Public Lands Duck Hunting Access Increases

Statewide polling showed a large majority of waterfowl hunters were unsatisfied with the methods for selecting who could use a given duck blind on public land. Always in favor of more and equitable access to the great outdoors, the Federation was in favor of any publicly supported change that’d increase access and participation.

To help people easily participate in TWRA’s public decision-making process, the Federation created an online tool so individuals could easily contact the full Commission with their thoughts. More than 6,200 messages from all viewpoints were delivered to the Commission.

Ultimately, rules were changed to create a mix of ways people could access waterfowl hunting on public land as well as modernize how people can participate in the draw.

As a result of these changes, 6,000 more hunters participated in this year’s duck blind draws than in the final year the agency required in-person, on-site draws. More evidence of positive change, roughly 19 percent of participants this year were from East Tennessee, higher than any previous year.