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Fish limit question

chrmayo said:
So by the possession limits that means you can only have twice the daily creel limit in your freezer?
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70-4-204. Cold storage of wildlife — Penalty for violations.

(a)
(1) No person, firm or corporation shall place in cold storage at any one (1) time more than two days' bag or creel limit of any wild animals, wild birds, wild fowl, or game fish.
(2) No person shall place in commercial cold storage any wild animals, wild birds, wild fowl, or game fish without first filling out and filing with the storage company an affidavit stating that the same has been lawfully killed or caught and is stored for the affiant's own use and benefit and not for sale. No person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of cold storage shall receive any wild animals, wild birds, wild fowl or game fish, unless such affidavit has been made by the person storing and delivering to the storage concern. The storage concern shall post the affidavit upon a book kept for this purpose, which book shall be open at all times to the executive director or officers of the wildlife resources agency.
(b) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor. Each wild bird, wild animal, or wild fowl or game fish stored in violation of this section is a separate offense.


This statute is rarely enforced, but it is on the books.
 
I'm not talking about deer. I'm talking small game, waterfowl and fish.

State agencies: "get involved in the outdoors! Wild game is healthy and delicious! Your family will enjoy the animals you harvest!"

also state agencies:

"but dont have more than 3 or 4 meals worth of game or fish in your freezer or we'll write you a ticket!"………
 
rukiddin said:
I'm not talking about deer. I'm talking small game, waterfowl and fish.

State agencies: "get involved in the outdoors! Wild game is healthy and delicious! Your family will enjoy the animals you harvest!"

also state agencies:

"but dont have more than 3 or 4 meals worth of game or fish in your freezer or we'll write you a ticket!"………
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There is a major difference in sport hunting and fishing and subsistence hunting and fishing. Your state agencies are set up to promote and enforce sport hunting and fishing. Limits for both are not managed to feed a family from the wild 365 days a year.

Possession limits/cold storage statutes are rarely enforced, but occasionally come into play when search warrants are served during poaching cases.
 
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You need to get your buddy to write you a "Receipt" stating that he gifted you his fish. The receipt needs state number of fish he gave you, be dated and signed by your buddy AND include his fishing license number. Do that and you are perfectly legal.
 
rsimms said:
You need to get your buddy to write you a "Receipt" stating that he gifted you his fish. The receipt needs state number of fish he gave you, be dated and signed by your buddy AND include his fishing license number. Do that and you are perfectly legal.
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Just don't sniff them.

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Crow Terminator said:
Dang, I know people that probably have 10x the possession/cold storage limit of fish. Trout and crappie.
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And, they probably don't have anything to worry about having them. I wouldn't be surprised to know that some wildlife officers are over their possession limits as well.

As I said earlier, it would take either consent or a search warrant to search a home freezer and do a count. The only time I am aware of that happening was during search warrants for other violations.

However, with that being said, I have a major philosophical problem with having such laws/regulations on the books to be selectively enforced. While I was there, I tried on more than one occasion to get the law enforcement group to recommend changes in those regulations if they were just on the books for selective use. I got outvoted every time. The group wanted them there to help deal with major violation situations.

And, there are some loopholes in the limits as well. IMO, there is nothing in the law that says a person can't give a possession limit to another person in the household. Thus, if there are four persons in that household, IMO, the possession limit is multiplied by four.

Your mileage may vary.
 
I searched and searched the interwebs, but can't find any confirmation that this applies to Tennessee, but in Texas, if you give someone your fish, or wildlife of any sort, it's legal. But, to make it legal, the giver must fill out a transfer "form" that identifies what it is they're giving you, and has their name, date, fishing/hunting license number and phone number. I would assume that overall possession limits would definitely still apply.
 

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