The 15 persons who will participate in the 2017 Tennessee Elk Hunts were announced Wednesday during the August meeting of the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission held at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Region II Ray Bell Building.
A total of 8,664 persons registered for the opportunity to participate in the 2017 hunt. Tennessee began its elk hunt in 2009 with the participants selected from a computer draw. TWRA Region IV Wildlife Management Program Coordinator John Mike announced this year’s participants at the meeting.
Selected to participate in the archery-only hunt Sept. 30-Oct. 6 are Johnny Lankford Delaney (Chattanooga), Edgar Michael Galaway (Brighton), William C. Harris (Smithville), Jimmy E. Hilliard (Maryville), Brandon T. Metcalf (Greeneville), Matthew Douglas Meyer (Knoxville), and Larry Wayne Rosenbaum (Dickson).
Gun, muzzleloader, or archery equipment is allowed in the Oct. 14-20 hunt. Selected to participate were James L. Blackwell (Chattanooga), Doug C. Gougher (Jasper), Kimberly Ann Mayfield (Etowah), Gary W. Ownby (Clinton), Floyd Eugene Roach (Knoxville), and Darvis Gary White (Greeneville).
The seventh permit was presented to a non-governmental organizational, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation. The permit was auctioned with a bid of $13,000 was made by Alabama resident Tim Fisk. Fund-raising proceeds from the auctioned tag are designated for the elk restoration program.
The youth tag permit winner is Reed A. Johnson (Manchester). This will be the sixth year for the tag which is designated for youth ages 13-16. The TFWC voted to allow a full week for the youth participant for the first time this year, rather than a two-day weekend hunt. It will be held Oct. 7-13.
At its hunting seasons setting meeting this past spring, the TFWC voted to increase the total number of elk hunt permits from 11 to 15 and increase the three hunt segments to seven days each. This included seven archery permits, seven for gun (which includes the auctioned permit), and one youth permit.
Similar to 2016, all hunt permits are valid on the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area and can also be used on private lands (with landowner permission) within the Elk Restoration Zone in Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan and Scott counties.
Since the historic first managed hunt in 2009, 33 elk have been legally harvested. There were two elk successfully harvested during the 2016 Tennessee elk hunts at the North Cumberland WMA and surrounding private lands that were held in October