship between sportsmen and the agency.

 

[mike243]

I don't duck hunt but I did read the requirements and seen that it stated at least 4 licensed hunters must be on the draw or they would be disqualified, pretty simple sounds like.

 

[Dodge Man]

I don't duck hunt but I did read the requirements and seen that it stated at least 4 licensed hunters must be on the draw or they would be disqualified, pretty simple sounds like.

The 4 person requirement was added after the entry time period had already started. Some people had put in before it was a requirement.

 

[TNGunsmoke]

The 4 person requirement was added after the entry time period had already started. Some people had put in before it was a requirement.

Yes, but it was announced a couple of months beforehand. Not defending it in any way, there are several folks, mostly older hunters that do not do social media, and who can barely manage to work email without an issue. Since they mailed a copy of the hunting guide to me(and I assume all Sportsman's license holders, not sure about annual license folks), they should have at least mailed a postcard months ago outlining the changes to everyone who had bought a license last year that outlined the changes. I know several people that would put in solo, or with one or two family members, that only want to hunt with that (admittedly small)group of people. The 4 person group was an attempt to fix the complaint that the Tier 2 blinds went unhunted more often than they were occupied. I understand wanting consistency with Tier 1 and 2 in that respect, but with the lack of birds and the weather we had last season I doubt it will do anything at all to address that issue.

For the Tier 2 and Quota hunts, it makes sense to do an online drawing, but Tier 1 should go back to handheld in person. They have had a 3 year experiment now, and have had issues with it every year. It is time to back up and punt for next year, and go back to what works, and what a large portion of hunters want.

 

[Hduke86]

I love it, The Great Cluster Duck. The gift that keeps on giving. It's almost comical now when waterfowl draw time is near. It's like the great Forrest Gump once said " TWRA waterfowl draw is like a box of chocolates. You never what kind of crap will happen next"

 

[Levee Jumper]

Hard to get it lined out when you make changes every single year. Interested to see how the 4 party system effects the tier 2 drawing.

Not a good way to figure out how many priority points it will take to get certain locations now. Will 8-10 priority points between 4 guys be good enough to get a location that it used to take 3 or 4 as an individual? Hate to burn 16 if it only will take 8.

 

[TNGunsmoke]

Hard to get it lined out when you make changes every single year. Interested to see how the 4 party system effects the tier 2 drawing.

Not a good way to figure out how many priority points it will take to get certain locations now. Will 8-10 priority points between 4 guys be good enough to get a location that it used to take 3 or 4 as an individual? Hate to burn 16 if it only will take 8.

Since the waterfowl quota hunts use the same program as deer, party will have the priority points of the lowest member. And if drawn, everyone in party gets bumped back to 0. I drew mid and late season last year as an individual, so in our party, everyone else has 1, but we'll draw as 0 since I'm in the party.

 

[Levee Jumper]

Since the waterfowl quota hunts use the same program as deer, party will have the priority points of the lowest member. And if drawn, everyone in party gets bumped back to 0. I drew mid and late season last year as an individual, so in our party, everyone else has 1, but we'll draw as 0 since I'm in the party.

I gotcha, didn't realize that. I assumed it would be based on an average.

 

[Levee Jumper]

Since the waterfowl quota hunts use the same program as deer, party will have the priority points of the lowest member. And if drawn, everyone in party gets bumped back to 0. I drew mid and late season last year as an individual, so in our party, everyone else has 1, but we'll draw as 0 since I'm in the party.

And the Saga continues.....

 

[TNGunsmoke]

And the Sage continues.....

View attachment 143133

Well, that would work better for us, lol. Not how it was explained last time around, but whatever.

 

[Levee Jumper]

 

[TNGunsmoke]

More confusion and contradiction, lol. Go figure....

 

[West_Tn]

Well, that would work better for us, lol. Not how it was explained last time around, but whatever.

They just changed it for this year after several people brought up the point of their Priority Points being useless if they were forced to add 3 people to their party at least 1 (probably more) of which would most likely have less points and based on the system that was in place the points would be averaged. You could tell by their reactions that was something that was never even thought about when they came up with the dumb 4 minimum rule. That is their problem. They make all these changes without even thinking about the consequences of them.

 

[Levee Jumper]

Who's on First?

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Would love to be a fly on the wall at Ruger's house when he reads this

 

[mike243]

Ruger Dont care he is a out of stater bird hunter now lol

 

[mike243]

Coarse with new boat he may bypass ducks and fish full time

 

[Dodge Man]

Yes, but it was announced a couple of months beforehand. Not defending it in any way, there are several folks, mostly older hunters that do not do social media, and who can barely manage to work email without an issue. Since they mailed a copy of the hunting guide to me(and I assume all Sportsman's license holders, not sure about annual license folks), they should have at least mailed a postcard months ago outlining the changes to everyone who had bought a license last year that outlined the changes. I know several people that would put in solo, or with one or two family members, that only want to hunt with that (admittedly small)group of people. The 4 person group was an attempt to fix the complaint that the Tier 2 blinds went unhunted more often than they were occupied. I understand wanting consistency with Tier 1 and 2 in that respect, but with the lack of birds and the weather we had last season I doubt it will do anything at all to address that issue.

For the Tier 2 and Quota hunts, it makes sense to do an online drawing, but Tier 1 should go back to handheld in person. They have had a 3 year experiment now, and have had issues with it every year. It is time to back up and punt for next year, and go back to what works, and what a large portion of hunters want.

I duck hunt a lot and have put in for draw's since I was old enough to. I didn't know about the 4 person requirement until we were online putting in for it this year. I don't read much the TWRA puts out. I usually just end up hearing about changes from someone else in the group. I have been drawn several times for Gooch unit E, Bogota and Thorny Cypress. But I have never been drawn myself for a year long blind. But I have had the chance to hunt a bunch of them because other people in my group get drawn.

The best way to do these draws in my opinion is to make friends with people that are like minded hunters like your self. Get a group of 8-20 people to draw together. Then you have help to build blinds in the past, brush and put out decoys. You also have enough people to keep someone in the blind most days of the season.

 

[Levee Jumper]

I duck hunt a lot and have put in for draw's since I was old enough to. I didn't know about the 4 person requirement until we were online putting in for it this year. I don't read much the TWRA puts out. I usually just end up hearing about changes from someone else in the group. I have been drawn several times for Gooch unit E, Bogota and Thorny Cypress. But I have never been drawn myself for a year long blind. But I have had the chance to hunt a bunch of them because other people in my group get drawn.

The best way to do these draws in my opinion is to make friends with people that are like minded hunters like your self. Get a group of 8-20 people to draw together. Then you have help to build blinds in the past, brush and put out decoys. You also have enough people to keep someone in the blind most days of the season.

Agreed....... I would just like to know what the rules are so I can make a good decision on burning or not burning preference points for the midseason draw.