Less than an hour ago I was on a piece of public land hoping to settle the bead of my 870 on a turkey head. As per usual, that never manifested, but it did give me time to mull over some recent good news. As Americans we have an incredible history and culture around public land, manifesting itself in opportunity for us as hunters, anglers and outdoorspeople. Those opportunities could get even better if each of us takes a few minutes to make our voice heard.
Interior Secretary David Bernhardt has proposed expanding hunting and fishing opportunities across more than 2.3 million acres at 97 national wildlife refuges and nine national fish hatcheries. This proposed rule would enhance our outdoor traditions and boost the nation’s $887-billion outdoor recreation economy by providing for the largest expansion of public hunting and fishing access on national wildlife refuge lands in U.S. history.
What does this mean for me in Tennessee? The proposed rules on Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge: Open dove, crow and opossum to hunting on acres already open to other hunting, expand season dates for squirrel and white-tailed deer hunting, and expand existing goose hunting to new acres.
I might not be able to kill a turkey now, but I’m feeling pretty good about my odds with more days hunting squirrels!
This is a fantastic opportunity, so make sure that you voice your support HERE!
Learn what the proposed rule changes might mean for you in your state HERE!
Take action to support the proposed rules HERE!