Where the wild things are... His closest neighbors, the Butlers, might describe Cleve Tedford as a transplant; saying “He moved down here from up there.” The unusual part of that description is that “up there” doesn’t refer to somewhere north of the Mason-Dixon line, but to Rafter, an isolated mountain community above Tellico Plains. After 30 years living in what many in Monroe County refer to as “Deliverence Country,” Tedford moved down last November to his farm just off Citico Creek. His closest neighbor by car or truck is more than two miles away. “Deep in the Woods” is a description no visitor to Tedford’s newly opened Citico Wildlife Wilderness will challenge. Visitors are speechless enjoying the breathtaking views of mountains within the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and Cherokee National Forest. For years, people around Tellico Plains referred to Tedford as “that feller up there with the Deer Farm.” On weekends the road around the farm would be busy with vehicles driving by hoping to catch a view of a herd of deer that at one time numbered more than 1,000 Fallow, Sika, Axis, Pere David’s, and Elk. Then, his livelihood consisted of supplying his deer to other animal opera-
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tions all over America and working as a fencing contractor. During that time, Tedford became known as an “expert” in his field serving as a consultant and supplying animals to many state and federal research facilities. He also represented deer farmers and presented papers at national and international meetings. Many articles Tedford has written have appeared in publications in Europe and New Zealand as well as the United States and Canada. His fencing work included some of the most successful zoos and wildlife parks in America, providing the opportunity to learn how the experts operated and also a source for the wide variety of species that now populate Citico Wildlife Wilderness. Aside from a herd of very unusual cattle, visitors can observe other animals native to Europe, Africa, South America, China, India, Sulawesi, and Java. Citico Wildlife Wilderness is a product of Tedford’s dreams, decades of hard
| Tennessee Mountain Traveler-Fall 2013
labor, and his desire to share his blessings with folks who couldn’t conceive that a place like this exists. Tours are available by reservation only. Call 423-253-2353 for directions, as this attraction is 30 to 40 minutes from Vonore in a remote area. Visit www.citicowildlifewilderness.com for details.