TWRA Hunting Manner and Means Proposal Change

[contendershooter]

I had put forth a proposal to the TWRA and put over to John for review. The proposal was taken to the TFA board and approved for support. Please take time to email the TWRA Commissioners today as the final meeting for approval of this proposal is going on today and tomorrow!!! They are finishing setting the manner and means for the 17-18 Deer Season. You can email the commissioners by visiting this page: https://www.tn.gov/twra/article/tfwc-commissioners and either look for the commissioner that represents your county or email all of them. Thank you for your time.

Here is the approved proposal:

Dear Sirs

I am writing as the Executive Director of the Tennessee Firearms Association (www.tennesseefirearms.com). TFA counts among its membership many firearms owners across the state of Tennessee and many of the members are avid sporting enthusiasts who engage in hunting in Tennessee. The purpose of this communication is to submit comments pursuant to the instructions set forth on https://www.tn.gov/twra/news/47958 requesting public input for the 2017-2018 hunting regulations. I presume and submit these comments on the understanding that these regulations are being considered in accordance with the rulemaking requirements of state law.

On behalf of our membership, we understand that several states that touch or are near to Tennessee have adopted regulations regarding expanded weapon choices for various commonly denominated big game seasons such as archery, black powder (muzzleloader) and modern firearm seasons. Tennessee has similarly designated seasons. Further, over time, Tennessee has changed the weapons that were approved for use in each such season without necessarily renaming the seasons except for clarity.

While the existing regulations provide for a modern firearm season, the black power/muzzle loader season was intended to allow hunting with a weapon class that was distinct from traditional modern centerfire firearms. We have been asked to consider the proposition of expanding the classification of weapons that would legal for use on game, particularly big game, in Tennessee. https://www.tn.gov/twra/article/hunting ... nt-methods

We have been asked to consider and comment upon a rule change to allow other weapon classes to be used during the muzzle loading seasons which weapons are in line with or have less capacity than modern muzzle loaders to harvest game. These proposals include one or more of the following:

• single shot rifles, single shot handguns (.35 caliber/9MM or larger) and single shot shotguns .410 or larger
• high-powered air rifles (.35 caliber or larger such as the Air Force Texan) http://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2015/02/ ... to-expect/
• spears such as the Atlatl (see, e.g., http://www.wideopenspaces.com/15-point- ... ve-atlatl/)

Each of these are weapons or weapons classes which either do not appear to be legal weapons in Tennessee at this time or which, if legal, can only be used during the modern firearms season(s). Allowing these additional weapons to be used during the muzzle loader season would have a minor impact on the number of hunters or even the harvest rates but it could allow hunters in Tennessee to explore alternative weapon choices during a season when modern centerfire firearms are not in use.

John Harris
Executive Director

Tennessee Firearms Association
PO Box 198722
Nashville, TN 37219
www.tennesseefirearms.com