Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission approves rule changes to licenses

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission (TFWC) has approved proposed rule changes to hunting and fishing licenses.

The rule changes would adjust licensure prices along with simplifying the license structure.

With the adjusted prices, boating registration fees would increase by 22%, most hunting and fishing licenses by 28% and Sportsman and Lifetime fees by 12%, the TWFC said. Price changes are set to take effect July 1, 2025.

Along with the price increases, licensures will be adjusted to simplify regulations such as hunting device-type supplemental licenses (gun, archery, muzzleloader) will change to species-type supplemental licenses (deer, elk, bear, turkey, waterfowl).

Trout supplemental license (stamp) is also will now be included in the base hunting and fishing combination license, and Multiple Wildlife Management Area permits have also been combined into a single permit.

The TFWC said license sales and federal grants based on the number of hunters in Tennessee make up more than 70% of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s operating budget. So, these new price adjustments will help make up the TWRA’s large operational deficit they’ve been facing due to the Consumer Price Index’s 31.6% inflation.

Copyright 2024 WSMV. All rights reserved.