KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said Wednesday that people will soon not be able to bring alcohol to most wildlife management areas or drink alcohol while in those areas.
Starting April 15, people will only be able to have and drink alcohol in specific parts of WMAs. Drunken disorderly conduct will also be specifically prohibited on WMAs. The ban would apply to all kinds of users, including drivers and passengers of off-highway vehicles in WMAs.
Wildlife officers will start issuing citations for alcohol possession on April 15, the TWRA said.
The TWRA said the ban will be in place because of high rates of intoxicated driving in WMAs, as well as crashes where alcohol was a contributing factor.
"The TWRA is committed to public safety and is focused on keeping public lands family-friendly and safe for all Tennesseans," the TWRA said in a release.
Wildlife management areas are spots across the state specifically set aside to conserve wildlife, or for recreational activities like hunting and fishing. There are more than 100 of these areas across Tennessee, ranging in size from 53 acres to 625,000 acres.