By BEN GARRETT
TnHunting.Com Publisher

ONEIDA — It appears that hunters could be hunting Tennessee elk as soon as next fall, following discussion at this week's meeting of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission in Nashville.

If preliminary discussions prove true, five hunters would be selected via a quota system to hunt elk in Royal Blue and Sundquist wildlife management areas near this town of 3,500 in the heart of the Cumberland Mountains.

The commission had requested the agency to prepare a report on the feasability of a limited elk hunt when it met in May. Yesterday, the agency had that report prepared, and all indications are that a 2007 elk hunt is a go, though TWRA Chief of Wildlife Greg Wathen warned that the report was only preliminary.

"Whether or not the agency will recommend an elk season will depend on the results of a more intensive study of the status of Tennessee's elk herd and its survival and reproduction rates which will be conducted this winter," Wathen said.

The agency is expected to gather public input this fall, and report back to the commission in December with a recommendation on how to set up a hunt.

Wathen, who recently took over as chief of wildlife following the retirement of Larry Marcum, and his staff presented the commission with an assessment of the possible effects of a hunting season on Tennessee's elk herd, based on models developed in some western states where elk hunting is common. The report also examined elk programs in eastern states where elk have been reintroduced. Currently, there are six eastern states with elk herds, and several have hunting seasons, including Kentucky.

"The elk herds in Arkansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania are among the states we particularly looked at," Wathen said. "Arkansas reintroduced elk in 1981 with 112 animals released. That herd has now grown to approximately 400 to 450 animals. Kentucky began a much larger reintroduction program in 1997, where some 1,500 animals were reintroduced during a four-year time period."

Today's Kentucky's elk herd has grown to more than 2,500 animals.

It is not known exactly how large Tennessee's elk herd is, though TWRA elk project volunteer Harvey Hammock told TnHunting.Com last month that his best estimate is around 250 animals. The TWRA is in the process of conducting a thorough census — including ground searches and the use of helicopters — to better estimate the herd size.

Though there are many details to be hammered out, discussion at the meeting seemed to indicate that five permits would be issued through a quota-type drawing. The hunt would be used as a fund-raiser for the elk program, though it remains unclear which direction TWRA would choose to take to obtain funds. In Arkansas, there is no fee to apply for an elk hunt permit, but successful applicants much purchase a $300 special elk permit. In Kentucky, there is no special elk permit, but hunters must pay an application fee to enter the quota drawing and must have a valid Kentucky hunting license. Discussion yesterday indicated that the agency would require a permit fee, plus the purchase of a special elk hunting permit for successful applicants.

The discussion also indicated that the hunt would be held in October — when the elk rut is at its peak — and would be limited to public lands: the 80,000-acre Sundquist WMA and 40,000-acre Royal Blue WMA. The elk were initially released on Royal Blue WMA, but have spread to Sundquist. Some of the animals have ventured onto the privately-owned, 45,000-acre Brimstone Recreation Area that adjoins the management areas.

Wathen indicated that a permit by also be issued to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to auction off as a fund-raiser to help raise funds for the elk restoration program. The RMEF provided 50% of the funds to transport elk from Elk Island National Park in Alberta, Canada, and from Land Between the Lakes to Royal Blue, and continues to help with expenses associated with the elk program.

An elk hunt was first proposed by representatives of the Campbell Outdoors Recreation Association (CORA). The LaFollette-based organization was instrumental, along with the Tennessee Wildlife Federation (formerly the Tennessee Conservation League) in prompting the TWRA to undertake the elk restoration program in 2000. Last year, CORA Secretary Terry Lewis appeared before the commission to propose an elk hunting season. Outdoors writer Bob Hodge, outdoors editor for the Knoxville News Sentinel, also threw his support behind an elk hunting season.

But not everyone is convinced that a hunting season is warranted. A person close to the elk management program, who spoke to TnHunting.Com on condition of anonymity, said that while the herd itself could sustain "four or five animals" killed in a limited quota hunt, the hunt could still damage the herd.

"The big bulls are needed for breeding," he said. "These are the mature bulls and the bulls with good genetics. There aren't many of them. If we allow a hunt, those are the bulls that will be killed."

The elk restoration zone includes parts of Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan and Scott counties, with Campbell and Scott counties being the core area for the restoration zone. The TWRA's elk management plan calls for a herd of 1,400-to-1,600 animals by the year 2016.

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