Turkey hunt numbers see big jump | The Tennessean

By Mike Organ

The harvest for opening weekend of the spring turkey-hunting season in Tennessee was significantly larger than last year.

The spring season opened last Saturday, and by the end of the day Sunday a total of 8,367 birds were killed, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

That was 1,170 more than in 2011.

The Midstate continues to have the most bountiful harvest, with four of the top five counties: Maury (271), Greene (212), Dickson (206), Sumner (201) and Henry (198).  Click Link Below For Full Story!

via Turkey hunt numbers see big jump | The Tennessean | tennessean.com.

Fishing’s big rig: Lure catches on fast, but stirs controversy » The Commercial Appeal

By Bryan Brasher

Bobby Wilson, chief of fisheries for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, will be traveling to Shreveport, La., next month for the annual Bassmaster Classic on the Red River.

He won’t be competing.

As much he enjoys fishing, he has no delusions about his ability to keep pace with the most talented bass anglers on the planet.

Instead, Wilson will be on a fact-finding mission.

He wants to learn everything he can about a wildly popular new fishing lure called “the Alabama Rig.” Because during the next few months, he and other TWRA officials will have some tough decisions to make regarding use of the rig in Tennessee waters.

“It’s a complicated issue,” Wilson said. “We want to come to a decision on the rig as quickly as we can. But we also want to make sure we have as much information as possible before we make that decision.”

The Alabama Rig allows anglers to use as many as five lures on the end of one line — and because it’s so enticing to hungry largemouth bass, it’s not uncommon to catch two or more fish on a single cast.

But Tennessee classifies the bait as an “umbrella rig” and currently prohibits its use unless major modifications are made to each individual rig.

That law could be changed completely or not all, depending on Wilson’s findings.

“The one thing we’ve been stressing since the issue first came up is that we didn’t create this law to target people who want to use the Alabama Rig,” Wilson said. “It’s a law that was created 10 years ago, mostly to protect striped bass. We certainly didn’t decide to do this just because people started having success with the Alabama Rig.”  Click Link Below for Full Story!

via Fishing’s big rig: Lure catches on fast, but stirs controversy » The Commercial Appeal.

Winter Musky Hunting in Tennessee- WFN.com

Mark Bilbrey

While bass fishing in a small lake last summer my wife and I made an amazing discovery. We witnessed something that has not been seen in a Tennessee lake in many years. As we paddled our canoe to the back of a creek we saw some violent explosions in the water ahead and as we crept closer to see what was going on we saw Muskie! We counted six of the beast near the forty inch length and they appeared to be in attack formation like a squadron of fighter pilots heading into a dog fight, as they herded baitfish into the back of a creek to feed.

Musky also called Musky or Muskellunge, are among the biggest freshwater predatory fish found in Tennessee. Thanks to the efforts of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Anglers over the last ten years, the fish has been restored back to its native waters in this state. Musky have a reputation for being extremely aggressive and hard fighting. In the 2011 Tennessee Fishing Guide, a Musky takes the cover shot and a featured article about the legendary fishing being restored to Tennessee. The article features Will Renfro with a 49 inch Dale Hollow beast. The state has done a remarkable job restoring this fish.  Click Link Below for Full Story!

via Winter Musky Hunting in Tennessee.

Elk hunter will take only a bow to woods | The Tennessean

Deputy Bob Burns’ jurisdiction doesn’t reach Tennessee, but he laid down the law when it came to deciding on the primitive hunting method his younger brother Greg will use in the state’s second managed elk hunt.

Greg will rely only on a traditional bow to take down an animal that could stand 5 feet and weigh as much as 700 pounds.

The entire arsenal, including hand-made arrows, is derived from natural materials.

“We don’t use sights, there’s nothing plastic, it’s all traditional equipment,” said Bob, 52, a deputy with the Pinellas County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office. “It will all come down to Greg’s shooting ability and my calling and experience in elk hunting.”

Greg, 49, a retired army staff sergeant from Clarksville, was among four selected randomly to participate in the Oct. 18-22 hunt at the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area. A fifth permit was auctioned off by a non-profit, non-governmental organization.

“The only way Bob said he would come along was if we didn’t take any guns into the woods,” Greg said. “He’s confident we can get close enough to an elk to use a traditional bow. If not, he said we’d leave the woods with what we brought in — nothing.”  Click Link Below for Full Story!

via Elk hunter will take only a bow to woods | tennessean.com | The Tennessean.

Tenn. Turkey Season Kicks Off With Kids Only – Chattanoogan.com

The statewide young sportsman hunt March 27-28 will launch the spring turkey hunting season in Tennessee. The regular season will begin the next week, Saturday April 3 and will continue through Sunday, May 16.The young sportsman hunt is growing in popularity and several special hunting events are scattered across the state this weekend.The young sportsman hunt is available for youngsters ages 6-16. One bearded turkey which counts toward the statewide bag limit of four bearded turkeys may be harvested unless taken on a Wildlife Management Area WMA where turkeys are designated as bonus birds. Each youth must be accompanied by a nonhunting adult 21 or older who must remain in position to take immediate control of the hunting device. The adult does not have to be licensed and may call turkeys for the youth.This spring, the young sportsmen will be out to surpass last year’s mark of 1,066 turkeys harvested during the statewide young sportsman hunt. The top 10 counties for harvest during the 2009 statewide young sportsman hunt were Greene 39, Giles 37, Dickson and Weakley 31, Montgomery 29, Cheatham 28, Robertson 27 Hardin and Hickman 26, and Rutherford 25.The young sportsmen must possess the appropriate license and permits to participate. Sportsmen 10 or older must possess proof of successfully completing the Tennessee Hunter Education course. If a sportsman 10 or older has not completed the course, a one-time apprentice hunting permit may be purchased that exempts the hunter education provision for one year from the date of purchase.

via 3/25/2010 – Tenn. Turkey Season Kicks Off With Kids Only – Outdoors – Chattanoogan.com.

Big-game hunting close to home | The Times Daily | Florence, AL

Kentucky, Tennessee now open to elk hunting

By Dennis Sherer

Staff Writer

The last time Jeff Patterson went elk hunting, he spent 25 hours behind the wheel driving to the Rocky Mountains.

He hopes to be able to go elk hunting this fall or winter a little closer to home – about 350 miles from Florence.

Patterson is among thousands of hunters throughout the country who have applied for a permit to go elk hunting in Kentucky.

“It’s exciting to think I might be able to hunt elk only five or six hours from here,” he said. “It would be really neat if I am able to kill one that close to home.”

Since being released in 1997, elk have proliferated throughout the eastern Kentucky mountains.

Dave Baker, a spokesman for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, said the agency will issue 1,000 elk permits this year. In 2008, only 400 were issued.

The cost to apply for an elk permit is $10. Those selected in the lottery-style drawing must then pay $365 for a permit for non-residents to go elk hunting in Kentucky.

Baker, editor of the agency’s magazine, Kentucky Afield, said 250 of the permits issued for upcoming elk season will be to harvest bulls. The remainder will be for harvesting cows. The reason for increasing the number of permits is to stabilize the state’s elk herd, which is the largest east of the Rocky Mountains. Elk hunting was first allowed in 2001.

Baker said Kentucky’s elk population has grown quicker than expected. Baker said grassy areas left when strip mines are refilled created prime habitat for elk. The mild weather of the Bluegrass State allows the animals to grow more rapidly than Elk living in western states where deep snow often covered grazing areas during the winter.

“There is a tremendous amount of food available to the elk. They grow very rapidly and the bulls get really big,” Baker said. “We’ve already had several Boone and Crockett-class bulls harvested here.”

Gabe Jenkins, a wildlife biologist for the agency, said many hunters who harvest elk in Kentucky had never hunted anything larger than a white-tailed deer before being selected to receive an elk permit. He said most are amazed by the size of the elk.

“When somebody asks me how big the elk are, I tell them to imagine a horse,” Jenkins said. “They are as big as horse.”  Click link below for full story!

via Big-game hunting close to home | TimesDaily.com | The Times Daily | Florence, AL.

Brasher: Elk hunt on target to be good thing, someday : Outdoors : Memphis Commercial Appeal

By Bryan Brasher Contact, Memphis Commercial Appeal

Sunday, January 25, 2009

For many West Tennesseans, the idea of our state holding an elk hunting season is kind of sore subject.

Here’s how they see it:

TENNESSEE ELK SEASON

It was announced during last week’s meeting of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission that Tennessee will hold its first elk hunting season in October.

Residents and non-residents will be allowed to apply for five permits, but only one will be awarded to a non-resident.

Elk hunting will take place five or six hours from here in eastern Tennessee. The hunting project will cost thousands of dollars that could be spent to help other struggling species like the bobwhite quail. And even if Tennessee does hold an elk season, they’ll only give out a handful of permits, meaning everyone’s chances of being drawn will be next to nothing.

Since the TWRC announced its plan to hold the state’s first elk season this October, I’ve gone over those three points a lot — and I’ve reached a conclusion:

None of it matters.

So what if the October elk hunting season will be held in eastern Tennessee? That’s about as close as any other elk hunt West Tennesseans will find.

If you don’t believe it, leave out for Wyoming right now, and call me when you get there to tell me how long the drive took.

Then I’ll tell you about Tennessee’s funding efforts for the elk restoration project.

The elk project costs approximately $300,000 a year, but at least half of that is paid by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The rest is paid by TWRA, the University of Tennessee and other various groups. Click link below for full story!

via Brasher: Elk hunt on target to be good thing, someday : Outdoors : Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Tennessee Elk Hunt is Official – Chattanoogan.com

Elk Hunt Applications to be accepted beginning April 1

by Richard Simms

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission approved to allow Tennessee’s first elk hunt among its business today at the January meeting held at Reelfoot Lake State Park.

Upon recommendations made by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the elk hunt will be held October 19-23 at the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area. There will be five Elk Hunting Zones (EHZ) designated at the WMA. A total of five permits will be allocated.

Four of the participants will be selected through a drawing conducted by the TWRA. The drawing is open to both residents and non-residents. However, no more than one permit may go to a non-resident hunter. The fifth participant will be the winner of a permit that is donated to a NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) with fund-raising proceeds designated for the TWRA Elk Program.

Applications for the special hunt will be accepted April 1-May 31. The five winners will be announced at the June meeting of the TWRC in Nashville.

The TWRC also made a rule amendment presented by the TWRA that would establish a first come, first serve process for allocating Special Season County Permits for deer and fall turkey hunts. Over the last several years, these quota hunts have had substantial leftover permits after the drawings. Changing the process to a first-come, first-serve will provide sportsmen greater flexibility in planning their fall hunts

via 1/22/2009 – Tennessee Elk Hunt is Official – Outdoors – Chattanoogan.com.

TWRA prepares for Tennessee’s first elk hunting season

By GEORGE THWAITES

KINGSPORT — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency continues to make preparations for the state’s first elk hunting season in 2009.

The status of the state’s elk restoration project was one of the issues covered during the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission’s October meeting, which was held Wednesday and Thursday at MeadowView Conference Resort and Convention Center.

“Kentucky’s program started a long time ago, and they’ve had hunting there for several years,” said Commissioner Buddy Baird of Rogersville. “Since I joined the commission in 2001, we’ve been trying to get an elk season. It looks like we’re hopefully to the point where we can do that, at least on a very limited level.”

TWRA Wildlife Chief Greg Wathen, who made a presentation to the commission’s Wildlife Management Committee on Wednesday, said the agency expects an extremely limited issue of elk permits for a five-day elk hunt next October.  Click link below for full story!

TWRA prepares for Tennessee’s first elk hunting season.

Kentucky Excelling in Elk – Outdoors – Chattanoogan.com

Tennessee to hunt first elk in 2009
by Richard Simms

Chattanoogan.Com/Outdoors

posted September 20, 2008

GATLINBURG, Tenn. – It’s easy to see that David Ledford is passionate about elk. Speaking to a crowd of outdoor writers at this week’s Southeastern Outdoor Press Association Conference in Gatlinburg, he seemed to almost tremble with excitement. He admits that he has found his niche with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Ledford is the director of the RMEF Appalachian Initiative … an effort to restore this most majestic species to its former range. It is an effort that has met with immense success, especially in Kentucky.

Tennessee came into the elk restoration effort a few years late and progress has been slow. Ledford says there are about 250 elk living in the northern portion of the Cumberland Plateau, mostly in and around the Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area.

In Kentucky however, Ledford says the elk herd has reached more than 10,000 animals. The elk has become the defacto official symbol of Eastern Kentucky, an area once laid barren by strip mining.

Ledford says however they have learned that elk thrive is the open pastures and spotty forest that is classic of reclaimed strip mines.

“The scope and scale of coal mining in Kentucky is huge,” said Ledford. “You just can’t imagine.”

When those mines are properly reclaimed according to government standards, the elk love it. Ledford shared a map of reclaimed strip mines overlayed with the readings from elk that are outfitted with satellite transmitters. In basically 90 percent of the cases, the elk were living in and around reclaimed strip mines.

Kentucky began stocking elk in 1997 and relocated a total of 1,557 elk from then until 2002. Ledford said the massive effort was driven by a couple of wildlife commissioners who insisted that, “if we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it right.”

They apparently have as cities and towns all across Eastern Kentucky are seeing a huge increase in elk interest, along with a huge influx of money from tourists and hunters.

Knott County, Kentucky now has a billboard proclaiming itself as “The Elk Capital of the East.”

A Budweiser billboard in the area boasts a beautiful picture of an elk at a stream and the text reads, “Not all of our watering holes have pool tables.”

“These elk are having an impact on the culture of Southeast Kentucky,” said Ledford. “The place where Loretta Lynn sang about being a coal miner’s daughter. Now the elk has become the symbol of this region of Kentucky.”

Ledford regularly hosts tours in his efforts to promote the effort. Ledford has also made a concerted effort to work in concert with the coal mining business community… a community best known for its ability to destroy wildlife habitat. Ledford however says that more and more, the major coal companies are anxious to restore the environment, and they welcome guidance and assistance for outside groups other than government regulators.

“I’m convinced that only an NGO (non-governing organization) can accomplish a true beneficial partnership situation,” said Ledford.

He says RMEF has worked in cooperation with numerous reclamation efforts, providing special seed mixtures and technical guidance more beneficial to the elk. He says it is paying huge dividends for the elk, and for the coal companies.

“If a good reclamation plan makes more money for the coal company, fine… I don’t care,” he said. “If our help keeps the enforcement agencies from having to do as much work or accomplish goals, fine… I don’t care. We just want to get the job done and get more habitat on the ground.”

Hunting is an integral element in Kentucky’s elk restoration.

In 2008 400 hunters were selected in the special drawing for elk hunting permits. Ledford said about 10 percent were non-residents. 25 permits were reserved for landowners who provide at least 5,000 acres of public access land…. mostly the coal companies.

Among regular hunters, he said a total of 34,000 people applied for the elk hunting permits, paying $10 each for the chance to be drawn. That’s $340,000 that goes directly into Kentucky’s elk management program.

The first year KY wildlife officials and RMEF advertised a special elk checking station in a Walmart parking lot in Hazard, Ky. Hundreds of people, and media, including a National Geographic photographer, gathered for what became a huge public event.

Ledford’s voice quavered a little as he also told the story of disabled coal miner who killed the once-state record elk on an area near his home where he had strip mined for 25 years.

Ledford says besides humans, black bears have proven to a primary predator on elk, especially calves. He says however, that’s not a bad thing.

“We’re the only country in the world that has been able to return the top carnivore and the top herbivore to its natural habitat,” he said with excitement.

It is doubtful Tennessee will ever rival Kentucky’s success where there are about 4 million acres of potential elk habitat. Ledford says there are hopes the Kentucky herd might reach 20,000 animals.

In Tennessee the RMEF has been instrumental… contributing money to land acquisition & habitat improvement but it is too early to know where the Volunteer State elk restoration effort will lead. TWRA hit a massive roadblock when fear and controversy erupted over chronic wasting disease.

However the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency expects to hold a special drawing to issue five bull elk permits to hunters in 2009.

With tens of thousands of applicants expected, it will be a hunter’s equivalent of hitting the lottery.

But it is a start.. and Ledford hopes there is no where to go but up

9/20/2008 – Kentucky Excelling in Elk – Outdoors – Chattanoogan.com.