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Bridgestone Firestone WMA

Winchester":30pko335 said:
Michael thanks for getting this issue some attn. I hunt that area some years and would hate to see it lost as its one of the few really large chunks of land we hunters have to roam. I plan to try and follow this and will do what I can to help.
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It's one of the last places I can cut off through the woods, walk for miles and not see a road, trail, or house. If you count all the leases In lost creek, big bottom, and midway along with Bledsoe Forrest, fall creek falls, the Boy Scouts, and whatever else is on the spencer side it's one of the largest untouched parcels of land around.
 
I would fight it with all I had. In La Vergne, as far as I know, the greenway is still progressing, a guard rail was put up all the way down Stones River Rd and basically blocks all foot access to Priest WMA from Stones River Rd (I guess the guardrail was supposed to cut down on 4 wheeler access but it never slowed it one bit). The cities and people who do not give a care about hunting will never stop and what is crazy, a lot of time that hunters are hunting those groups don't really use the area.

I have never seen or heard much about Long Hunter State Park closing hunting on more and more area, but every summer those yellow no hunting signs keep popping up, and hunting is closed on the majority of that side of the lake (from close to Seven Points almost to Fate Sanders) and much of the area is not used by anyone during a lot of hunting season.

I have even been told if you pull your boat on the bank in what is considered Long Hunter and get out to fish from the bank the ranger will run you off. Also if you park and walk to fish from the bank, you are supposed to park the boat ramp or trailhead. I have heard several really bad stories how fishermen were treated by the ranger.

Sounds like I need to spend some time at the bridgestone area though.
 
Poser":1f47l0vz said:
Headhunter,

I know that guard rail you are talking about along Stones River Rd. I scouted that area once and just parked at the boat ramp. Despite the guard rail, there was a tremendous amount of hunter sign back in there. I'm not sure where they are accessing the area from as the boat ramp or the water would appear to be about it, but in Winter pool, you'd probably need hip boots to get to and from your boat and pray you don't sink in the mud.
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I know that creek and the woods around it as well as anyone, back in the day I killed a ton of quail and woodcock there and over the years also killed quite a few ducks. I have killed a pile of deer there to, one week a long time ago I killed 6 or 7 does out of one tree in one week just before christmas.

It really sucks though that there at least used to be a place or 2 to park. Now, unless you know someone or get permission to park at a house, it is accessible by boat only (walking from the parking lot is close to impossible) and I am not leaving my boat on the side of the lake and walk in to hunt for several hours. I was told the guardrail was to prevent 4 wheeler traffic but I believe the 4 wheeler is worse than before the guardrail was put up.

Hurricane creek boat ramp is a zoo in the summertime. It does seem to be a safer place to park your vehicle, haven't heard of breakins recently, but what happens at that boat ramp is crazy. I have called and emailed the corps MANY times, but nothing ever gets done. I truly hope not, but I will not be surprised to hear of someone getting seriously hurt or killed at that boat ramp. People (mexicans mostly) will suntan on the boat ramp and almost will not move for you back the boat down. The floating dock almost always has someone swimming, someone fishing, kids diving off it, etc. in the summertime. One guy cussed me when I pulled my boat to tie off to get park my truck and was mad because he had to move his poles. It was so sad it was funny. Last summer, a lady was stretched out on the dock just after dark, appeared asleep. The kid with me called 911 because something was wrong, we never spoke to her and stayed away but something was wrong. She was high as kite on something. The police left with her in an ambulance. On the weekend an undercover or guy really needs to spend some time there.
 
Something else to keep end mind and point out when you write to these state legislators- This coexisting on nearby FCF is limited to 12 days of archery only deer hunting and 9 days of archery only turkey hunting.Deer season is already closed for a week in muzzleloader season, and ends mid December there. NO THANK YOU! Do you think it would be any different if TDEC had control over Bridgestone? I don't.

We are paying to maintain roads and provide abundant for these other groups to enjoy already- why can't they just say thank you and go on?
 
And FCF SP is over 26000 acres- with only 7000 acres open to hunt. Most of it is extremely remote, never sees a hiker, camper, etc and is off limits to legal hunters. I guess that's the ginseng poaching/deer poaching/meth cooking/marijuana growing unit of Fall Creek Falls?
 
Hunters have to form some sort of organized effort. I loved going there when I was in college because it reminded me of my home county. I helped with a few prescribed fires there as well. There is plenty of space for all user groups on that place.


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Poser...why exactly do you put your opinion in here? Do you live or hunt here? Do you know the terrain? Do you know the hiking trails run across the flats and ridges where the majority of hunting takes place? Do you know this is a WMA, not a nature trail. Do you know hunters dollars maintain this WMA? You are very welcome to come hunt here since you buy a license or hike here for free nine months of the year for free, but until you have been here and understand the interference of the two your opinion is irrelevant. Why do you interject on something you are ignorant to? I hunt here and hikers have ruined many of my hunts. Its very frustrating setting up after hard miles of scouting to have groups of hikers with their dogs walk through. All hunters ask, especially since we pay dollars, is to have some time in there to hunt without intrusion. It's very rugged terrain that is hard work to get into. With much hard work and planning is it too much to ask for an unmolested hunt?
 
BTW BFS is protected forever. Its designated a wilderness area. The only beef is hikers want THE WMA year round. The layout for the most part puts hikers walking in front of hunters. High mountain ridges with the river running in the bottom. Drop over to hunt the bench between the ridge and river and your looking at a hiking trail.
 
The guys walking around the last few years making and marking non designated hiking trails aren't helping anything either. when Virgin falls natural area was surrounded by private property there wasn't near as much of a problem, now they can aimlessly wonder around the wma during hunting season as to having to stay in the safety Zone, which is clearly marked. thats main reason I will not hunt anywhere close to any sort of trail or logging road. Just not worth taking the chance of them illegally walking around and messing up my hunt. They won't let me hunt in the safety zone therefore they shouldn't hike in the non safety Zone. I honestly don't think being limited to a smaller area for 69 days is a bad deal, the area is still plenty big enough to hike a days worth and never see the same tree twice( all for free I might add). I've walked it many times with the fire department and rescue squad.
 
My opinion is here to keep an eye on the all parties, including the TWF. The guy I talked to the most is gone, but I was told it was taken care of and then the guard rail showed up, the guard rail has accomplished nothing except for extremely limiting access to the WMA and I asked several times what was happening and never got a reply to speak of. The greenway is just waiting for money as far as I know and the city intends to close hunting on quite a bit of land once the greenway is there. Not bashing the TWF in anyway either (I won't say what I think about the corps and many city of La Vergne politicians), since the corps controls the land and it appears the corp will work with cities rather than the hunters or the TWF or TWRA (and from situation at Hurricane Creek Boat Ramp I have wore the corps out but basically nothing has been done and I have no confidence it will be), but you have to stay involved and not let up.

The city broke many federal laws by surveying, cutting many trees to do so and as far as I know nothing was said. Nothing would have ever been said until it was a done deal if I hadn't seen the surveyed area close to where I use to duck hunt. Also the corps gave the city a roadway and took some of the WMA away because of their poor road planning in building the largest subdivision in the state.

In your situation, the hikers probably will not let up and they will constantly be in someone's ear. I know in La Vergne they have greenway planning meetings but an everyday citizen is almost not allowed to speak in the meetings, it is crazy.
 
Y'all better stay on this. They'll take your WMA away in a New York minute if they want to.

Remember Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge?? Old news and a dead horse, I know. Still doesn't make it right. But they could make it right if they wanted to.


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Why do we share our valuable WMA hunting lands with people who do not possess a hunting license? Land that was in part paid for by the purchase of hunting and fishing equipment and licenses?

Almost no hunting access is given in state parks with over populated deer herds. Government funded sharpshooters are considered before educated bow hunters. I have never understood it.

Anybody sunbathing on a boat launch ramp should be asked to produce his fishing license and WMA permit. If he doesn't have one, tell him to get his butt down the road to the tax funded State Park.

There should be a sign at every WMA entrance, parking area, fishing pier, boat launch ramp, etc. that explains how eavery area was purchased and funded. If the foundation will work with the TWRA to provide sign templates, standards, etc, there is a vast network of volunteers already in place that can potentially raise the funds, secure the materials, and willingly erect the majority of such signs where needed over a 5 year time frame. They can also hang some bat boxes, wood duck boxes, survey boxes, and covered information/map centers at any parking area..
 
BULL MOOSE":3ihbux4o said:
Why do we share our valuable WMA hunting lands with people who do not possess a hunting license? Land that was in part paid for by the purchase of hunting and fishing equipment and licenses?

Almost no hunting access is given in state parks with over populated deer herds. Government funded sharpshooters are considered before educated bow hunters. I have never understood it.

Anybody sunbathing on a boat launch ramp should be asked to produce his fishing license and WMA permit. If he doesn't have one, tell him to get his butt down the road to the tax funded State Park.

There should be a sign at every WMA entrance, parking area, fishing pier, boat launch ramp, etc. that explains how eavery area was purchased and funded. If the foundation will work with the TWRA to provide sign templates, standards, etc, there is a vast network of volunteers already in place that can potentially raise the funds, secure the materials, and willingly erect the majority of such signs where needed over a 5 year time frame. They can also hang some bat boxes, wood duck boxes, survey boxes, and covered information/map centers at any parking area..
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I like this one. It would be great to know exactly everything works as far as funding and how the WMA's came to be. I guess corps land is different though.
 
There are signs like this in a few areas at Bridgestone/Firestone. Specifically the latest 660 acres they purchased, the uplands area, the native wild flowers trail, and one at the entrance. Every single one mentions hunters and fisherman on the list. Along with several stating non hunting activities are closed between so and so dates, foot traffic only, and 4x4 recommended beyond this point. These are the signs mr Bullard wants taken down because they detour non hunters from entering areas they aren't suppose to be in anyway.
 
In yesterday's TFWC committee/commission meeting, TWRA made the recommendation to allow hiking on Bridgestone Firestone Centennial Wilderness during big game hunts that don't allow the use of firearms. TWRA stated that this has been a public request and they are making this recommendation to accommodate multi-user group activities. This proposal was challenged by a few commissioners who were concerned about setting a precedent that could eventually affect other public hunting areas. TWRA Executive Director, Ed Carter, indicated that he asked TWRA to put forth this recommendation to the commission. It will be interesting to see if this passes when the commission votes on it at the May meeting.
 

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