TFA has submitted the following comment to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency during the pending comment period.
Dear Sirs
I am writing as the Executive Director of the Tennessee Firearms Association ( www.tennesseefirearms.com ).
The TFA counts among its membership many firearms owners across the state of Tennessee. Many of the members are avid sporting enthusiasts who engage in hunting in Tennessee, including me. The purpose of this communication is to submit comments pursuant to the instructions set forth on https://www.tn.gov/twra/news/2018/1/16/twra-requesting-public-input-for-2018-19-hunting-regulations.html requesting public input for the 2018-2019 hunting regulations. I presume and submit these comments on the understanding that these regulations are being considered in accordance with the rulemaking requirements of state law.
We understand that several states that touch or are near to Tennessee have adopted regulations regarding expanded weapon choices for various of the more commonly denominated big game seasons such as archery, black powder (muzzleloader) and modern firearm seasons. Tennessee has similarly designated seasons. Further, over time, Tennessee has changed the weapons that were approved for use in each such season without necessarily renaming the seasons except for clarity.
While the existing regulations provide for a modern firearm season, the black power/muzzle loader season was intended to allow hunting with a weapon class that was distinct from traditional modern centerfire firearms. We have been asked to consider the proposition of expanding the classification of weapons that would legal for use on game, particularly big game, in Tennessee. https://www.tn.gov/twra/article/hunting-equipment-methods
We have been asked to consider and comment upon a rule change to allow other weapon classes to be used during the muzzle loading seasons which weapons are in line with or have less capacity than modern muzzle loaders to harvest game. These proposals include one or more of the following:
- single shot break action and rolling block rifles .35 caliber or larger with exposed hammers or single shot shotguns firing a slug
- any single shot break action and rolling block handguns (.35 caliber or larger) with exposed hammer
Each of these are weapons or weapons classes which either do not appear to be legal weapons in Tennessee at this time or which, if legal, can only be used during the modern firearms season(s). Allowing these additional weapons to be used during the muzzle loader season would likely have a minor impact on the number of hunters or even the harvest rates but it could allow hunters in Tennessee to explore alternative weapon choices during a season when modern centerfire firearms are not in use.
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