LBL

[nate17]

Interesting comments on this thread. I have been hunting LBL since maybe 2009. I've had some good success there and I will admit that it's not what it used to be.

For the folks commenting on this thread…

-What would you do if you were managing LBL?
-How would your actions contribute to the long term vision of restoring LBL back to its "glory days"?

 

[scn]

Interesting comments on this thread. I have been hunting LBL since maybe 2009. I've had some good success there and I will admit that it's not what it used to be.

For the folks commenting on this thread…

-What would you do if you were managing LBL?
-How would your actions contribute to the long term vision of restoring LBL back to its "glory days"?

The first thing that would need to be done is to tell the Sierra Club and some of the other enviro-nazis to take a hike (pun intended). Their lawsuits and threats of lawsuits have done more to degrade wildlife management up there than anything. Go ahead and let them sue, and see how it plays out in court.

If you get a favorable court verdict, go back to the management plans of the seventies and eighties with large scale timber harvest to open up the forest canopy to provide more food for the deer and turkey.

Reclaim the farm fields that have been neglected so share croppers can begin farming again. The edge effect from those farming operations was important in the glory years.

Hire professionals whose full time job is hog eradication. Until the hogs are reduced a great deal, nothing is going to really help.

Hire some better wildlife managers to manage the area. Yes, their hands are currently tied by a number of factors, but, I don't think they have the experience level that was there in the good days. Hiring some hook and bullet folks instead of the non-consumptive crowd will help.

Get rid of the DEI system and hire some officers interested in doing wildlife law enforcement. It has been a few years since that was much of a priority (IMO).

And, long term, put the consumptive use of the area (hunting and fishing) equal to the non-consumptive priorities. Right now, the hikers and dicky bird watchers rule the place.

 

[Coker]

The first thing that would need to be done is to tell the Sierra Club and some of the other enviro-nazis to take a hike (pun intended). Their lawsuits and threats of lawsuits have done more to degrade wildlife management up there than anything. Go ahead and let them sue, and see how it plays out in court.

If you get a favorable court verdict, go back to the management plans of the seventies and eighties with large scale timber harvest to open up the forest canopy to provide more food for the deer and turkey.

Reclaim the farm fields that have been neglected so share croppers can begin farming again. The edge effect from those farming operations was important in the glory years.

Hire professionals whose full time job is hog eradication. Until the hogs are reduced a great deal, nothing is going to really help.

Hire some better wildlife managers to manage the area. Yes, their hands are currently tied by a number of factors, but, I don't think they have the experience level that was there in the good days. Hiring some hook and bullet folks instead of the non-consumptive crowd will help.

Get rid of the DEI system and hire some officers interested in doing wildlife law enforcement. It has been a few years since that was much of a priority (IMO).

And, long term, put the consumptive use of the area (hunting and fishing) equal to the non-consumptive priorities. Right now, the hikers and dicky bird watchers rule the place.

100% agree.

 

[Spurhunter]

@scn thanks for your explanation on the turkey stocking question. I suppose it makes sense that you would stop hunting for a period of time if you were going to take turkeys from one area and move them to another. And I agree that most hunters with turkeys to hunt wouldn't approve of that.

 

[Iglow]

Interesting comments on this thread. I have been hunting LBL since maybe 2009. I've had some good success there and I will admit that it's not what it used to be.

For the folks commenting on this thread…

-What would you do if you were managing LBL?
-How would your actions contribute to the long term vision of restoring LBL back to its "glory days"?

A chainsaw and a plow.

 

[scn]

@scn thanks for your explanation on the turkey stocking question. I suppose it makes sense that you would stop hunting for a period of time if you were going to take turkeys from one area and move them to another. And I agree that most hunters with turkeys to hunt wouldn't approve of that.

Thank you. It is an issue that seems pretty simple to do, but has some pretty complex problems standing in the way.

 

[killingtime 41]

Why does TWRA allow these groups to have a say so in anything. Does a birdwatcher or sierra club members pay for the day to day operations I don't think so. What needs to happen is a house cleaning within the TWRA of all the people that would bend a knee to these fools. And hire people in those positions with knowledge and a backbone. As much as I appreciate the TWRA. Nothing will change until the right people are making the decisions. How about a group of people that's actually interested in wildlife management. This day and age with all the so called knowledge. There is no reason why today isn't the glory days of any WMA in the state.

 

[scn]

Why does TWRA allow these groups to have a say so in anything. Does a birdwatcher or sierra club members pay for the day to day operations I don't think so. What needs to happen is a house cleaning within the TWRA of all the people that would bend a knee to these fools. And hire people in those positions with knowledge and a backbone. As much as I appreciate the TWRA. Nothing will change until the right people are making the decisions. How about a group of people that's actually interested in wildlife management. This day and age with all the so called knowledge. There is no reason why today isn't the glory days of any WMA in the state.

To start, LBL is owned and run by the US Forest Service. It is a wma in name only. They have their own special permit, and the money goes to them. TWRA has it in their license system just to make it easier for hunters to purchase one. It is not covered by a Lifetime or Annual Sportsman license like other WMAs. TWRA makes none of the decisions for LBL, although at least in times past they have had some input. I think that has dwindled in recent years. So, you should probably be blaming the federal government.

The enviro-nazi groups sued the forest service many years ago concerning the management practices. I don't remember if they won the lawsuit or LBL settled. Unfortunately, they are a very large and very well funded group that has the means to drop a lot of money in their lawsuits. The hook and bullet crowd doesn't come close to having their political power.

Until someone with the feds is willing to fight the enviro-nazi groups, nothing much will change for LBL. The non-consumptive crowd currently rules over there, and I don't see it changing unless some TN and KY senators and representatives get involved.

 

[nate17]

The enviro-nazi groups sued the forest service many years ago concerning the management practices. I don't remember if they won the lawsuit or LBL settled. Unfortunately, they are a very large and very well funded group that has the means to drop a lot of money in their lawsuits. The hook and bullet crowd doesn't come close to having their political power.

Until someone with the feds is willing to fight the enviro-nazi groups, nothing much will change for LBL. The non-consumptive crowd currently rules over there, and I don't see it changing unless some TN and KY senators and representatives get involved.

Couldn't have said it any better.

It's fun to play armchair biologist on the internet, but until any group of individuals (including Feds) can pull together the resources of environmental groups that oppose active management have, it's nothing more than dream. Congressional support is key as well.

LBL is a special place. There has been some key leadership changes that moved the needle in a positive direction. Our current administration may help by removing some hurdles federal land managers face. Hopefully you guys that are so passionate about it will get involved in public comment periods and meetings. The problem is certainly more complex as implied by @scn but these specialists and decision makers need to hear from some of you that support active management.