[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6655742,"mediaKeyId","5374400-1b6e7cff408810fb38134bb47193cf61","parentId",5374400,"title","Public commenter urges flintlock season and education; commissioners cite safety and legislative limits while calling for depredation review","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",1227000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5374400-1b6e7cff408810fb38134bb47193cf61&start=1227&end=1227","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5374400-1b6e7cff408810fb38134bb47193cf61/thumbnail_1227000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6655742/Tennessee/Public-commenter-urges-flintlock-season-and-education-commissioners-cite-safety-and-legislative-limits-while-calling-for-depredation-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655742-b41d72351a6950790ee0de7d8a06de8e/orig.mp4?Expires=1774938264&Signature=hgUzrHRZuK9FHWyjbIqqr2BZz0~bv3XkpNJD-FjrAXn9rl04Oy-xq8hjl31kyYdemnd5~YJkCgs1m8ffsuA9GsHRUA8N9qkY6gMHdW~mJW3-Uq5hmTsIpkiCSgOxswacl6FR8gCCjD3OKIH45KBxiINj9TE8pbHz7VJwAkeamR79VjdxNpU94n~kRRlWCFrBc8vRGaiVpjBmpYFihlvGen4mqnJQypnIBN56Du8b0kMyC46fQ3MNR4P66aDZNTiIjseAotZvwAsTkbseTv7eToGl~zrAF8dngGYGHZSimG9~LkWeg-BqrHRn-3skL6LPOrM0Vw9uksbQS13Pl1UfYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency","date","2025-07-12T02:42:43Z","article","Fred Walker, a Maryville resident who owns property in the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, urged the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission during public comment to consider establishing a Flintlock hunting season and to promote historical education tied to muzzleloading traditions.

Walker said he provided commissioners with materials from Pennsylvania, where a Flintlock season has operated for decades, and offered paper copies to commissioners. He proposed a three-week January Flintlock season for North Cumberland WMA and invited commissioners and state and local representatives to a Campbell County Outdoor Recreation Association meeting on Sept. 2 in Jacksboro to discuss the proposal. Walker said his goal is education about Tennessee history and that a focused season or event could promote that education.

Several commissioners responded during the discussion. Vice Chairman Greg Davenport (as identified in the meeting) and other commissioners encouraged using existing season structures and marketing to promote Flintlock-style events, noting that hunters can already use muzzleloaders during certain seasons and that the commission recently preserved the traditional muzzleloader season during spring season setting. Commissioners also cautioned that eliminating blaze-orange requirements to replicate a purely traditional look would likely require legislative approval and could raise safety concerns, which the commission does not have the authority to waive unilaterally.

Separately, a commissioner raised concerns about deer depredation and asked the commission and director to consider establishing a committee or task force to examine depredation permits, enforcement and safety. That speaker described recent incidents in West Tennessee involving high-volume nighttime shooting associated with depredation permits and said farmers are concerned about crop damage and the inconsistent local enforcement response. The speaker said many hunters and landowners are upset about perceived impacts on smaller landowners adjacent to large tracts where deer are being removed.

Walker said he was available to meet with commissioners after the meeting to discuss details and to share his historical materials; commissioners thanked him for traveling to the meeting. No formal action was taken on the Flintlock proposal or on the request to form a depredation task force during the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","TFWC Commission Meeting 071125","oneSentenceSummary","A Tennessee resident proposed a Flintlock hunting season for February and an education push; commissioners discussed marketing alternatives, safety constraints tied to blaze-orange law and legislative limits, and a commissioner urged a deep review of deer depredation permits.","taxTitle","Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Deparments in Office of the Governor, Organizations, Executive, Tennessee","taxId",17455,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6655747,"Commission adopts rule removing proctoring requirement for boating safety exams; $10 permit authorized",360,954000,1314000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5374400-1b6e7cff408810fb38134bb47193cf61&start=954&end=1314","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5374400-1b6e7cff408810fb38134bb47193cf61/thumbnail_954000.jpg","/articles/6655747/Tennessee/Commission-adopts-rule-removing-proctoring-requirement-for-boating-safety-exams-10-permit-authorized","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655747-891849a557d9aafd934f696b5a73ad69/orig.mp4?Expires=1774938264&Signature=JZCsPLrToSSWzoNdn3yTcWOrjMZl8gAzN7rOotqHKMxXfKfZMmbKjG3e1p15R5-bNMo8YyTJ1xNcUMPrBm~ULpTq99uxOeCr0Q0s1QafUqf2~g1MkuDBZUM65mBZiWbOY~egjlDJ0iuW8qaYMh~2R2TP-J2OCeKEl7PuioNKYmlZ8JnHmbIM~VUfLganIgkuAYsJ4Psu7Otwn-p7q54R9VGSKDP-rEyoodIAX3iM2qB-azTgCVLFr3X3pB-NwUIWZ-7Vhkz2y9sITMQvB4liN7rEv4oUpa9B9BvP~xc9fyuvcLEIAH4rnO07zGLzLvP0FoaDmR85rG51lPxp~4yUBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to adopt a permanent rule that removes the proctoring requirement for boating safety exams and moves fee provisions into rule, agency staff said during the commission’s July meeting.

Deputy Director of Business Operations Frank Fiske told commissioners the change implements Public Chapter 214, which was passed in April and removes the monitored-exam requirement from statute. The rule amends existing language to specify that boating safety exam permits may be purchased for $10 from any licensing agent that sells hunting and fishing licenses, including TWRA regional offices and the TWRA online licensing portal. A $5 fee for replacement cards was retained, staff said.

Fiske said the rule eliminates a section intended to allow boat dealers to administer monitored exams at dealerships because that program “never really took off.” The adopted language also clarifies course-provider and certification language and confirms that people born before January 1989 are treated under the defined certification date while allowing providers to issue certificates to other participants for insurance or certification purposes.

After staff presentation and a period for questions, the commission conducted a roll-call vote. The transcript records a roll call with commissioners individually answering “Aye”; the chairman then announced “All ayes” and the rule passed.

Agency staff said the changes have been publicly noticed, were filed with the secretary of state’s office and appeared on the agency’s public notice webpage prior to the hearing.","The commission adopted a permanent rule to remove the proctoring requirement for boating safety exams and to place related fee provisions into rule, following enactment of Public Chapter 214.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6655751,"Commission restores WMA and big-game permit language after license rule withdrawn",386,475000,861000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5374400-1b6e7cff408810fb38134bb47193cf61&start=475&end=861","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5374400-1b6e7cff408810fb38134bb47193cf61/thumbnail_475000.jpg","/articles/6655751/Tennessee/Commission-restores-WMA-and-big-game-permit-language-after-license-rule-withdrawn","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655751-cfa2e00a20364978b2408bfb497add63/orig.mp4?Expires=1774938264&Signature=n78O9-pTjnbtff3jOj05XyhtKk~MQWA6PBXpxYScu7VvwWpdOTqDqqdG262NuAG9XYY5PFPPYBCcvmp~RlQD-2P4KBr1T8gK13ZCBvT2jFMrZFDqD1LVPoMZX11novqz41qBILk7SztLj2tGJYyAzw2JbxLOyajjuGt-XRMMHb4rlpUa4xYNnzLr88spEFSYaDqcwzeOL3CNih2rTDjpP3pqcrdQcNS2C5QNTVK6-EmiIPHR0lvakAJDLW4na3HxmRHbTdS9-2E48ns~eSlJcLsBd23pBRgOcQ7tdH1MbjWHzpc6xmtVCwHec3kS2kTILo6cP3NUxlquN7D4-~ny4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission on July considered and approved two revised proclamations to restore Wildlife Management Area–specific permit language after the agency withdrew a proposed license rule.

The proclamations—Proclamation 25-09 (wildlife management area, public hunting area and refuge hunting seasons, bag limits and miscellaneous regulations) and Proclamation 25-10 (statewide big game hunting seasons and bag limits)—reinserted WMA-specific permit names and clarified where additional access permits apply, agency staff said. Chief of the Wildlife Division Joe Benedict recommended passage of both proclamations and the commission approved them by voice vote.

Agency staff said the revisions were needed after the department withdrew a broader license rule during a recent appearance before the Joint Government Operations Committee. Director Maxedon told the commission that members of that legislative committee expressed reluctance to approve the proposed license increases and instead indicated they would seek alternative funding measures. As a result, the previously proposed license changes will not take effect and current license fees remain in place, agency staff said.

Proclamation 25-09 restores references in several locations so that the required permit language reads, for example, “WMA small game permit,” “WMA big game permit,” or “WMA non-quota big game permit,” rather than a single combined WMA permit the agency had proposed earlier. The proclamation also adds explicit reference to the Reelfoot Lake preservation permit in the Reelfoot Lake sections and restores prior language governing designated field trials for Tellico, Percy Priest and Wolf River WMAs. Staff said these edits are clerical and revert the proclamations to the permit types currently sold through the agency’s licensed vendor.

Proclamation 25-10 makes a parallel edit by adding the words “big game” into the WMA permit name where appropriate in the big-game proclamation; staff characterized the change as restoring the prior language used last year.

Commission discussion focused on confirming the Reelfoot preservation permit remains required where applicable. A commissioner asked for the permit amount; staff cited a figure during the discussion but the record included inconsistent statements about the exact dollar amount. The commission did not change any license fees as part of these proclamations, and staff reiterated that no hunting or fishing license increases will take effect at this time.

The commission approved Proclamation 25-09 and Proclamation 25-10 by voice vote. No roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript for these two proclamations.","The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission approved two revised proclamations that restore Wildlife Management Area (WMA)–specific permit language after the agency withdrew a broader license rule proposal following legislative pushback.","actionData","errors"]

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Public commenter urges flintlock season and education; commissioners cite safety and legislative limits while calling for depredation review

Commission adopts rule removing proctoring requirement for boating safety exams; $10 permit authorized

Commission restores WMA and big-game permit language after license rule withdrawn