TWRA Comment Period Open For CWD Plan

Buzzard Breath

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The very first objective.

"Strategy 1.1.1. Conduct annual, post hunting season deer removal (targeted removal) in areas with isolated, low number of positive samples (hereafter: sparks) and/or in areas on the perimeter of the enzootic area. Timeframe: Annually"

Layman's terms - wipe out the deer in areas where CWD is newly detected.

I've got 64 more pages to read, so I'll reserve further comment until I'm done and figure out what my comments to TWRA is going to be.
 

Boll Weevil

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Just one opinion after having hunted in unit L for years and the CWD zone since the beginning of the outbreak. TWRA can liberalize limits and seasons all they want, hunters are only gonna shoot so many deer. Look at the "success" of the velvet season, earn a buck, earn another-nother-nother buck. It's already been 3 does/day forever.

TWRA sets regs but hunters pull the trigger and history has shown there IS a limit to how many folks will kill. I for one think we're bumping up against that limit.
 

MickThompson

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Just one opinion after having hunted in unit L for years and the CWD zone since the beginning of the outbreak. TWRA can liberalize limits and seasons all they want, hunters are only gonna shoot so many deer. Look at the "success" of the velvet season, earn a buck, earn another-nother-nother buck. It's already been 3 does/day forever.

TWRA sets regs but hunters pull the trigger and history has shown there IS a limit to how many folks will kill. I for one think we're bumping up against that limit.
Yep. States talk about biological carrying capacity (how many can exist) and social carrying capacity (how many will we tolerate) but can't forget about freezer carrying capacity.
 

Buzzard Breath

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"Fight CWD Incentive Program Hunters who receive a CWD-positive test result for a harvested deer will receive a voucher redeemable for $75 of processing fees at participating processors. The voucher is not redeemable for cash but may be gifted to another individual. The voucher may be redeemed during the season year that the CWD-positive deer was harvested or the following deer season year. Additionally, any resident hunter who harvests two or more CWD-positive deer will be given an Annual Sportsman license (i.e., an all-inclusive license valid for hunting, trapping, and sport fishing without any TWRA supplemental licenses or non-quota permits; allows holders to apply for quota permits at no additional fee for the following hunting season). If hunter has a lifetime license, the earned license may be gifted to another Tennessee resident."

It's funny how they told us the only way to stop the spread of hogs across the state is to remove the incentive of hunting them. Now, they are telling us that the way to stop the spread of CWD is to give hunters more incentive to hunt them. I'd love to say all hunter's stay within the law when it comes to hunting, but we all know better. Do they not realize that by incentivizing more hunters into CWD areas to hunt they're only increasing the chances of the spread of CWD by hunters not following the processing protocols before they take their deer home?
 

gatodoc

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last year I turned in 2 positives and got $150.00 worth of processing coupons and a "sportsmans liscence" that I didn't need so I gifted it to my buds grandson.

gave the processing coupons to others since we process our own.

This yr I could kill 3 bucks in CWD zone plus 2 extras since I had 2 positive last year. One of the 2 bucks I've killed this year was positive, so I get a replacement for it. I've gotten 2 bucks and could kill 3 more by Jan 31 but I won't. I'll only kill the more mature bucks I see. Sadly, the positive I had this year was the younger appearing of the 2 bucks I've killed.

Does are another story. I need 100# of deer meat to get the summer sausage and bologna im after so excess does will go down and we've got excess does.
 

Boll Weevil

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Even if TWRA gave away "free-zers" (get it…FREEzers?) people still at some point just ain't gonna keep bangin'away. Hunters for the hungry already kinda checked that box…don't even have to butcher anymore just dump the deer or the meat off in the name of helping the less fortunate.
 

Andy S.

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I agree with Boll Weevil on all accounts. I hunt all over Unit CWD, especially on the fringes where I know my odds of killing a "not detected" doe are better. I started with 3 bucks tags and have earned 3 more (6 total buck tags in hand) for submitting 3 does to TWRA for testing. All three does were "not detected", thus I had them processed and will give to friends/family who desire venison. I have killed 5 does and 2 coyotes this season, and will not likely need one buck tag, much less six. I have buck hunted all season, just have not seen any mature bucks thus far. 3.5 year old 125" bucks is what I have seen, and the one mature buck I was after was killed by the neighbor in November. For many, there is a personal limit we all have based on what we want to kill, the time we have on our hands, and the other one hundred things we juggle week in and week out. Unit CWD season (bucks and does) does extend until January 31st, so I will likely hunt "some" more and may shoot another doe or two for the freezer.
 

Buzzard Breath

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I agree with Boll Weevil on all accounts. I hunt all over Unit CWD, especially on the fringes where I know my odds of killing a "not detected" doe are better. I started with 3 bucks tags and have earned 3 more (6 total buck tags in hand) for submitting 3 does to TWRA for testing. All three does were "not detected", thus I had them processed and will give to friends/family who desire venison. I have killed 5 does and 2 coyotes this season, and will not likely need one buck tag, much less six. I have buck hunted all season, just have not seen any mature bucks thus far. 3.5 year old 125" bucks is what I have seen, and the one mature buck I was after was killed by the neighbor in November. For many, there is a personal limit we all have based on what we want to kill, the time we have on our hands, and the other one hundred things we juggle week in and week out. Unit CWD season (bucks and does) does extend until January 31st, so I will likely hunt "some" more and may shoot another doe or two for the freezer.
Do you feel that the lack of mature buck sightings come from CWD itself, CWD management practices, or a combination of both?
 

Andy S.

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Do you feel that the lack of mature buck sightings come from CWD itself, CWD management practices, or a combination of both?
Just happenstance, and kind of an off year for me, for mature bucks, both on camera and sightings while afield. I've seen a good many deer, some nice 3.5s, but nothing 4.5+ to my knowledge, unless I misjudged a few from the stand. My friends and coworkers have mature bucks on camera, have seen some and killed a few, all right here in Unit CWD. My best friend killed a 5.5 y/o buck (132") on private ground and 6.5 y/o (149") on public land, right here in Unit CWD. I aged them base on tooth wear, so they could've been older. IMO, far more good bucks (3.5+) die from "lead poisoning" than from CWD. I do not let CWD distract me from buck hunting as I always have, I am just more cautious as to what deer (mainly does) I share with friends and family.
 

Buzzard Breath

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Just happenstance, and kind of an off year for me, for mature bucks, both on camera and sightings while afield. I've seen a good many deer, some nice 3.5s, but nothing 4.5+ to my knowledge, unless I misjudged a few from the stand. My friends and coworkers have mature bucks on camera, have seen some and killed a few, all right here in Unit CWD. My best friend killed a 5.5 y/o buck (132") on private ground and 6.5 y/o (149") on public land, right here in Unit CWD. I aged them base on tooth wear, so they could've been older. IMO, far more good bucks (3.5+) die from "lead poisoning" than from CWD. I do not let CWD distract me from buck hunting as I always have, I am just more cautious as to what deer (mainly does) I share with friends and family.
Thanks for the answer. After enough years of doing this, we've all experience those kind of seasons. The reason I asked was that I'm on the outside looking in. I hunt some of the fringe areas just out of the CWD units. It's only a matter of time before it gets here. It's good to hear from some dedicated hunters within the CWD units to form an opinion and develop a response to the CWD plan.
 

DayDay

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Quick question, how does someone "respond proactively"? (This phrase is used in one of the plan bullet points.)
 

Omega

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I was trying to point out that the use of that term ("respond proactively") doesn't make sense. I saw it elsewhere in the document too. It is an oxymoron.
Somewhat, some wait until something happens before reacting, others do so proactively, having to predict events and having a plan ready to implement when it actually happens, instead of making up stuff on the fly, which isn't a bad trait if done well, but it takes experience and quick thinking, which isn't a trait many have.
 

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