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Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission announces 2020 Elk Hunt Participants, Conservation Raffle Winners at August meeting

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency - TWRAKingsport, TN – The 15 persons who will participate in the 2020 Tennessee Elk Hunts and the seven winners of the Tennessee Conservation Raffle were announced Friday during the August meeting of the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission held at the Marriott Meadowview Conference Center.

A total of 9,603 persons registered for the opportunity to participate in this year’s Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s elk quota hunts. Tennessee began its elk hunt in 2009 with the participants selected from a computer draw.

Tennessee Elk Hunts and the seven winners of the Tennessee Conservation Raffle were announced Friday
Tennessee Elk Hunts and the seven winners of the Tennessee Conservation Raffle were announced Friday

TWRA Elk Program Leader Brad Miller gave an update on the status of the elk program in Tennessee and announced this year’s quota hunt drawing winners at the meeting. TWRA Assistant Director Chris Richardson announced the Tennessee Conservation Raffle winners conducted by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation. The raffle expanded to seven prize packages this year.

Selected to participate in the archery-only hunt Sepember 26th-October 2nd are Michael Farragut (Seymour), David Creason (Lascassas), Jason Finnell (Apison), John Baird (LaFollette), Travis Crowley (Clinton), Slater Nelson (Dover), and Todd Grafe (Chattanooga).

The gun, muzzleloader, or archery equipment hunt will be held October 10th-16th. Selected to participate are Ryan Ross (Butler), Jason Campbell (Nolensville), Lucas Foutch (McMinnville), William Moats (Lenoir City), David Roy Poteet (Cleveland), and Devin Munczenski (Hixson).

The youth tag permit winner is Mason Wayne Bowden (Morristown). This will be the ninth year for the tag which is designated for youth ages 13-16. There were more than 400 applicants for the youth hunt which will be held October 3rd-9th.

The Tennessee Conservation Raffle, previously known as the Elk Hunt Raffle, features seven prizes, one which includes a permit to participate in the elk quota hunt. In the order which drawn, the winners will have their choice ranging from the elk hunt to a deer hunting package featuring a deer archery hunt on Presidents Island, off-road package with a 2020 Honda Pioneer UTV, turkey hunting package which has a spot in the Governor’s One Shot Turkey Hunt, waterfowl hunting package, a camping package, and a fishing package with fishing gear and a day of fishing with the legendary angler Bill Dance.

The first person drawn in the Tennessee Conservation Raffle was Brandt Snedeker (Nashville). The other raffle winners selected in order are Jason Seaton (Sevierville), Tas Gardner (Paris), Cody Macon (Midway), Darren Belcher (Taylorville, NC), David Barnard (Mt. Juliet), and Michael Moore (Nashville).

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.

In other business at the meeting, a presentation by TWRA Region IV Reservoir Manager John Hammonds was made on the impact of Alabama bass on bass fishing in Tennessee. The illegal stocking of Alabama bass has been harmful to largemouth and smallmouth bass populations in several southeastern reservoirs.

In Tennessee, the species is native only to the Conasauga River in the southeastern portion of the state. Alabama bass have become established in Parksville Reservoir to the detriment of largemouth bass, and other reservoirs are at risk. The TWRA wants anglers to be aware of the situation and offers the reminder that it is always illegal to stock fish.

An overview of the fiscal 2021-22 Agency budget was presented by Executive Director Bobby Wilson. The commission approved the budget as presented.

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