Special youth-only turkey hunt set for May 11
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) would like to remind all young hunters that Tennessee’s special one day statewide youth-only turkey hunt will be held on Saturday, May 11. This hunt is for young hunters 10 through 16 years of age only. Youths must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult, who is not required to have a license, but must remain in a position to take immediate control of the hunting device.
The bag limit for this hunt will be one bearded turkey. Legal hunting equipment are shotguns and muzzleloading shotguns, 20 gauge or larger, and ammunition loaded with No. 4 shot or smaller. Long bows and compound bows using legal hunting arrows with broadheads may also be used. A hunter safety certificate (and hunting license, if applicable) is required.
A complete list of all rules and regulations covering the hunting of wild turkeys may be found in the 2002 Tennessee Wild Turkey Hunting Guide. This guide is available anywhere hunting licenses are sold. You may also find regulations on the TWRA Web Page at www.tnwildlife.org.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency would also like to remind hunters that Tennessee’s spring squirrel season will open 30 minutes before sunrise on Saturday. This year the season will be statewide and runs through June 9.
Spring is a good time biologically to hunt squirrels. Females commonly have litters of three to five young twice during the year — in February and from late July to early August. May through June takes advantage of a peak in the population after the first litters have left the nest.
Squirrel populations fluctuate from year to year, but overall have remained stable in Tennessee. Recent abundant mast crops and a relatively mild winter may result in more squirrels in the woods this spring and the TWRA is encouraging hunters to take advantage of the bonanza. The number of squirrel hunters has been declining as more hunters pursue deer and turkeys. As a result, squirrels are one of the most under-hunted species in the state.
Several Wildlife Management Areas are also open for spring squirrel hunting during this time. Hunters need to consult the 2001-2002 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping guide for specific regulations and license requirements. Regulations are also available on the TWRA Web Page at www.tnwildlife.org.
Remember to register boats
In anticipation of the warm summer months, many people at this time buy, sell or trade boats, and one of the most frequently asked questions new boat owners have for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is, “Do I have to register my boat, and how do I do it?”
Tennessee law requires that all mechanically powered vessels (including documented vessels) and all sailboats, which are principally used in Tennessee, must be registered by the TWRA. Mechanical propulsion includes electronic trolling motors and gas or diesel powered motors, but does not include boats powered by oars or paddles. Boats that require registration must be properly registered before using them on any public waters of Tennessee.
If a boat is purchased from an individual other than a dealer, the County Court Clerk must complete the County Court Clerk’s Certification on the application. After completing the application, it should be mailed to the Boating Section of the TWRA in Nashville.
Boat owners may now renew their boat registrations over the counter with the new Remote Easy Access License (REAL) system located at TWRA license agents and at all TWRA regional offices.
Boat registration fees are based on the length of the boat. The vessel may be registered for one, two, or three years. After making application for registration, you will receive a pocket-sized certificate of numbers and decals showing the vessel number and expiration date. The pocket-sized card must be on board any time the vessel is in use. It is the responsibility of the boat owner to paint on or permanently attach the registration numbers to the forward half of the boat. If the vessel is lost, stolen, and/or recovered, destroyed, abandoned, or transferred to another person, the Certificate of Number issued for the vessel must be surrendered, together with written notification of its change in status, to the TWRA within 15 days of the event. If the change in status is transfer of ownership, the name and address of the new owner must be included in the notification.
For further information, contact the TWRA Boating Division at (800) 799-4890 or check the TWRA website at www.tnwildlife.org.