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EARLY DUCK SEASON IS SHORT AND SWEET
Tennessee’s early wood duck and teal season opens for a five-day run
on Saturday. It will run through September 16 and offer a four duck
limit of which not more than two can be woodies.
Don’t forget to purchase your Federal Duck Stamp if you are age 16 and
over. And, unless you have the Sportsmen’s License you will need to
purchase supplemental tags such as the waterfowl (Type 005) which costs
$31 and the annual wildlife management area license (type 091) which
costs $51 or the one-day WMA permit (type 092) for $10.50.
Each year the early season is held in hopes of coinciding with the early
migration of blue-wing teal. However, here in Tennessee we are limited
to only five days whereas other states in our flyway have a much larger
window of opportunity as their season last 16 days which includes three
weekends.
Biologists keep saying the reason we have only five days is because we
have wood ducks in our bag and other states are apparently jealous of
that as only nearby Kentucky gets the wood duck and teal combo season.
For the last few years the blue wing teal numbers have increased and are
now at all time highs thanks to a good hear on the breeding grounds. So
teal are in good shape and why Tennessee cannot get the extended teal
season like other states is somewhat of a mystery.
Bottom line is that Tennessee hunters are missing out on hunting
opportunities at a time when the resource and all wildlife management
data points to allowing the long season here in the Volunteer State.
It appears politics are at work in the Mississippi flyway council within
the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Both TWRA and the USFWS should be
working for the sportsmen in opening up opportunities in the field when
waterfowl populations merit but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Meanwhile, sales of hunting licenses in Tennessee continue to decline or
stay flat and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will soon address
budget scenarios that will command cuts and reduction of services to
sportsmen.
Reelfoot is holding a lot of wood ducks and teal. Several guides are
offering early duck hunts. Contact one of Reelfoot guides, and make
plans to get in some early wing shooting.
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