Ever hope to take a buck with velvet on his antlers, but by the time hunting season starts, most velvet has already been shed?
A group of hunters in Tennessee brought a request to the Wildlife Commission asking for an earlier season for a chance to take a buck in the velvet antler phase. In May, the request was granted after many comments from both sides of the proposal. The state’s inaugural “velvet buck hunt” will be open August 24 to 26 for archery hunters on private lands. Any harvests will count to a hunter’s annual two-buck limit.
Alligator Hunt Opens in North Carolina
After over 45 years without alligator hunting, 20 permits have been granted in Hyde County. The season will be open Sept. 1 to Oct. 1. Alligators over 12-feet long have been documented in many potentially dangerous areas such as farms, water pumps, and roads. Although not a densely populated county of the state, alligator interactions are becoming more frequent. The hunt has been instated as part of a fully researched management plan.
New Governor Changes in New Jersey
The NJ bear hunt has been authorized through 2021 by the state council, but the new governor ordered all state lands be closed to hunting. Acting within his jurisdiction rights, he is not closing the hunt, but making it more difficult for some hunters to make the trip. About 40-60 percent of harvests usually come from state lands.
Sources: Fox News, Washington Street Journal, and North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
