With September in the rear-view, many elk seasons across the country are coming to a close. As many begin to prepare for the whitetail rut activity so commonly associated with the month of November, officials in Tennessee have released the details of this year’s historic elk hunt.
The first managed hunt in the Volunteer State took place in 2009 and officials in Tennessee continue work tirelessly to restore these majestic animals to the landscape they once called home.
Since the inaugural hunt a mere eight years ago, 41 elk have been legally harvested in Tennessee after first being deposited in 2000. As populations have steadily increased, so has hunting opportunity and this year was one for the record books.
This fall, eight elk were harvested across the three available hunting segments surrounding the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area. Kicking off with the archery hunt in late September and early October, seven archery hunters went afield, three of them returning with elk meat, including a 5×5 that weighed in at 486 pounds.
The larger animals began to drop as the gun and muzzleloader season kicked off midway through October, including Alabama resident Tim Fisk’s impressive 6×7, 702-pound bull that was tagged with the annual non-governmental auction tag.
The final harvest of the season was timed perfectly on the last day of the season by Kimberly Mayfield who was ecstatic to have taken a beautiful 6×6 bull dressed out at 625 pounds.