The Daily Times

Duck hunting ends today, but most goose hunting continues statewide. The Standard Season ends on Feb. 12 and the daily bag limit for white-fronted geese is two. For blue, snow and Ross geese there is a combined daily bag limit of 20.

For blue, snow and Ross geese there is a Conservation Season that runs Feb. 13 – March 10. At this time the daily limit is still 20 but there is no possession limit; also, unplugged shotguns and electronic calls are allowed.

• One more elk tag may be added to the five Tennessee elk licenses issued each year by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission. This one would be for a Tennessee youth age 13-16 years old. The TWRA will accept the public’s comments now and until Feb. 8.

The new youth tag would be picked by lottery and the winner would hunt the two days immediately following the adult hunt, namely Oct. 20-21 (Saturday and Sunday) this year; the adult hunt is Oct. 15-19. All five elk hunting zones in the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area would be available for the young hunter.

Comments may be sent to the TWRA Big Program Coordinator at (chuck.yoest@tn.gov) or by mail to Chuck Yoest, Wildlife Division, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, P.O. 40747, Nashville, TN 37204.

• Are you happy with the hunting regulations in Tennessee?

In 2011 the gun deer season went from two segments to one continuous session; wild hogs lost their big game status and their open hunting season; fall turkey season moved from December to October. Good or bad, this is the time to speak your mind.

The TWRA is ready for input from the public to help their wildlife biologists make improvements in the 2012-2013 fall hunting seasons. Suggestions are welcome on many issues, including season dates, bag limits and other regulations for big game and small game.

Your suggestions can be contributed via e-mail as well as surface mail, but no phone calls. All proposed changes need to have justifications with them. Each TWRA region will review its proposals and forward them to the headquarters in Nashville. The final recommendations will be previewed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission at its April meeting and voted on at its May meeting.

For Region IV you may email to http://twra.com (ments@state.tn.us) with “hunting season comments” in the subject line. The postal address is: Season Recommendations, TWRA, 3030 Wildlife Way, Morristown, TN 37814. The deadline is Feb. 24.

Comments on the 2012 fishing season have been processed and will be announced soon; changes in regulations will go into effect on March 1, the beginning of the “new year” for sportsmen.

• The threat to ban lead in fishing tackle is back. In 2010 more than 43,000 concerned anglers like you appealed to the Environmental Protection Agency to deny a petition from conservation groups to abolish lead in fishing tackle under the Toxic Substances Control Act. In November 2010 the EPA did deny that petition, but this issue is still not resolved.

Now the same anti-fishing zealots have filed a lawsuit against the EPA’s decision and submitted a similar new petition to the agency that could still result in a ban on lead fishing tackle nationwide.

At issue are several things: There is no scientific data to support the argument that lead in any fishing tackle is harmful to bird populations; alternative metals can cost from nine to 18 times more than lead; and most alternatives to lead don’t perform as well.

Relief is in sight. In the U.S. House and Senate there is a bill called “The Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Sports Protection Act” (H.R. 1558/ S. 838). The bill will prevent a federal ban on lead in recreational fishing tackle and sporting ammunition, and it will help to ensure that future regulations on these industries are established based on scientific fact instead of unjustified petitions.

You can deliver a one-two punch on this issue by going to the website http://www.KeepAmericaFishing.org . Click on the action alert and by entering your ZIP code you will be set up to send appropriate messages to the EPA and your elected officials. It is easy and important.

Tom Wiest welcomes news, questions and comments from readers. Contact him at (wiest.tom@gmail.com)

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