Governor?s One-Shot Hunt returns to Middle Tennessee; public invited

Sportsmen will gather in Pulaski April 7-8 for the annual Governor?s One-Shot Turkey Hunt in an effort to raise money for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation, but it?s the public that will have all the fun without having to get up early.

While hunters have a full schedule of shooting events and actual hunting that begins with a pre-dawn breakfast, the Governor?s One-Shot includes a day full of public activity on Saturday alongside the Pulaski courthouse.

In addition, the fun will extend into the night with a banquet and auction being held at Carden Distributing a few miles away from the city square.

?We have a busy schedule for hunters, but the square at Pulaski is where a lot of the action will be,? noted David Duval, the executive director of the Wildlife Foundation. ?The public is invited, and we hope they attend like last year, because there will be great food, some games, and even entertainment.?
In addition, hunters will be checking in their wild turkey right on the square.

Later that evening, beginning at 6 p.m., Carden Distributing will open its doors so that hunters, their guides, and the public can begin enjoying a silent auction, followed by a large banquet meal, and then by a live auction.
Auction items include many outdoors products, but it also includes items that will tweak many interests.

Cost for attending the banquet is $25 to the public. An additional $15 can be paid for a traditional wild turkey print.

For more information, including directions, contact Giles County Tourism Foundation at (931) 363-3789.

HUNTERS WILL BE ALLOWED FOUR TURKEYS ON STATEWIDE HUNT

For the first time in Tennessee, hunters will be allowed to bag up to four bearded wild turkeys from counties statewide between April 1 and May 14 as spring brings with it one of the state?s most popular hunting seasons.

Hunters have been able to take four birds in the past, but with the stipulation that one of them had to come from designated wildlife management areas operated by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. This year there is no such stipulation.

Hunters are allowed to take one bearded wild turkey per day on statewide hunts. The total bag and possession limit shall not exceed four bearded turkeys per season on the statewide and WMA seasons combined. Only two of the four may come from WMAs where birds taken count toward the WMA bag limit.

There are several WMAs open for non-quota turkey hunting. These areas are listed in the 2005-06 Tennessee Hunting & Trapping Guide.

Page 18 of the hunting guide outlines bag limits and regulations. It also discusses the Young Sportsman Hunt set for March 25-26, a week before the season opens to all other hunters.

All turkeys harvested must be checked out at the nearest county or WMA checking station. Only shotguns .20 gauge larger (or archery equipment) is allowed for turkey hunting, while only shot size number 4 or smaller is legal in Tennessee.

For more information on hunting in Tennessee, visit the agency?s website at www.tnwildlife.org.