Elk hunter Bryan White and his 5x5 bull weighing 648 lbs. field dressed
There were two elk successfully harvested during the 2016 Tennessee elk hunts at the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area and surrounding private lands that were held in October.
Brad White, Elk program coordinator for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, gave a review of the recently-held hunts during the presentation at the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission in Knoxville.
Since the historic first managed hunt in 2009, 33 elk have been legally harvested. Each hunter is assigned a hunting zone through a random hand-held drawing.
The participants faced unusual conditions this fall. Hunters battled the heat, abundant acorn crop, and drought that has prevented establishment of winter food plots, according to White.
The TFWC voted this past May to establish an archery-only hunt in addition to the elk hunt that was launched in 2009. Five hunters were drawn with the opportunity to each harvest one antlered bull during the hunt Oct. 3-7. The hunters had four attempts during the hunt with three misses and one hit, but the bull was not recovered.
The regular hunt was held Oct. 17-21, with the participants having the option to use gun, muzzleloader or archery equipment.
Bryan White, from the Hamilton County town of Harrison, harvested the first elk on the opening afternoon around 4:30 p.m. The 5x5 bull field dressed with a weight of 648 pounds.
Kevin Hart, from the West Tennessee community of Yuma, took the second bull. It came on Oct. 19 and was a 4x3 bull that field dressed with a weight of 256 pounds.
A third elk was taken, but that harvest resulted in several charges being filed against the hunter. Timothy C. Copeland of Crossville, who was drawn for the hunt, is the first permitted elk hunter charged during an elk hunt for allegedly taking an elk out outside of his designated hunting zone.
The charges filed against Copeland included shooting from a public road, hunting from a motor vehicle, hunting in a closed area, and possession of illegally killed big game. The matter is scheduled to be heard in Campbell County General Sessions court on Nov. 15.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has worked to make elk habitat improvements at North Cumberland WMA. The first arrival of 50 animals came in December 2000, the first wild elk to be in Tennessee since they were last reported in Obion County in 1865.
Rex Hart (left) is pictured with his father Kevin Hart (right) who harvested this 4x3 bull with a field dressed weight of 256 lbs. on Wednesday, October 19