NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will present its proposal for changes to public land duck hunting to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission for consideration during its Feb. 18-19 meeting. The meeting will be held in Franklin at the Marriott of Cool Springs.

The first day of the meeting on Thursday will have a special start time of 10 a.m. The Friday meeting will begin at 9 a.m.

TWRA will be presenting some rule changes for Commission vote in regard to public land duck hunting. These changes are a significant effort to increase the number of duck hunters who get drawn to hunt TWRA public wildlife management areas (WMAs) each season. These changes increase access while retaining tradition by continuing to issue season-long permits and changing other sites into quota hunt locations. For more details visit https://www.tn.gov/twra/proposed-duck-hunting-changes.html.

Other agenda items include a presentation on new research efforts getting underway on wild turkeys to better evaluate implications of harvest and recent regulations changes. The goal is to gain information for future management decisions.

A review will be given of the Agency’s communications and outreach successes from 2020 that assisted in creating a record year for new license buyers and for getting more people involved in outdoors activities. The review will feature some of the tactics that have been successful which includes the CWD campaign, boat ramp geofencing, and targeted social media ads.

The commission has established a Legacy Award. The inaugural winner will be announced at the meeting. The award was established to show appreciation for service and dedication to the people and wildlife in Tennessee.

The TFWC will elect its new officers for 2021-22. The meeting will also be the final meeting for five commissioners. Chairman Kurt Holbert (Decaturville), Dennis Gardner (Lebanon), Connie King (Clarksville), Tony Sanders (Hixon), and James Stroud (Dyersburg) will be concluding their appointments.

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