AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39 and Title 70, relative to the use of unmanned aircraft for deer recovery when hunting.
Summary
SB0130 authorizes the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission to adopt rules and issue proclamations allowing the use of unmanned aircraft, including drones, for one narrow purpose: locating and recovering a deer that has been wounded, or reasonably believed to have been wounded, while a person is lawfully hunting. The bill is framed as a wildlife-management measure rather than a broad change to hunting law, and it limits drone use to deer recovery only.
The measure amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 70, Chapter 4, Part 1, and directs the commission to regulate this activity through the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act. It does not itself create a general right to use drones while hunting; instead, it gives the commission authority to set the rules and proclamations governing when and how drones may be used for recovery purposes. The act takes effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill changes Tennessee wildlife law by expressly permitting the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission to regulate the use of unmanned aircraft for deer recovery after lawful hunting activity. It affects hunters, wildlife officers, and anyone using drones in the field by carving out a specific exception for recovery of wounded deer while leaving broader restrictions on hunting with drones intact. The bill also touches Title 39 and Title 70 in the caption, but the operative change is in Title 70, expanding the commission’s rulemaking authority over hunting-related drone use.
Sentiment
The available legislative history suggests generally favorable sentiment. The Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee recommended the bill for passage on a 7-0 vote, indicating unanimous support in that committee. No committee transcript was provided, but the vote pattern suggests the bill was viewed as a practical wildlife-management measure rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
There is little visible contention in the available record. The main policy issue is the controlled use of drones in hunting contexts, which can raise concerns about fair chase, enforcement, and potential misuse. However, the bill narrows the authorization to deer recovery only and leaves implementation to the wildlife commission, which likely reduced opposition. Any disagreement would most likely center on whether drone use should be allowed at all in hunting-related activities and how tightly the commission should regulate it.