There are almost NEVER any signs about specifically when hunting is allowed
in Forks of the River. I, too, have walked up on people sitting around with
guns on their laps and decoys in the fields. I found a TWRA man at the
Burnetts Creek parking lot one day last fall and asked him when hunting was
allowed, and he said he really didn't know! He gave me a pamphlet that gave
all sorts of hunting tips and several charts of hunting seasons, but I
couldn't decipher it with regard to that location. Maybe if more non-hunter
users of the area would complain, they would start posting specific hunting
days and hours.
Lynne Davis
South Knoxville & Sevier County
On Sat, Sep 10, 2016 at 8:49 PM, Angela Hoffman <ahoffman1979@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Earlier this evening, we ventured down to Forks of the River WMA in Knox
Co. for a family walk and to see if any birds were visiting the dried
sunflower heads. After about a quarter-mile in on the main gravel road, we
were startled by gunshots and then saw hunters walking across one of the
main fields on the upper left. I pulled out my phone and Googled the TN
dove season, and sure enough, the season started on September 1 and runs
through September 28.
Though we know the space is used for that purpose, there was absolutely NO
warning signage anywhere, including at the main gate and parking lot where
we entered. We were out there with our 13-month-old child and wearing
subtle clothing for birding, and we found this experience very unnerving.
We also saw multiple other walkers and trail bikers using the property,
most of whom we assume also didn't know about the hunters present.
I attempted to call the Region 4 TWRA office and only got an out-of-office
weekend message. I then called the non-emergency number for the Knoxville
police to see if they had an alternate contact number, but they did not.
The dispatcher/officer I spoke with did know about the concern, though,
because he was himself a trail biker and said complaints about it had been
showing up in local mountain/trail bikers' forum this weekend.
Unfortunately, he said that only TWRA can respond about signage or
restricting access for safety reasons.
We don't mind the property being used for multiple purposes, but we were
really surprised and disappointed that no warnings or closures were posted,
especially because of the high-traffic use of this location. Because of
this experience, we wanted to remind everyone to keep safe and aware in
the coming months as different hunting seasons come and pass.
Unfortunately, it seems that we won't be able to rely on officials to do
adequate postings in all areas.
Stay safe and good birding,
Angela Hoffman
*Angela M. Hoffman*
Knoxville, TN
ahoffman1979@xxxxxxxxx
