JF Griffin - Index

JF Griffin - magazine - Index

A ll
hunting seasons are closed unless
opened by specific Tennessee
Wildlife Resources Commission
proclamation.
Big game animals are deer, turkey, bear,
wild boar, feral hog and elk.
fluorescent orange: Hunters must wear
on the upper portion of their body and head
a minimum of 500 square inches of daylight
fluorescent orange (blaze orange), visible
front and back while hunting big game except
on archery-only and turkey hunts. (A hat
and vest fulfills requirements.) Blaze orange
camo is legal if it contains 500 square inches
of fluorescent orange. In those areas where
the archery-only deer season dates overlap
with another big game gun season (i.e. bear
or boar), archers are required to wear 500
square inches of daylight fluorescent orange
(TCA-70-4-124).
Tagging and Checking stations: It is
unlawful to move, transport, or field dress
any big game animal, except for feral hogs
without invalidating and attaching a properly
completed temporary kill tag. If additional
animals are to be harvested on that calendar
day, the hunter is not required to stop
hunting and tag the animal until he/she is
ready to move, transport, or field dress the
animal. All animals harvested must be tagged
with a temporary kill tag or accompanied
by one tagged animal and must be taken
together to the nearest big game checking
station by the most reasonably direct route
within thirty-six (36) hours of last kill where
one new temporary kill tag will be issued.
Hunters may not hunt on subsequent
calendar days until previous day’s animals
are checked in and a new kill tag is issued.
Evidence of species and sex must be available
for inspection by a wildlife officer or agency–
designated personnel prior to issuance of
permanent game tag. The permanent harvest
tag is a legal document and must be signed
by the hunter. By signing the permanent
harvest tag, the hunter is affirming that the
information, as it appears on the permanent
tag, is correct and valid. The permanent game
tag must remain with each carcass until final
processing. Persons legally hunting without
a license are also required to take any big
game animal harvested to a check station.
BIG Game huntInG
After receiving a temporary harvest tag from
checking in their first kill, these persons must
comply with all tagging regulations. All big
game taken to a taxidermist to be mounted
must be accompanied by documentation
showing the permanent game tag number,
checking station number, and date of kill.
field dressing big game: Evidence of
species or sex of big game animals must not
be destroyed prior to a permanent kill tag
having been issued at a checking station.
Normal field dressing, quartering, and icing
down of the meat is permitted.
big game found dead: All big game
found dead should be left where found and
need not be reported. Individuals wanting
to keep big game found dead must first
contact the local Regional TWRA office
for authorization. Any vehicle in which an
illegally possessed big game animal is found
is subject to confiscation. Big game, except
bear, accidentally killed by a motor vehicle
may be possessed by any person for personal
use and consumption if the TWRA or a local
law enforcement agency is notified within
48 hours. A bear killed by a motor vehicle
may be possessed only upon the issuance of
a receipt from the TWRA.
legal bucks: Deer must have at least one
antler measuring a minimum of three (3)
inches in length on buck-only or antleredonly
hunts.
antlerless deer: Defined as those deer with
no antlers or deer with both antlers less than
three (3) inches in length.
albino deer: Hunting, trapping or possession
of albino deer is prohibited as set forth in
TCA 70-4-130. An albino deer is a deer with
a lack, or significant deficiency, of pigment in
the skin and hair, and has pink eyes.
Closed HUnTIng season on elk
In Tennessee
The TWRA is eight years into a plan to
reintroduce elk to the North Cumberland
Plateau region of eastern Tennessee. This
is a cooperative effort between the Rocky
Mountain Elk Foundation, Parks Canada,
U.S. Forest Service, Land Between the Lakes,
Tennessee Wildlife Federation, Campbell
County Outdoor Recreation Association,
and the University of Tennessee. A total of
201 elk have been released on the North
Cumberland Wildlife Management Area.
The elk have been obtained from Elk Island
National Park, Alberta, Canada, and Land
Between the Lakes, Kentucky. Plans call for
future releases.
Hunters are reminded that they should
make a positive identification of their
quarry before taking a shot. If in doubt,
don’t shoot.
legal eQUIPMenT
Deer, Bear, Boar anD Feral Hog
Hunting
1. Shotguns using ammunition loaded
with single solid ball or rifled slugs.
No restriction on number of rounds in
magazine.
2. Rifles using any center-fire ammunition,
in all counties except where regulated by
legislative acts.
3. Muzzleloading percussion cap or flintlock
rifles, handguns or shotguns of .40
caliber (.40-inches) minimum. These
muzzle-loading firearms are legal
during any gun season or hunt unless
otherwise specified. Muzzleloading
firearms are defined as those firearms
which are incapable of being loaded
from the breech.
4. Longbows, compound bows, crossbows
and other bows drawn or held by a mechanical
device.
5. Hunting arrows and bolts shall be of a
barbless design and shall have sharpened
blades.
6. Centerfire handguns firing a single
projectile and having a barrel length
of four inches or more, in all counties
except where regulated by legislative
acts. Handguns using any single shot
centerfire ammunition and having a
barrel length of four inches or more, in
all counties except where regulated by
legislative acts.
7. Weapons may be equipped with sighting
devices except those devices utilizing an
artificial light capable of locating wildlife.
Night vision scopes are illegal.
16 2008 Hunting & Trapping Guide