TN Elk Draw Open

Here are my estimates based on the established data

1739475699064.webp
 
For the first several years they were roaming out of the area a lot and were practically starving to death. There was a report detailing that at one time but it wasn't good press. Malnutrition was the cause of death for quite a few in that report.
 
You know I don't recall where I read 198 at, I was thinking that was way more than I remembered, think they done 2 loads before Ky shut us down.
 
There was a elk killed on a deer hunt at Catoosa this year, it was a legal kill. found 1 field and got out and looked it over, elk tracks and poop all over it so they are spreading out, I would have voted to put them there first, more grass lands with the work they have done over the last 20 or so years.
 
They have done better in KY due all the reclaimed mines being turned into large food plots/better habitat and overall less populated areas. There is just not enough open areas to grow the population where everyone would like it to be in N Cumberland area. KY elk started just 4 years earlier than TN did in 1997 vs 2001 for TN. They will spread out slowly and will start end up on a lot of private in the future I believe. I have seen them on a private down low in Anderson CO. I like the earlier app window, let people make plans and schedule vacation time way out for a once in lifetime opportunity. If you do not remember then you are not that serious about it anyway. I apply in about 12 states total for all sorts of big game and somehow remember every year. A month sometimes two months for western states is the standard app window.
 
We need to relocate some more elk like all the other states are doing and get our population up. TWRA needs to spend some of that money that they have been wasting on maintenance and do some restocking.
 
States are refusing to allow them to be hauled through property, Ky filed some type of suit against us.
 
Billboy said:
At one point, KY was drawing ~900 tags of mixed cow/bull and archery/rifle. Their elk population is crazy compared to TN. The reclaimed mining areas are perfect habitat for elk.
Click to expand...
How do the reclaimed mine habitats of Kentucky compare to those of North Cumberland? I'm mostly hunting north of windrock and have seen a few. The deer population seems to have a hard enough time competing with the hogs for food and survive the yotes. I don't know how the elk will continue to fare and what that'll do to the deer.
 
mountain chiro said:
How do the reclaimed mine habitats of Kentucky compare to those of North Cumberland? I'm mostly hunting north of windrock and have seen a few. The deer population seems to have a hard enough time competing with the hogs for food and survive the yotes. I don't know how the elk will continue to fare and what that'll do to the deer.
Click to expand...
KY habitat is similar, just much more expansive than North Cumberland. The majority of the mountains are relatively open on top with lots of hardwoods down low. Most of SE KY looks like this...
20151017_123123.webp
 
Billboy said:
KY habitat is similar, just much more expansive than North Cumberland. The majority of the mountains are relatively open on top with lots of hardwoods down low. Most of SE KY looks like this... View attachment 266379
Click to expand...
Beautiful. I feel like North Cumberland has a lot of potential.

I imagine the deer population in SE KY does better as well?
 
mountain chiro said:
Beautiful. I feel like North Cumberland has a lot of potential.

I imagine the deer population in SE KY does better as well?
Click to expand...
Definitely see plenty of deer and turkey. It helps that there is plenty of browse along the edges of all the reclaimed areas. Mast failures don't hurt the critters quite as bad. I also hunt N. Cumberland regularly and have brought a few nice bucks home over the years. Love the big mtns!
 
My daughter and I are both in with our donations....irritates me that the TWRA site no longer shows # of applicants for each hunt.

Adding KY next! The youth hunt odds in KY are not too bad.

Elk Hunting In Kentucky

fw.ky.gov fw.ky.gov
 
Last edited:
mountain chiro said:
Just might have to put in for that. I wonder what the odds are here. I don't recall seeing stats for TN
Click to expand...
Those odds dont mean much to me. KY has over 30k entries, but has 500 permits.

In TN, you choose a specific hunt area in the draw. If you are drawn, then you have 4 potential areas. If you choose the wrong 4, then you are not drawn. So, odds are better in my mind.
 
mountain chiro said:
Just might have to put in for that. I wonder what the odds are here. I don't recall seeing stats for TN
Click to expand...
Overall odds for Tennessee are technically about 18:12,000, So 1:667

But a lot more people put in for rifle. So odds are, a bunch of folks have gotten drawn and none of their choices were available so they are unsuccessful.

Closest I have been able to figure, the best you can get your odds to by choosing the lowest entry hunts are about 1:100, or once every hundred years you apply.

Doesn't help that TN is 5 years behind on draw statistics.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top