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APPLICATION PERIOD FOR LATE-SEASON, YOUTH, & MILITARY
WMA WATERFOWL HUNTS OPEN NOVEMBER 13-DECEMBER 3
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has announced the application period for the 2024-25 Late-Season, Youth, and Military Waterfowl Quota Hunts is open Nov. 13 through Dec. 3.
Applications can be made online at QuotaHunt.gooutdoorstennessee.com, the TWRA mobile app, TWRA regional offices, or any TWRA license agent. Mailed applications will not be accepted. Applicants must be at least 16 years old for the Late Season WMA Hunt. The Youth Hunt is for ages 6-15, and only veterans and active-duty military can participate in the Military Hunt.
Detailed application instructions, general waterfowl quota hunt information, and WMA locations are available at TNWildlife.org on the Quota Hunts page.
A $12 application fee and vendor fee that varies on method of submission is assessed to each application, except for individuals possessing a valid Annual, Lifetime, or Senior Sportsman License. There is no application fee for the Youth or Military Waterfowl Quota Hunt.
For Late Season Waterfowl, a person may only submit one application with up to 48 unique hunt choices; hunt choices may not be repeated. Qualifying parties must have at least four members, with a maximum of eight. There are two hunt choices for the Youth Waterfowl and two for the Military Waterfowl.
A party must be established by a party leader who will select the hunt choices for the entire party. A party number will be assigned to the leader after the application has been submitted. The leader informs the person(s) wishing to join the party of the party number. The members will choose "join a party" on their application and input the leader's party number onto their application.
TWRA's priority drawing system gives one priority point to applicants each year they apply and are not successful for any hunt. Applicants who were successfully drawn will start over with a priority of zero on their next application. If applicants in a party have varying priority points, the party will assume the highest point status of the party. If a party is unsuccessful, each party member's individual priority will increase by one point. There are no priority points for the Youth Waterfowl or the Military Waterfowl.
A successful applicant may bring up to seven additional hunters (guests) of their choice, each day of the hunt. The number of adults in a blind or pool may not exceed eight, one of which must be a permit holder. No additional party members can be added after the drawing. Permits are nontransferable.
Successful applicants will receive an email with instructions to log-in and claim their permit before 11:59 (CST) on Dec. 3. Each party member must claim their own permit. Permits will be available to print after the permit has been claimed. Individuals in the party that fail to claim their permit forfeit their individual permit but may still hunt with a permit holder in attendance at the blind. If the entire party fails to claim their permits, the site location will be forfeited.
The leftover drawings will be held Monday, Dec. 30 at 6 p.m. local time. The drawing locations are listed on page 85 of the 2024-25 Tennessee Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Guide.
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MDWFP CONSERVATION OFFICER AND K-9 AWARDED MEDAL OF VALOR
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks’ (MDWFP) Cpl. Bradley Starling and K-9 Charlie were awarded Medals of Valor for their lifesaving efforts in search of three missing children in Monroe County.
The Medal of Valor is presented to an officer who has exhibited exceptional courage in the attempt to save or protect human life. It is the highest honor to receive and given to those who stand out for their bravery, heroism, or other creditable actions beyond the normal duties.
On July 25 at 3:15 p.m., Cpl. Starling and K-9 Charlie were requested by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office to assist in the search for three missing children who had been missing for around two hours from their residence in Monroe County.
At 4:15 p.m., Cpl. Starling and K-9 Charlie arrived on the scene. After receiving an article of clothing from one of the children, K-9 Charlie quickly picked up the scent and tracked for 200 yards, finding footprints. Within 15 minutes, K-9 Charlie located all three children, who were safely returned home.
MDWFP's K-9 Unit is comprised of four K-9s that cover the entire state of Mississippi. The K-9 Unit specializes in wildlife detection and search and rescue operations.
“We are proud of the K-9 Unit for their hard work, continued training, and efforts to assist communities in situations like these. Congratulations to Cpl. Starling and K-9 Charlie for this outstanding achievement” said Chief of Law Enforcement, Col. Jerry Carter.
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AGFC EXPANDS CWD ZONE, OPEN HOUSE WORKSHOPS SCHEDULED
JONESBORO — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will host two meetings in September to familiarize hunters with some new regulations for the upcoming deer season and update hunters on chronic wasting disease regulations in Cleburne, Craighead, Mississippi and Sharp counties, which were all added to Tier 2 of the AGFC’s CWD Management Zone earlier this year.
Craighead County was the only county added to the CWD Management Zone where a positive-CWD case was found, but new positive cases near the borders of the other three counties necessitated the expansion of CWD regulations in those counties as well.
The two open-house meetings will be held at:
ASU Cooper Alumni Center (2600 Alumni Blvd., Jonesboro, AR) from 6-8 p.m. Sept. 17.
Both meetings will begin with an introduction and brief presentation on what CWD is, how it is transmitted and ways hunters can help slow its spread.
Once the presentations are complete, hunters are encouraged to stay and visit with biologists and staff from the AGFC’s Enforcement, Wildlife Management, Private Lands Habitat, and Educationon a variety of topics ranging from regulations to the Deer Management Assistance Program, conservation education efforts and other research projects being conducted by the AGFC. AGFC Research Division staff will also be available to show hunters how they can have their deer tested for CWD free of charge using a network of drop-off testing containers and taxidermists throughout the state.
"We're really looking forward to these opportunities to talk with hunters and landowners to help kick off the fall season," Dr. Jenn Ballard, state wildlife veterinarian for the AGFC, said. "We want to make sure we answer all their questions about CWD, but we'll also have staff on hand to talk about the new seasons and our expanded Deer Management Assistance Program. Hunters are so important for our state. We really can’t manage deer or challenges like CWD without them."
Visit www.agfc.com/cwd for more information on chronic wasting disease and the AGFC’s network of CWD testing drop-off locations.
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B.A.S.S. ANNOUNCES DIVERSE 2025 BASSMASTER ELITE SERIES SCHEDULE WITH NINE EVENTS IN SEVEN STATES
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials today announced the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule with a slate of nine events across seven states, delivering diverse bodies of water to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the trail.
“There is no better way to celebrate 20 years of Elite competition than to roll out a schedule that includes some of the best bass fisheries on the planet. This year’s events will challenge and inspire our anglers with a range of venues that highlight the rich variety of bass fishing,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “This is going to be fun to watch.”
The opener visits St. Johns River in Palatka, Fla., Feb. 20-23. In 2024, a four-day total of 93 pounds, 6 ounces gave Cory Johnston of Otonabee, Canada, a winning margin of 21-2 over Texan Brad Whatley. Of note, Johnston’s Day 3 total — 73-13 — would have edged Whatley’s tournament total of 72-4 by 1-9.
The Elites will travel south to Okeechobee, Fla., Feb. 27-March 2 to return to Lake Okeechobee, which covers 730 square miles and has an average depth of only 9 feet. Louisiana pro Tyler Rivet called his win in 2023 on Day 1 of the competition. Rivet coaxed a four-day total of 86 pounds, 15 ounces from the largest freshwater lake in Florida by throwing a jerkbait and punching mats and grass.
From Okeechobee, Elite anglers will take a break from the Elite trail for the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors on Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas, March 21-23.
The Elite Series resumes at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound in Elizabeth City, N.C., April 10-13. The event marks the first time B.A.S.S. has visited the area since 1981 for the North Carolina Invitational, where Basil Bacon won with 46-12. This tidal fishery is a power fisherman’s dream, where traditional, old-school tactics should prevail. Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound is located between Camden and Pasquotank counties, and the waters’ striped bass population heads 125 miles upriver to spawn in April, leaving the largemouth the keys to the kingdom. The largemouth should congregate in canals and small tributaries that enter the sound, which warm significantly faster than the main-river channel to create a perfect place to kick off the spawn.
Next on the schedule is Lake Hartwell in Anderson, S.C., April 24-27. Lake Hartwell hosted the Bassmaster Classic in 2022, where Oklahoma pro Jason Christie won with 54 pounds even, just 5 ounces over Alabama’s Kyle Welcher after they shared the lead going into the final day of competition. A Classic-record 154,932 fans watched Christie, a five-time Elite Series champion, use live sonar to catch fish the first two days, then switch to a jig in 1 to 3 feet of water to seal the deal. When the Elites visit, they likely will find the spawn in full swing, setting the stage for a shallow-water battle.
A Texas swing kicks off May 8-11 when the Elite pros head to Lake Fork, Texas, to visit a fishery that made the Top 10 in the 2024 Bassmaster Magazine 100 Best Bass Lakes list. Illinois Elite angler and eventual 2024 Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year Trey McKinney became the youngest angler to win an Elite Series event when he took the blue trophy at Lake Fork at the age of 19. It was also only McKinney’s second Elite Series event.
McKinney managed a massive four-day total of 130 pounds, 15 ounces, just 1 pound, 9 ounces shy of the all-time record for total weight in a four-day B.A.S.S. event — set by Paul Elias on Falcon Lake in Texas in 2008. McKinney started the event fishing in 20 to 30 feet of water and ended up fishing in 4 feet when they moved off of timber to the bank.
Next up for Elites is the Sabine River in Orange, Texas, May 15-18. Veteran Elite angler Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., won the 2023 event here with an overall weight of 44-3, outpacing runner-up Clark Wendlandt by almost 3 pounds. A bladed jig and topwater popper, supported by a Texas-rigged Senko, was Mosley’s power-fishing trio to capture the title.
After the Texas swing, Lake Tenkiller hosts the Elite anglers June 12-15 for the first time since 2019, when Australian pro Carl Jocumsen notched a victory by fishing offshore for a four-day total of 54-15. Second-place finisher Chris Zaldain ran shallow points with a wobblehead jig as well as a swimbait. Third-place finisher Cory Johnston found early limits around covered boat docks using a jigging spoon and a Neko rig and ended up cranking rock banks with squarebill crankbaits.
With the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year and Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year races coming down the home stretch, the Elites will head to another Top 10 finisher in the 2024 Bassmaster Magazine 100 Best Bass Lakes list when they stop at Michigan’s Lake St. Clair Aug. 7-10. In 2023, the last time the Elites visited, Arkansas pro Joey Cifuentes III showed why this lake is ranked as one of the best in the country when he landed 91 pounds, 8 ounces over four days. Pundits speculate the winning weight may be even higher this time around.
The final stop of the year for the 2025 Elite Series will be Aug. 21-24 at the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis. In 2022, Maryland’s Bryan Schmitt squeaked out the win against Canada’s Chris Johnston by a mere 4 ounces for his second Elite Series title. Schmitt fished current for his bass, while Johnston focused on throwing a frog around shallow eelgrass mats. This fishery is known for its amazing topwater bite, and that pattern should be on full display during the final event of the Elite Series season.
New for this year, the no-information rule for tournament waters will go into effect Jan. 1, 2025 at 12:01 a.m.
“I am excited about the diverse and captivating schedule we have lined up for 2025,” said Elite Series Tournament Director Lisa Talmadge. “We can’t wait to see the passion and skill our competitors will bring to each tournament. I believe this season will be truly unforgettable.”
Once again, fans in 2025 can catch live television coverage of all nine Bassmaster Elite Series events as well as Bassmaster Classic coverage on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports platforms.
For more information, visit Bassmaster.com.
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