What does everyone think about ...................

[oneshothc]

What does everyone think about TWRA auctioning of Elk tags in 2009? I heard this on T.V. this morning and it really upset me! We all paid in some way for this Elk Project but, only the one's that can dish out thousands of dollars are going to benifit from it(at least the first year)From what they said on T.V. I think this really sux!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Locksley]

Well only the one's that can dish out thousands of dollars are going to benifit from the first Elk hunt because the TWRA needs the money to fund the budget . The TWRA budget is not just Elk either it is all the game and fish and other non-game animals and with the forest service plants. The first year of the hunt must show a profit for the agency to impress the politicians in the state house that this Elk idea is a money making thing.
I only wish that the Elk herd on Carter mountain and Cowan area had been left to to muultiply in that part of the Cumberland mountains. The Elk need more range to let more hunters have a chance to hunt. The people that want Elk had better get together and come up with some more areas other than the small area in the Knoxville hunting area . West Tennesseee does not want the Elk in their good flat farming areas so that leaves the east and southeast areas of the state to come up with viable solutions for Elk habitate.

Elk hunting out west makes farmers and ranchers lots of money as the hunters have to pay the farmers money for hunting rights to there land and 500.00 a hunter for one part of the season is a nice sum of money considering that there are usually 5 different sections of the season out there, that is 2,500.00 on each hunter to hunt all the seasons.

 

[InfoMan]

Looking like 5 permits. One of which will probably go to a conservation organization that will use it to raise money for the elk program. The other 4 would be on a lottery type system that everyone would have a chance to try for.

 

[Locksley]

InfoMan
TWRA Information Officer
The other 4 would be on a lottery type system that everyone would have a chance to try for.

Well that should hush the guys that think the average hunter can not get a permit.

 

[LA man]

i will put in for it

 

[Tiny]

InfoMan
TWRA Information Officer
The other 4 would be on a lottery type system that everyone would have a chance to try for.

Well that should hush the guys that think the average hunter can not get a permit.

Naw but it should.

 

[oneshothc]

Looking like 5 permits. One of which will probably go to a conservation organization that will use it to raise money for the elk program. The other 4 would be on a lottery type system that everyone would have a chance to try for.

I'll believe it when I see it........My support of TWRA is not what it use to be.......(things I've seen with my own eye's) You may know what I'm talking about (in a post of mine a few months back)

 

[bowhunter 51]

Personally, I'm surprised they even decided to open hunting
to Elk, by 2009....I'm not nearly as positive minded as some
as to how, what and where the money goes, I'm afraid...You
can't beleive everything you read.....................BH51..

 

[4onaside]

Arkansas has always set aside two permits for the RMEF, one for their banquet auction in Arkansas which nets considerable cash for the elk program(a hundred dollars per raffle ticket), and one for the deep pockets people to bid on(I know that two high-rollers got into a bidding war one year and the winning bid was $45,000!). That money also goes into the programs that directly benefit elk. I believe that Kentucky, the poster child of elk restoration, does basically the same thing. As far as I am aware, every state that allows elk hunting still allocates most of their lottery permits for the general public. No complaints here, because it takes money to run a game and fish dept, just as it takes money to run any business. Some apparently have difficulty grasping that concept.

 

[jarhead7481]

When Michigan re-introduced Elk and had there first hunt, thousands paid 5.00 a pop for a chance. Low and behold the lottery still drew the names of some pretty high rollers. Go figure. I spect the same here and will be surprised if it isn't.

 

[4onaside]

When Michigan re-introduced Elk and had there first hunt, thousands paid 5.00 a pop for a chance. Low and behold the lottery still drew the names of some pretty high rollers. Go figure. I spect the same here and will be surprised if it isn't.

Well, I'm about as far removed from the ranks of "high rollers" as is possible, and I paid my $10 last year for a chance at a Kentucky permit and was one of 26,000 applicants who drew out. This year, I was one of the 32,000 who paid their $10 and will be doing something other than elk hunting in Dec in Kentucky. There is a lot of crap that goes on in various endeavors, but I have total faith in the fairness of permit drawings, and I'm the living proof. LOL

 

[Locksley]

KY seems to be doing good on their restoration , but they got started when we should have here in Tennessee and were trying to start but were stopped by the Elk haters.

 

[spctbone]

but were stopped by the Elk haters.

You mean Elk Farmers? LOL

 

[Locksley]

but were stopped by the Elk haters.

You mean Elk Farmers? LOL

KY seems to be doing good on their restoration
Tennessee would have been just like KY with Elk hunts if we had stocked Elk in the Tennessee part of LBL like it was planned to at first. But the regular farmers stopped Elk restoration back then on LBL on the TN side.
The TWRA was fourced to stop restoration once and it was just farmers that hated Elk they were afraid Elk would getr started in west Tennessee.

This latest restoration effort by TWRA is in east Tennnessee cause the hunters there came up with a place that they wanted Elk on. The rest of the state has rejected Elk restoration that is why this topic is buried on the back page so to speak, off the general forum.
The Elk farmers lately have been stirring up trouble for the TWRA on the Elk restoration project though.

 

[Dean Parisian]

There's nothing better than a nice elk tenderloin for a Christmas meal. It doesn't matter what state they come from.

 

[Team Browning]

The beauty is that (1) just because you are drawn, the likelihood you will fill that tag will be small because (2) I havent seen any elk outfitters pop up yet to run someone's butt around to kill an elk.

I wish they would wait a few more years AND continue to import the elk from Canada, Colorado, North Chattanooga, whereever the hell else we can find them (provided the herd is disease-free etc,etc). I also wish they would publicly hang anyone poaching said elk as a deterrent for future idiots with bad ideas.

 

[4onaside]

The beauty is that (1) just because you are drawn, the likelihood you will fill that tag will be small because (2) I havent seen any elk outfitters pop up yet to run someone's butt around to kill an elk.

I wish they would wait a few more years AND continue to import the elk from Canada, Colorado, North Chattanooga, whereever the hell else we can find them (provided the herd is disease-free etc,etc). I also wish they would publicly hang anyone poaching said elk as a deterrent for future idiots with bad ideas.

Well, if the TWRA issues 5 tags for the maiden hunt, I would imagine that everyone will fill. #1, the elk are still in a relatively localized area, #2, they have never been hunted, and #3, the TWRA will do what they can to see that every tag is filled from a PR standpoint. Believe me, if the hunting takes place in the general area of the observation tower(not from it, but in the general area lol), it wont be that hard.

 

[Blue5]

when can we apply?

 

[Dean Parisian]

Remember, follow the money. It's all about the money.

 

[Blue5]

i am gonna get drawn just wait and see, i will get one of those willy wonka golden tickets / tags and drop me a nice bull with my ot6.... its gonna be cool !!!!!

you wish LOL

 

[Monty]

Re: What does everyone think about ...............

Arkansas has always set aside two permits for the RMEF, one for their banquet auction in Arkansas which nets considerable cash for the elk program(a hundred dollars per raffle ticket), and one for the deep pockets people to bid on(I know that two high-rollers got into a bidding war one year and the winning bid was $45,000!). That money also goes into the programs that directly benefit elk. I believe that Kentucky, the poster child of elk restoration, does basically the same thing. As far as I am aware, every state that allows elk hunting still allocates most of their lottery permits for the general public. No complaints here, because it takes money to run a game and fish dept, just as it takes money to run any business. Some apparently have difficulty grasping that concept.

Good points. It's also worth noting that more and more state G&F agencies are getting funds from their general fund or another special source (such as percentage of sales tax). TWRA does not have that capability at present. Without another funding source, the agency is going to experience more and more severe staffing and program problems.

 

[4onaside]

InfoMan
TWRA Information Officer
The other 4 would be on a lottery type system that everyone would have a chance to try for.

Well that should hush the guys that think the average hunter can not get a permit.

It probably won't, because this "all of us poor people who paid for this don't have a chance" deal keeps surfacing over and over. Come on people, get real! lol The first time that I applied(2006) in Kentucky I drew a permit. Granted I am a high roller, and my celebrity is known far and wide......... At any rate, Kentucky does give one or two permits(out of 400 for the 2008 season)to the National and I believe the Kentucky chapter of the RMEF to auction for some big dollars that basically go right back into their elk program. The other 398 come right out of the hat. Tennessee is obviously no different, except that the starting number of permits are minimal, for obvious reasons. But you had better start to worry about the other 3 because I have already been told that one of the first permits has been reserved for ME!

 

[PO Cedar]

I don't plan on hunting for elk anywhere but in the Western states so thats one more chance someone has getting drawn here.

 

[Locksley]

Well hunting for elk in the Western states is nice and different than hunting here. There is a place for hunting at both places Mule deer are only out west and they taste good you know.