North Alabama WMAs

[Eric Patterson]

This past weekend was the Alabama Youth Waterfowl Hunt. Who would of thought we'd be having balmy 70 degree weather. From my observations most of the ducks have left the valley.

Sunday evening Thomas and I were the last off the area and stopped and talked to the Biologist in charge of several North Alabama Waterfowl Management Areas (WMAs). Hunter reports were terrible. There were no ducks logged on Sunday and only a handful on Saturday.

During our conversation I learned that the lease the state has with TVA for the lands that comprise the WMAs has run out. The last lease, which ran for 30 years, expired three years ago and has not been renewed. They are going year to year with no formal agreement and plenty of disagreements on the terms of the proposed new lease. The way it was described to me is TVA wants to place restrictions in the lease that would make farming the land difficult for the state. For example no tilling greater than 6". Evidently the tilling restriction is stemming from TVA's archeologist who doesn't want to disrupt possible archeological sites. Also they want any spill that might occur, even if not the fault of the state, to be cleaned up by the state at the state's own expense. The whole thing sounds like a mess the way the biologist described it. I suspect in the end some agreement will be reached but am worried TVA will place more cost on the strapped state or more guidelines that make their job difficult or less productive. It appears TVA has swung away from it's once former position of supporting hunting as part of it's recreational use mission.

 

[harry whitley]

First make some pictures of Thomas hunting on the WMA's in question and send them to your legislators asking politely to reinstate a long term lease. If that doesn't work put together a group that will raise hell including promising political reprocussions.
There has to be money at the bottom of the puzzle. Wonder how much TVA gets for the lease of the property. Actually they are leasing your property back to you. Other than "digs" for indian stuff , they might be planning to sell the property to real estate developers. Always follow the money trail to find out the real truth.

I'm ticked off for your situation and hope Thomas will always have those places to hunt.

Best,
Harry

 

[David Chandler]

This is sad to hear. The WMA's in North Jackson County serve numerous hunters from this area as well as hunters from all over the Southern United States. I see more out-of-state hunters than locals on a regular basis, those are staying several days and spending lots of bucks in an area that only has hunting and fishing. Makes you wonder what TVA is hear for ? Then bottom line is they will not part from the property to the state for a permanant fix.

 

[Eric Patterson]

David

The biologist discussed the non-resident situation too as being a problem - a problem of not enough. Over the past two seasons the decline in non-resident license sales reduced the operating budget around 2 million dollars. Pull 2 million out of the budget, that is based on the previous years income, and you get a hefty shortfall. Do it two years in a row and the folks in Montgomery get very concerned and scrutinize expenditures. We all know deer and turkey management get the lion's share so the waterfowl areas really take it in the shorts. Personally, I observed a big reduction last season in non-residents from the ones that preceded it. I didn't hunt the lake one time this year but it sounds as if the trend continued this season. I hate to think the answer to the financial situation is more hunters and really wish Alabama would go the way of Arkansas and Missouri where a 1/8 cent sales tax was earmarked for G&F. Nobody is proposing it but I wish someone would. They really have their hands tied by relying on license sales.

 

[David Chandler]

I quess this is going to continue to be a trend until the economy stabilizes. Everyone seems to be pulling back and watching to see what will be thrown at us next. But, on the bright side, out-of-state fishing license seems to be doing real well here!

 

[Wispete]

This Issue just hit a cord with me. Over the past several years where I live on a Flowage on the Wisconsin River. Land that every one thought could not developed is up for development. A dam on any river in the USA is licenced. These licences are long term. Thirty, fifty, or more years. These Licences are granted by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. (FERC) In these licences are provisions of how a dam has to be operated. Provisions about the surounding lands and how they are treated that are under the control of the licencee. Such as fishing, hunting,open use by the public.
When a licence comes up for renewal there has to be public notice. "How much of the public pays any attention" However the orginal provisions in the licence can be changed at that time.

I agree with Harry follow the money.

Some bean counter for the TVA said we are sitting on Millions of dollars worth of real estate. Sell some and I will get a bonus. Or some Real Estate Corp. is sliping some money to some one to get the oportunity to sell the land. Hard to prove but some is benifting and more than likly its not anyone who hunts of fishes.

I have a PDF of the licence of the Dam on the river where I live and could send it to you as a reference or you can get the licence of the impoundment near you by writing to FERC or maybe get on line. These are public record. They cover all the provisions that the licencee has to follow. They are to numerest to write here.

We fought long and hard for over two years. Town meetings. County board commitee meetings. Etc. We saved some land but not all.
This proscess would have been much easier at the licence hearings before provisions had been changed.

Pete