The time to apply for Tennessee big game quota hunts has arrived

Tennessee State Rep. Frank Nicely from Knoxville has, for the second year in a row, introduced a bill which would allow the commercial farming of white-tailed deer. Wildlife experts say the practice could be potentially damaging to the wild deer herd in Tennessee. (Photo: Richard Simms)

The application period for all wildlife management area big game quota hunts opens Wednesday, June 13 and remains open until July 25.

The instruction sheet lists information about which WMAs will hold the hunts, the bag limits, any antler restrictions and hunting implement types allowed on each hunt. Applications are available and will be accepted at any TWRA license agent or TWRA regional office or online at the TWRA website. Mailed applications will not be accepted. The application must be received by midnight CDT on July 25.

Sportsmen are reminded to read the instruction sheet carefully, fill out all requested information, double-check the form and take it to a license agent, where it will be entered into the system. When applying at any TWRA license agent, there is no fee for current annual sportsman license holders, lifetime sportsman license holders or seniors possessing a Type 167 permit. For all other applicants, there is a nonrefundable $10 permit fee for each drawing entered, plus a $1 agent fee.

Hunters may also apply over the Internet at the TWRA website. There is no fee for current annual sportsman license holders, lifetime sportsman license holders or seniors possessing a Type 167 permit. All other applicants, in addition to the $2 Internet fee, will be charged a nonrefundable permit fee of $10 per drawing entered. The $2 usage fee is collected by the company that maintains the Internet site. (It is not a fee that is charged by the TWRA.)

TWRA’s priority drawing system gives priority points (a maximum of seven points this year) to hunters based on the number of years they have participated without being drawn for a hunt. Applicants who were successful last year will start over with a priority of zero.

When applying at a license agent, hunters must remain at the location while the application is processed to verify that the information, such as hunt codes and their TWRA ID number on their receipt, is correct.

After all the drawings are conducted, leftover permits will be sold by all license agents online on a first-come-first-served basis beginning Aug. 29.