The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold its first meeting of 2016 Jan. 21-22 (Thursday-Friday) in the Delta Room of the Big Cypress Lodge located at the Bass Pro Shops in Memphis. Committee meetings will be held on Jan. 21 starting at 1 p.m. while the formal commission meeting will begin at 9 a.m. on Jan. 22
Among the items on this month’s agenda, will be a report from Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Wildlife and Forestry Division Chief Mark Gudlin on the preliminary harvests of bear, deer and sandhill crane hunting seasons. In addition, he will also give a brief update on the recent cougar sightings in the state.
A rule concerning the required permits to hunt and fish on Reelfoot Lake/Wildlife Management Area will be presented to the TFWC. The TWRA held a public meeting in December at Reelfoot Lake State Park and the Agency is making the recommendation to the TFWC that no changes be made to the current permits.
The TWRA will report to the commission that the Agency has begun a process of amending the endangered or threatened species proclamation. The TWRA plans to bring the revision to the TFWC for approval in June or July 2016, depending on the commission’s meeting dates.
The Boat and Law Enforcement Division will present the 2015 Tennessee Shikar Safari Wildlife Officer of the Year. A representative from Shikar Safari will be at the Friday portion of the meeting to make the presentation.
The TFWC will be meeting for the first time at this year’s location which opened in 2015. The commission is returning to Memphis for the first time since its January 2014 meeting.
The Big Cypress Lodge is located at 1 Bass Pro Drive. The public is invited to attend the meeting.
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