TWRA closes parts of northwest Tenn. due to flooding

MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency calls an emergency meeting Thursday morning due to flooding in northwest Tennessee, and their decision has a big impact on the last weekend of deer season.

The TWRA Region Director Alan Peterson said they are facing an emergency he has never seen in his 30 years on the job. With an overwhelming vote from their commission, they decided to close down areas in northwest Tennessee for the rest of deer hunting season.

“Because of the flooding of the Mississippi River here we have experienced recently, there is a lot of flood water especially in Lake and Dyer county,” Peterson said. “Normally, flood waters in West Tennessee are in the spring months, not during deer season, so this is a rare event.”

The TWRA is closing all public and private hunting areas this weekend west of Tennessee Highway 78 from the Kentucky state line in Lake County to the Obion River Bridge in Dyer County, and west of the Obion River from the Highway 78 bridge to the Mississippi River.

There were two main reasons the TWRA issued this emergency action.

“One was the safety of the people participating in the hunt that would be crowded together in those areas,” TWRA Director Ed Carter said.

“Trying to keep from too many deer being harvested because they are in vulnerable positions,” Peterson said.

Chickasaw National Refuge and Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge also will close this weekend due to flooding issues. This closure will cancel the Youth Hunt scheduled this weekend in these areas. However, the youth hunt will continue throughout the rest of the state.

The TWRA will have an increased law enforcement presence in the affected areas this weekend to enforce the emergency action.