The 15 persons who will participate in the 2019 Tennessee Elk Hunts were announced Friday during the August meeting of the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission held at the General Morgan Inn. One of the participants includes the winner of Tennessee elk raffle permit.
A total of 8,201 persons registered for the opportunity to participate in this year’s hunts. Tennessee began its elk hunt in 2009 with the participants selected from a computer draw.
The elk tag raffle saw 56,405 tickets sold an increase of 33,921 from last year’s inaugural raffle. The raffle grossed more than $677,000, almost doubling last year’s total.
TWRA Elk Program Leader Brad Miller announced this year’s drawing winners at the meeting. The Tennessee Resources Wildlife Foundation’s Joey Woodward announced the elk raffle winners.
Selected to participate in the archery-only hunt Sept. 28-Oct. 4 are Jacob Dwayne Swafford (Knoxville), Hunter Eugene Luna (Charlotte), Johnathon Paul Sullivan (Hilham), Lennon Gregory Haggard (Lexington), Matthew Vinton Smith (Whitwell), Charles Glenn Lambert (Nolensville), and Daniel Tracy Webb (Bells).
The gun, muzzleloader, or archery equipment will be held Oct. 12-18. Selected to participate are John Wilhoyte Barron (Lewisburg), Josepth Scott Bumpus (Dickson), Tyson James Weller (Henning), Kevin Wayne Pebley (Rocky Top), Jeffrey Lynn Miller (La Follette), and John Bradley Combs (Harrison).
The seventh permit was presented to a non-governmental organizational, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation. Dennis Freidline (Frankfort, Ind.) is the grand prize winner and will participate in the Oct. 12-18 hunt. Four other persons had their names drawn in the raffle and will receive prize packages. The other raffle winners are Conner Campbell (Centerville), DeWayne Raines (Knoxville), Gregory James (Pleasant View), and Philip Jacobs (Dickson).
The youth tag permit winner is Jacob R. Clark (Dayton). This will be the eighth year for the tag which is designated for youth ages 13-16. There were 341 applicants for the youth hunt which will be held Oct. 5-11.
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.