New Draws next year

[rukiddin]

It's always baffled me why TWRA just didn't make selling blinds legal. When person gets drawn at public drawing. They are ask if they want to sell. If yes, then it's announced and basically the blind is auctioned off. the person who drew blind splits whatever blind sold for 60/40 with TWRA. That money to TWRA would be earmarked for the operational cost involving waterfowl.
And as long as we're on subject of selling blinds. It appears to me theres never really been Enforcement of the rule. The money exchange may not be done in public but the offers are made in front of everyone and their brother. An officer does not have to try to hard to find out who bought what. A duck hunter will turn on his own in a heartbeat if it means more or better duck killing opportunities. Haha
I think the only people the blind rule change will benefit are the weekend warriors. It's gonna be tough on the guys who hunt 40-50+ days a season.

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

I agree with the blind sale but that won't happen. More because of perception than anything.
What you may see in the future is less duck stamps purchased in TN. Then, less duck equipment purchased by TN residents.

 

[drake799]

It's always baffled me why TWRA just didn't make selling blinds legal. When person gets drawn at public drawing. They are ask if they want to sell. If yes, then it's announced and basically the blind is auctioned off. the person who drew blind splits whatever blind sold for 60/40 with TWRA. That money to TWRA would be earmarked for the operational cost involving waterfowl.
And as long as we're on subject of selling blinds. It appears to me theres never really been Enforcement of the rule. The money exchange may not be done in public but the offers are made in front of everyone and their brother. An officer does not have to try to hard to find out who bought

Anyone that's in the know of the wmas they hunt know who bought what within a few days of the draw. I noticed on Facebook this year right after the draw there were a bunch of people trying hard to get the list of the blinds Some even asking about certain blinds lol. As Joe Biden would say C'mon Man!!!

 

[casjoker]

So being one of those individuals that have never really understood the in-person blind drawings I like the idea of an online-only system. It is, even if you don't agree with it, a fairer system. I think duck hunting more than other forms of hunting struggle more with access to quality areas. How do you balance access and tradition? I am going to guess most complaining about the possible change are the ones who have pretty good access to those quality spots, year in and year out. The years of access to many quality spots by a few groups have led to a slanted view of what public land access really means. This mentality led to every blind on Big Lake WMA in AR being burnt to the ground. Outside of the online draw system and switching to boat hunting only in suitable areas I wouldn't think there could be much more flexibility in revamping the WMA hunting experience. I think KY has you apply for a blind spot the week before in some areas, might be an avenue TN looks at. No way they can drop Reelfoot down to a 3 day per week hunt format any wildlife agency person who put their approval behind that would get their house burnt down.

If the state is truly interested in reducing the pressure on WMAs for duck hunting they need to open up some of the refuge areas, especially in East TN to a few weekends of draw hunts. There are a bunch of duck hunters that travel west which dramatically increases pressure in the western WMAs.

Change is never easy but it sounds like it may be coming to duck hunting in TN.

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

How is a computer draw more fair than in person?

 

[TNGunsmoke]

This years blind draw was not. Party of 8 = 1 entry. Party of 1 = 1 entry. Hand draw would have been party of 8 = 8 entries, party of 1 = 1 entry.

 

[casjoker]

Agreed, this years was not because they messed up the numbers. However, a computer draw is fair because it gives equal access to be drawn for a hunt on public land that our taxes and license fees pay for. In-person is only available to those that can get the day off. For example, several of the in-person draws over the last few years happened when I and several buddies had Army drill weekends and we could not attend. A computer draw if done correctly gives you and I the same chance to access our public resource.

 

[West_Tn]

It's always baffled me why TWRA just didn't make selling blinds legal. When person gets drawn at public drawing. They are ask if they want to sell. If yes, then it's announced and basically the blind is auctioned off. the person who drew blind splits whatever blind sold for 60/40 with TWRA. That money to TWRA would be earmarked for the operational cost involving waterfowl.

Everyone would just say no it's not for sale, and then sell it afterwards without splitting the profit with TWRA.

 

[WilcoKen]

Did the 2019 drawing format remedy the buying and selling? If the 2 draw system they used then helped stop selling then I don't see why we can't go back to that format. I guess someone could buy the blind but they'd not have their name on the card. Presenting ID at blind would show that and you could enforce the rules.

Also what's to keep someone from buying a temporary spot if TWRA goes with the no-blind format? If a guy draws a good spot and wanted to sell spots at his stake what's stopping him? If TWRA allows say 6 hunters at the stake could a man not sell 5 spots for a price? Unless they say 2 hunters max at each spot which is absurd.

To me, a big part of duck hunting is about being with friends at the duck blind. If they build a new draw system based off this survey they are going to ruin that aspect (and a lot of other aspects too). Just so a guy that hunts 3 days a year can have a place to come—if he even shows, and if he can find the blind stake at 4:30 AM on a WMA he's probably never been on or knows.

Just do the computer draw like this year but insert the 2 draw system like 2019. Im pretty sure it can be done. Then a guy from ETN that works at UPS, EMA etc can have the same chance at a blind like us 21% guys that are satisfied with the old system.

 

[casjoker]

But isn't that the issue, a person who lives in West TN an hour or two from great duck hunting and can go every weekend feels they shouldn't pay a "penalty" to a person who lives 5 hours across the state and will only go for two long weekends a season? How do you find the balance point? The duck clubs and leases have gotten so expensive the average guy can't afford to pay. Sure someone might be able to afford a guide for one trip but one trip a year doesn't do it for most. Possibly, a system like AR where there is no draw and its first to the hole wins. Maybe social media should ban all hunting glory posts and that would eliminate about 20% of the clowns that are there because it looks cool on Instagram.

There is no easy answer when the number of people trying to access a limited resource is greater than the resource allows. Someone always feels like they are the loser. Just like many of us feel left out because we can't afford to get on a lease that is stacking up 2000+ kills per year.

Maybe all the state money would be better spent on buying more land or some sort of waterfowl breading program.

 

[West_Tn]

Did the 2019 drawing format remedy the buying and selling? If the 2 draw system they used then helped stop selling then I don't see why we can't go back to that format. I guess someone could buy the blind but they'd not have their name on the card. Presenting ID at blind would show that and you could enforce the rules.

Neither way stopped the buying. If fact all they did was make it a lot easier to buy. I've never bought a blind, but I have no problem with the buying and selling. If someone wants to waste that much money for a hole on public land more power to em.

If they want to stop the buying, they might should start with actually putting forth a little effort to enforce it, instead of laughing about it and making comments like "I didn't even get a tip on that one."

Just leave the drawing alone alone.

 

[WilcoKen]

Neither way stopped the buying. If fact all they did was make it a lot easier to buy. I've never bought a blind, but I have no problem with the buying and selling. If someone wants to waste that much money for a hole on public land more power to em.

If they want to stop the buying, they might should start with actually putting forth a little effort to enforce it, instead of laughing about it and making comments like "I didn't even get a tip on that one."

Just leave the drawing alone alone.

Agree 100%. As long as there are spots to be had I think there will be buying/selling. Unless they enforce the law. So just leave the drawing alone. My gut says they won't though.

 

[West_Tn]

Agree 100%. As long as there are spots to be had I think there will be buying/selling. Unless they enforce the law. So just leave the drawing alone. My gut says they won't though.

They have already decided to change it. Just going through the motions now. Their minds won't be changed I'm afraid.

 

[drake799]

When you say a online draw is more I say it's unfair to me and everyone that lives closer by. While people could be utilizing these spots a select few want everything to change just to maybe, possibly,probably not even show to hunt these spots It's not our fault you live so far from the resource. If you claim you're willing to drive to hunt you can drive to draw If they go to the 3 day draw they'll most likely draw for the spots in September like the other wmas they've ruined Well most men have wives kids and jobs ( even though it doesn't seem like it during duck season lol) and I dont know what my plans are for tomorrow much less months away from now during duck season What happens is something comes up and people don't show or they hear they aren't "killin" right now via internet scouting and no one else is able to hunt those spots where normally someone would get to Its not fair at all to the people that are closer by and could hunt it regularly. But like mentioned above. I imagine this is already decided and our cries will fall on deaf ears

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

there's a petition going around.

Sign the Petition

Retaining Tennessee WMA Season Long Duck Blinds and In-Person Duck Blind Draws

chng.it

 

[big 8s in Weakley county]

I don't see a lot of good coming out of 3 day hunts. People running all around trying to find there spot in the dark people not knowing weather conditions and having more boating accidents because of it. Keep the season long hunts go to a priority point system if you want. But make it if you don't fix the spot up you are disqualified for 5 years. You can still blind hop the way the system is now. I know it's not fair to the people on the other side of the state but why have a WMA and not have it being hunted because people 5 hours away drawed a spot and don't want to go but 3 days in a 60 day season.

 

[Bgoodman30]

I can tell you this the move to a 3, 5 or 7 day permit is a very real possibility and supposedly the commission has the votes to implement this.. The meeting is in Parsons at 10am on Thursday. The are so many factors involved but I think the easy change to eliminate the pressure and bad behavior on WMAs is to eliminate 1/3 to 1/2 of the blinds, online draw and ENFORCEMENT of illegal selling.

There is a lot of culture and tradition at play but I think most of the WMA's would have to be retrofitted to be able to implement a Bogota/ TC type system. Its not that simple though because of the geography and topography of the regions.. We aren't mostly zero grade like SEMO, AR, MS.. However if folks are shown that planting corn and flooding it up to the ears isn't always the answer then I believe the attitudes will change... We have had much better success when we stopped planting corn.. If they retrofitted these WMAs to more shallow water moist soil impoundments it would create opportunities to hunt temporary hides, tree lines etc.. Staked temporary boat blinds sites is a terrible idea IMO...

Having Joe duck hunter from Knoxville and his six buddies to boat blind out their 14 foot alumacraft for a week may not end well! What about the 2 boat blind access like some in Tigrett and OH? Terrible idea without some major changes...

 

[WilcoKen]

I've duck hunted middle TN WMAs since 2000. It's not practical for me to hunt West TN WMAs like Bogota or TC so I'm not familiar with the draw/hunt rules. That said, I'm confident TWRA will put middle TN WMAs on the same system as Bogota and TC. Question: if the 3 day permit holder is not present can the spot still be hopped? It looks like no sign-ons are permitted in their style of draw so his 4 buddies are out if he's not there. Does that mean a hopper can get the spot? If so, it's practically that way this year (which really sucks). They were just priming us for next year it looks like. What a mess....

 

[TAFKAP]

I've duck hunted middle TN WMAs since 2000. It's not practical for me to hunt West TN WMAs like Bogota or TC so I'm not familiar with the draw/hunt rules. That said, I'm confident TWRA will put middle TN WMAs on the same system as Bogota and TC. Question: if the 3 day permit holder is not present can the spot still be hopped? It looks like no sign-ons are permitted in their style of draw so his 5 buddies are out if he's not there. Does that mean a hopper can get the spot? If so, it's practically that way this year (which really sucks). They were just priming us for next year it looks like. What a mess....

Pretty sure Meeman Shelby Forest is run in the same way as Bogota/TC. If you're not a card-holder for the Thurs-Sat three day hunt, you're not allowed to be there. You can form a group to sign on, but you're subject to the lowest Priority Point count. It's not uncommon now for the spots to go un-hunted if someone doesn't show up. But it's also not uncommon for the cardholder to let his buddies know it's empty, either. It's pretty well the honor system.

If it ever required an enforcement scenario down there, it would be difficult because there's no cell service. If I'm the legal hunter, and I get hopped, I have to climb back up the hill just to call the warden. My first year hunting the forest was only about the 2nd or 3rd time they set up the draw process. There was a group of high school kids that walked into an adjacent hole that wasn't a designated spot, and they essentially crowded out two permitted groups. They didn't know any better, and we caught them the next day in to explain the scenario. We ended up letting them hunt with us since they didn't know any better.

 

[WilcoKen]

But it's also not uncommon for the cardholder to let his buddies know it's empty, either. It's pretty well the honor

So if the card holder does this his buddies can still hunt it? Likewise if hoppers show up before the card holders buddies get there they could take the spot too?