The one blind at Tigrett in tier 3 was built new this past season. But is a spot if not sprayed or lots of work done each season it will not be huntable in 2-3 years.
Sounding better
- Thread starter RUGER
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Levee Jumper
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I think what will really become known after all of this is just how many gar holes there are on state ground in west Tennessee. There are "good" Tier 2 and 3 sites on every one of these WMA's that people will without a doubt get skunked for a couple days then opt not to hunt the remainder of the hunt. Then drive back to wherever they came from very disappointed.
Plus those tier 2 and 3 blinds are really gonna be at a disadvantage decoy wise to the draw blinds that are close.
There is definitely a learning curve to hunting a lot of these spots. You can not hunt them all the same, you also will not kill ducks out of most of them every day of the season. Especially with a few decoys and not knowing how to call.
The Intent to hunt is stupid as crap.
What do you guys think about the bullet point in the presentation about the tier assignments being reviewed every two years.
Seems like an opportunity to roll more tier one blinds into a tier 2 or 3 situation.
Seems like an opportunity to roll more tier one blinds into a tier 2 or 3 situation.
Levee Jumper
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You care to explain? Does it happen to be the fact that many give an Intent to Hunt, fail to do so, and there are no repercussions?
I would be shocked if they don't. Their ideal scenario is to have all Tier 2 blinds. But they can neither afford to build them nor have the time in one offseason. But the early proposal probably gave a hint at an intermediate ideal scenario.
Levee Jumper
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I'm afraid they will move the best Tier 1 blinds to Tier 2/3 over time using the data obtained during the Tier 1 drawing. It will be apparent that the people in the know will only put in for the top 5-10% of the tier 1 blinds.
I would assume they would like the opportunity to change up what tier each blind is in based on its use. They would probably like for it to go over more like the original proposal.
Displaced_Vol
Well-Known Member
Glad they're listening to hunter input & willing to make adjustments. Like most everything, we'll see
Best solution is don't put in for any tier 2 or 3 blinds no participation will help show they don't need more
Plenty of people would put in for them. You are not going to get half the people wanting to duck hunt to not put in for those blinds.
Ranger Scout
Member
They shouldn't be any built blinds on any TN waterway, I have a friend that owns some land that joins the TN river in Marion County as kids he said that we could go down to the river and clean us off a place to camp so we did we carried us some cut saplings with us and built us a nice eating table and had us a nice place to fish and hang out came back a couple of weeks later everything was torn down and a nice sign was put up by the Army Corps Of Engineers that it was a violation to build any structure on the TN River without prior consent or the Corp. Yeah I forgot we had a couple of nice hammocks strung from some trees that they took as well. What does that old saying go "what's good for the goose is good for the gander" and here in Southeast TN we don't have enough ducks to shoot to make it worth while to hunt them.
Smashdn
Well-Known Member
This is like them coming out originally telling you you owe them $100. We all gripe and they agree to cut it to $20 and we all rejoice.
Any of these changes don't seem to be addressing the root cause, if their main gripe is selling blinds.
I really didn't like in the video where he said they weren't trying to increase utilization, just increase opportunity. I disagree with their definition of opportunity as it seems very clear they want to make using the wma's easy and not require much effort in the way of the hunter other than showing up on the given date and getting to their assigned blind. That is creating lazy hunts.
If you want to show up some place at a given date and have the work of brushing and maintaining a blind and hole done for you, that already exists. They are called guided hunts.
Any of these changes don't seem to be addressing the root cause, if their main gripe is selling blinds.
I really didn't like in the video where he said they weren't trying to increase utilization, just increase opportunity. I disagree with their definition of opportunity as it seems very clear they want to make using the wma's easy and not require much effort in the way of the hunter other than showing up on the given date and getting to their assigned blind. That is creating lazy hunts.
If you want to show up some place at a given date and have the work of brushing and maintaining a blind and hole done for you, that already exists. They are called guided hunts.
Smashdn
Well-Known Member
Then let's get rid of docks while we are at it.
Headhunter
Well-Known Member
One thing they leave out is that, AT BEST, they surveyed 10 percent of duck hunters and they are not even sure they surveyed people who actually duck hunt. 10 percent of duck hunters make decisions for everyone else? Good system, NOT! And I have sent emails and left messages in any form I can find and I have not received one single reply, not one.Updated Proposal Available for Public Review as of February 19th
On February 1st, TWRA released a proposal for public feedback. After gathering this valuable information from our constituents, the agency decided to come up with a new updated proposal. The new information below outlines the updated proposal (dated February 19, 2021), which now increases access for hunters statewide and retains significantly more traditional season-long, 60-day blind locations as offered currently. In addition to the 414 season-long blinds, there will be 71 hunt locations designated for quota hunts for 3, 4, or 7-day periods at a marked location or an Agency-built blind. There are no changes proposed to privately-owned/permanent registered blinds.
Blinds per tier in new proposal v. old proposal:
See an indepth explanation of all changes being proposed in this video presentation:
Background:
For many years Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has received public comments about how the current public land duck hunting system operates. The comments mostly fall into 2 categories: the need for increased duck hunting opportunities on public lands (i.e. more access) and concerns over the fairness of the handheld duck blind draw system. A scientific survey of duck hunters done in partnership with the University of Tennessee validated these comments, as well as other issues with in-person handheld draws, and desire for opportunities to hunt for shorter time periods.
In 2019, we made changes to make the in-person drawings more fair and equitable, with limited success. In 2020, due to COVID, all handheld duck blind drawings were computerized and online, which made the process fair and equitable for hunters across Tennessee.
For 2021, we are taking another step, by increasing the number of duck hunters who get drawn to hunt our public WMAs each season. This is an effort to increase public access for duck hunters. To increase access and retain tradition, we will continue to issue many of the current season-long permits while a few changing other sites into quota hunt locations. Quota hunts will be for 3, 4, or 7-day periods at a marked location or an Agency-built blind. Based on hunter input, these changes will meet the Agency's objective of providing increased access to public land duck hunters, increasing the fairness of the draw, and honoring the traditions of duck hunting in Tennessee.
Read more details and see maps of WMA hunt locations changed through this proposal by visiting https://www.tn.gov/twra/proposed-duck-hunting-changes.html.
If you would like to make a comment on the record about this proposal, please email the agency at [email protected] where we will keep and record all comments.
Ranger Scout
Member
As long as it's not a boat dock then I am good with it, the last time I checked you didn't have to put in for a drawing to get to use a boat dock you can drive all over the country and back your boat right into the water crank your little motor and go to your favorite fishing hole and yeah you don't have to put in for a lottery drawing to get to go to any fishing hole.
Smashdn
Well-Known Member
You let on like you didn't want duck blinds because they were on public water and not open to use for everybody. A private boat dock also fits the bill and requires corps approval when installed on corps managed waterbodies.
A boat dock built for private use, the owner can exclude you from using it.
If not a boat dock what kind of dock did you think I was talking about?
Ranger Scout
Member
A private boat dock owner can exclude you from using his personal boat dock, but he can't do anything about you fishing around it and if you get close to it he isn't peppering you with pellets and getting away with it like some duck hunters do. It wouldn't bother me either way if you take personal boat docks away too, they can get in their vehicle and drive to their local boat dock and put in the water just like I do and you know as well as I do it all boils down to money 99% of the time wether or not you are going to be able to build a boat dock or not once you put in your application. To me you should have no permanent duck blinds it should be just like fishing if you want to get to the best hole you better get there first and be on the water early, I know people that duck hunt that camp out on their duck boats to be able to be there first.
You stated docks so I thought you meant docks that are ran by TVA, or the Army Corps Of Non Engineers because you didn't state private docks.
