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Non resident turkey hunters

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tnanh

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Has anyone else considered that Tennessee needs to close turkey season to nr hunters this year. With other states having already done it there will be an increase in nr hunters in Tn. This year from hunters that were planning to go elsewhere. This virus should be a serious consideration but another consideration should be our turkey population. It can not handle the possible added pressure these additional out of state hunters will cause.
 
Probably wouldn't be such a burden if TN's game agency received general funding from the state but as it is, license sales are the motivator, not the resource.
 
Agree with both of yall but other states that have done it did so with licenses already having been sold. Some are issuing refunds. Some are not. TWRA has always put money first but additional stress on the population could cost them a lot of money long term. People will stop buying NR license if there are no turkeys left to hunt. That is the least concern they should have. The main one is this virus. The consideration should be how many people will out of state hunters come in contact with on their way to Tennessee.
 
I also worry about the added amount of pressure from residents since so many are now either laid off or working from home. I would like to see no NR hunters this year and also a reduction in the limit to decrease the amount of pressure on an already hurting population.
 
My wife thinks I'm gonna get it at the gas pump on the way up!

I am nervous about staying with my 77yo father, though.

But yes, there's gonna be a Turkey massacre April 4th thru 13th. Combination of early spring and season opening a bit later. The upside is several hens will have likely been bred before April 4th.

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Scouted a local WMA this morning and people are everywhere! I seen two tags that I didn't recognize as they went by but they were for sure out of state. This is going to be bad as far as people go.
 
TN Larry":umlvzmfd said:
I also worry about the added amount of pressure from residents since so many are now either laid off or working from home.
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Valid concern. I expect residents to kill more than they usually do, if mother nature cooperates.
 
Turkey hunters are just an extension of the average public and only looking out for themselves. There will be several that cause serious problems for others by traveling across the country chasing turkeys but it will not be because they didn't know better.
 
Actually turkey hunting is one of the safest things you can do as far as corona goes for yourself and the general public as long as you are hunting solo or with a single partner. Asymptomatic carriers are much more likely to infect the general public at the grocery store. And those assholes still having corona parties have GOT to stop.

My 12 yo daughter and I covered a 5 mile stretch of river by canoe last Sunday scouting for turkeys and spending time together on the national forest. Halfway down, there was a group of 25 late teens/ early 20 yos partying on a sandbar together.

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Now if I could just convince my leadership to put me on "safety leave" for the next month like I am hearing others are on, life would be good. Safety/admin leave is getting full pay/benefits but told to go home until this passes. :shock:
 
I 100% agree the act of turkey hunting solo indeed is very safe. I also know that there will not be any less people on a WMA within 50 miles of Nashville than in your local Kroger.
 
I went out of state and hunted in Alabama and when I bought my license there was not many cases at all of the virus, like now. I felt safe in traveling because I was fortunate that I could fill up at home with gas , drive to Alabama and hunt and make it back home without stopping. I slept in my truck and was near no one. I took my own food so I was good to go! I agree with what most have said the actual turkey hunting itself should be one of the safer things a man can do right now if you can just find a spot to pull over and hunt.
 
I wonder how the mandatory stay at home order that has been issued for Tennessee will affect NR hunters?
 
Levee Jumper":2b0k6z9g said:
I wonder how the mandatory stay at home order that has been issued for Tennessee will affect NR hunters?
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I suspect minimal effect. Several bordering states already had similar orders in place.
 
Levee Jumper":lzv2k9d6 said:
I wonder how the mandatory stay at home order that has been issued for Tennessee will affect NR hunters?
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None. The order requires you to stay home except for engaging in "essential activities," which includes:

"Engaging in outdoor activity, provided that persons the Health Guidelines to the greatest extent practicable, including, but not limited to, driving or riding in a vehicle, walking, hiking, running, biking, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, golf, tennis, or other sports or recreational activities that can be performed while maintaining the aforementioned precautions or utilizing public parks and outdoor recreation areas; provided, however, that congregating or playing on playgrounds presents a unique risk for the spread of COVID-19 and is therefore not covered as an Essential Activity"
 
Quoted from Tennessean:

" Outdoor activities such as golf, tennis, swimming and other recreational sports are still allowed, as long as individuals aren't congregating. There are no limitations on Tennesseans' ability to drive anywhere."
 
Be prepared for hunting pressure like you have never seen before! That has been the case in MS and AL. Keep thinking it will die down some, but it hasn't much at all.
 

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