For those who were looking to hunt some big game in East Tennessee, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will soon announce the handful of hunters that will receive an elk hunting permit for the 2019 season.
The TWRA is issuing 14 permits to hunt elk this year. An additional permit was granted to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation -- who held a raffle this year to award it to one person.
The TWRA said the winners of the 14 drawn permits will be able to hunt elk at the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area. That includes seven quota permits for an archery-only hunt, one youth permit, and six permits with the option to hunt by bow, gun or muzzleloader.
The TWRA will announce the winner during its meeting on Aug. 15 and 16 at the General Morgan Inn in Greeneville.
The TWRF said it will announce its permit winner on Aug. 16 along with other prizes that were raffled off this year.
The winner of that permit will be able to participate in the October 2019 rifle elk hunt in the premier Elk Hunting Zone within North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, plus a rifle and scope, and the option to have their hunt filmed for an episode of The Best of the West Outdoor television series.
Elk hunt participants were chosen from a computer drawing on Aug. 5.
TWRF is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting habitat conservation, responsible land stewardship, and Tennessee's hunting and fishing heritage for the benefit of TWRA and Tennessee's outdoor enthusiasts.
TWRA reintroduced elk to East Tennessee in 2000 in the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area in Campbell and Scott counties. It's estimated that this Tennessee elk herd numbers a little over 400.
Elk were also reintroduced into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2001. Most of the elk in the park are located in the Cataloochee area on the North Carolina side of the Smokies, and they cannot be hunted.