There are several W.M.A.’s (wildlife management areas) throughout Tennessee. They are managed by the T.W.R.A. (Tennessee Resources Management Agency). The funding that supports the agency is partially provided by hunting and fishing licensing fees. I have, as a hunter accessed one of these areas in particular, The Bridgestone W.M.A. (about 12,000 acres).
Over a period of about four years have noticed a severe decline in game in the W.M.A. ( big game harvest statistics are available on the T.W.R.A. website) In the past three years I have also noticed that the TWRA’s regard for the hunting public has also declined, while increasing favorability to the non hunting public, upgrading hiking trails, burning and clearing wildlife habitat, decorative landscaping, and more troubling, allowing access leading to greater interactions between the hunting and non hunting public during hunting seasons.
This policy can only foster negative results to either party. Previous signage indicating limited access to the non hunting public during hunting seasons has been removed. Gated access to certain areas previously available to hunters during hunting seasons has now been restricted. This would not be of that great concern to me; however, I have now noticed that several weddings and other events have been hosted in the W.M.A. with unrestricted access to the area.
Since the area is exclusively managed by the T.W.R.A., I find it not only insulting to those whose licensing fees are paying in part for the resources to host these events, but flat out discrimination against those who pay the licensing fees.
This autonomous out of control agency is guilty of several blunders throughout the state, resulting in damage to wildlife populations not only on land, but in our waterways as well. This recent example of blatant discrimination is only just another reason this agency desperately needs oversight either at the state or federal level.
There is a portion of the W.M.A. that falls under Federal Parkland jurisdiction; however, persons must access that portion of the area on the same roadway as the hunting public. Since hunting is prohibited on the Federal Parklands this creates another problem. There is a simple solution to this problem. All of the lands I have mentioned were all donated to the state and previously owned by the Bridgestone – Firestone Corp. The Bridgestone – Firestone Corp. still owns a large tract of land adjacent to, and bordering both the W.M.A. and the parklands. A well maintained roadway goes through the Bridgestone – Firestone land and borders the Federal Parkland known as Virgin Falls Wilderness Area. This six thousand acre parcel, probably used as a tax write-off, and managed by a local resident, who exploits the land use for personal gain.
Certainly a philanthropic company like Bridgestone, if they were made aware of this, and were asked, would gladly allow access to the Virgin Falls area, allowing the Federal Park system to continue road maintenance from volunteers or park donations collected for its use. This roadway, being located at the beginning of one of the access roads to the W.M.A., once opened for park use, the W.M.A. roadway could be then easily segregated for hunting access only, and the portion of the area where events are held can remain closed to hunter access as usual. I don’t think it is necessary to wait for someone to be injured or harassed to solve this.