TWRA to host deer rally

March 9– Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will hold a free deer rally March 20 at Hopewell Baptist Church near Savannah.

TWRA personnel will be scoring antlers for the Tennessee Deer Registry.

The registry was initiated with three goals in mind: to provide the TWRA with a meaningful and understandable record of the number of quality whitetail deer taken annually in Tennessee, to provide important data concerning Tennessee’s expanding deer herd, and to recognize successful hunters who bag trophy deer.

The program is based on the scoring criteria developed by the Boone and Crockett Club with some adjustments to the minimum requirements.

The minimum requirements for the Tennessee Deer Registry were set as: archery—115 typical and 140 non-typical; muzzleloader—125 typical and 150 non-typical; gun 140 typical and 165 non-typical.

There is no charge to have a deer measured or entered into the Tennessee Deer Registry.

The deer must have been legally harvested in Tennessee to qualify and the antlers must have dried for a minimum of 60 days prior to being officially scored. Deer taken in another state can be measured to qualify for the national record books.

The rally will begin at 3 p.m. with antler scoring done by Tennessee Deer Registry certified scorers as well as an official Boone and Crockett/Pope & Young scorer.

Hunters can bring their deer to be scored until 5 p.m. when a meal will be provided by Hopewell Baptist Church.

At 6 p.m., Chad Hardin, TWRA Region I Big Game Biologist, will be the guest speaker. He will present information about whitetail deer in West Tennessee. Other activities will include the Laser Shot, a shooting simulator, and an archery range kids will be sure to enjoy.

For more information, call the TWRA Region I office at 800-372-3928.