The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has announced the application period for the 2023 late season waterfowl hunts is now open through Tuesday.
Applications can be made online at quotahunt.gooutdoorstennessee.com, the TWRA mobile app, TWRA region offices or any TWRA license agent. Mailed applications will not be accepted. Applicants must be at least 16 years old.
Detailed application instructions, WMA (Wildlife Management Area) locations, and general waterfowl quota hunt information are available on the TWRA website on the quota hunts page.
A person may only submit one application that can include up to 48 unique hunt choices; hunt choices may not be repeated. Qualifying parties must have at least four members, with a maximum of eight.
A party must be established by a party leader who will select the hunt choices for the entire party. A party number will be assigned to the leader after the application has been submitted. The leader informs the person(s) wishing to join the party of the party number. The members will choose “join a party” on their application and input the leader’s party number onto their application.
The TWRA’s priority drawing system gives one priority point to applicants each year they apply and are not successful for any hunt. Applicants who were successful last year will start over with a priority of zero. If applicants in a party have varying priority points, the party will assume the point status of the highest point of the party. If a party is unsuccessful, each party member’s individual priority will increase by one point.
A successful applicant may bring up to seven additional hunters (guests) of their choice, each day of the hunt. The number of adults in a blind or pool may not exceed eight, one of which must be a permit holder. No additional party members can be added after the drawing. Permits are nontransferable.
Successful applicants will receive an email with instructions to log-in and claim their permit before Dec. 18.Each party member must claim their own permit. Permits will be available to print after the permit has been claimed.
Individuals in the party that fail to claim their permit forfeit their individual permit but may still hunt with a permit holder in attendance at the blind. If the entire party fails to claim their permits, the site location will be forfeited.
DONATE YOUR DEER
Donate your deer in the weeks ahead and you could win a crossbow plus help out some people who are in need of meat.
Each year the Henry County Sheriff’s Department implements its Deputies for the Hungry program and it began on the opening day of the regular gun season and will continue through Dec. 30.
Sheriff Josh Frey said deer may be dropped off at the Henry County Sheriff’s Department between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily. They will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Hunters will need to have the deer checked in prior to arrival and have the confirmation number ready for deer shed personnel. All deer must be field dressed prior to drop off.
The Henry County Sheriff’s Department will have a giveaway at the conclusion of the season after it has received all TWRA testing results. The Sheriff’s Department will make the public aware of when the giveaway will be.
For each deer donated, the hunter will receive a ticket for a crossbow drawing to be held at Hulme Sporting Goods.
DEER HARVEST UPDATE
Numbers continue to escalate across the state as to Tennessee’s deer harvest. The figures have really jumped the last two weeks since regular gun season opened.
Totals as of Thanksgiving Day on the TWRA database showed the statewide harvest around 76,000, a figure that is changing daily.
Henry County hunters had checked in a total of 1,531 on that date. Neighboring counties showed Benton 737, Carroll 1,307, Stewart 1,396 and Weakley 1,264.
Montgomery County was the leader among the state’s 95 counties with a total of 1,753.
LBL OPENS ARCHERY AREAS
Land Between the Lakes will allow archery and crossbow deer hunting in areas typically off limits to hunting in select areas. Opening these additional areas to hunting helps with wildlife conservation and population management at LBL.
Archery and crossbow hunters are strongly encouraged to take antlerless deer to help reduce deer populations within these select areas and dates (note that all areas will be closed Dec. 15-17 for a youth quota hunt):
• Now through Dec. 14 and Dec. 18-Jan. 15 — Limited white tail deer hunt area within the Woodlands Nature Watch Area in Kentucky and the southern Nature Watch Area in Tennessee.
• Dec. 1-14 and Dec. 18-Jan. 15 — Energy Lake and Hillman Ferry Campgrounds in Kentucky and Brandon Spring Group Center and Piney Campground in Tennessee.
Hunting area maps, including the limited white tail deer hunt area map, that shows the limited areas within the larger Woodlands Nature Watch Area, can be located online at landbetweenthelakes.us/maps.
Fallow deer frequent the Woodlands Nature Watch Area and are illegal to harvest. Hunters should review the Deer Identification Fact Sheet before hunting.
All harvested deer must be self-checked at an LBL check station before leaving. Forbag limits, rules, and permit information, see the 2023-34 Deer Hunting Fact Sheet.
“Hunting is an important component of our wildlife management program here at LBL. Opening these areas to archery and crossbow deer hunting is of mutual benefit because it helps us manage our deer populations while providing more access to hunters," said John Westbrook, environmental stewardship staff officer with the USDA Forest Service.
Archery and crossbow deer hunters may hunt within facility boundaries away from campsites and structures at Brandon Spring Group Center, and Energy Lake, Hillman Ferry and Piney Campgrounds. Maintenance staff will continue working throughout the winter at facilities. Hunters are advised to use extra caution when hunting in those areas.
Hunting is not permitted within 150 yards of any road, facility, building, occupied area, or within 200 yards of any wildlife refuges. Hunters must possess all state-required licenses and permits for the state being hunted. LBL hunter use permits, required for hunters age 16 and older, can be purchased online 24/7 under Reservations and Permits, or year-round at Golden Pond Visitor Center and Wranglers Campground.
SPORTSMEN’S CALENDAR
Through Monday — Preseason closure in select WMA (Wildlife Management Area) units.
Tuesday through Jan. 31 — Second segment of duck season.
Dec. 8-Jan. 15 — Third segment of dove season.
Dec. 16-17 — Youth Quota Deer Hunt, Land Between the Lakes.
Dec. 30 — Deputies for the Hungry deer donation ends, Henry County Sheriff’s Department.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Got Outdoors news and events? Send them to stevemc@charter.net.
