The Hunt Is On-1st Elk Hunt in TN in 150 Years

In December of 2000, 50 elk from Elk Island National Park were released into the rugged and beautiful Cumberland mountains of east Tennessee. That day marked the historic return of an animal that had been missing from the Tennessee landscape for almost 150 years. Since then, the TWRA has been monitoring the herd, anxious to see how well the new animals have adapted. Each year TWRA personnel and countless volunteers collect information on the elk to determine herd growth. The past three years have shown promising signs that the herd is growing as had been hoped. Because of the growth in the herd, 2009 was a year to remember. Five lucky hunters took into the North Cumberland WMA with a tag to harvest one of these great animals. In this Wildcast we will take you to the camp and in the woods with a look back on this amazing hunt and celebration.