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Commission approves proclamation aligning hunting seasons and bag limits on select federal refuges
Summary
The commission approved Proclamation 25‑11 to align hunting season dates and quotas on several national wildlife refuges with state seasons and adjust deer-hunt quotas at Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge.
The Wildlife Committee recommended and the commission approved Proclamation 25‑11, which updates hunting season dates and bag limits on several national wildlife refuges to align with the state’s 2025–26 calendar and the spring turkey season for 2027.
Wildlife Division Chief Joe Benetich told the committee the changes affect Hatchee (Hatchie) National Wildlife Refuge, Chickasaw, Lower Hatchie, Sunk Lake, Reelfoot, Lake Isom and Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuges. Benetich said the Hatchee refuge will add an August deer hunt that matches statewide seasons and a second gun deer hunt with a quota of 250 hunters drawn by refuge partners. He also said the refuge requested consolidation of warrior hunts into a single quota hunt in November.
The committee recommended passage and the commission approved the proclamation after a voice vote. The commission recorded no roll-call tally in the committee discussion; the motion was carried by voice vote with no recorded opposition.
Why this matters: The proclamation formalizes date and quota changes requested by federal refuge partners to keep refuge hunts coordinated with state seasons. Benetich told commissioners that partner agencies draw quota hunts and that the changes are primarily calendar and quota alignments rather than new statewide rules.
Record: The recommendation was presented by Joe Benetich and supported by Wildlife Committee Chair Greg Davenport; the committee voted "aye" and the proclamation passed.
