Annual Report of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

2014-15

ANNUAL REPORT

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE From the Director’s Message from 1974: “Communications is the major key to any successful endeavor and out of it grows a better understanding that enables the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to better serve its constituency – the people of Tennessee.”

This publication is a new one for the TWRA. That is not to say that annual reports are new to the Agency.

We compile all sorts of annual reports every year; performance reports, harvest reports, managed lake reports, stocking reports…the list goes on. However, this report is different. This report is designed for you, the sportsmen and women, boaters and outdoor enthusiasts of Tennessee. It is designed to provide you with a snapshot of some of the major initiatives and accomplishments of the Agency from the previous year. I hope you enjoy it and, if something in this report piques your interest or you would like additional information, please visit us on the web at tnwildlife.org.

2014 and 2015 were big years for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The Agency celebrated its 65th anniversary. We saw major changes to our strategic wildlife management plan. We saw a new state record largemouth bass that shattered a record that had stood for over 60 years. We underwent the first restructure of hunting and fishing licenses in more than a decade, and we instituted significant changes to our whitetail deer regulations.

We have seen a variety of new boating-related recreational “toys” being used on our waterways and there is a noticeable surge in boaters using canoes, kayaks, and non-powered boats. Waterfront towns and cities throughout the state are incorporating boating and water events in their civic planning. With no shortage of water to enjoy these activities, Tennessee remains one of the premier states in which to enjoy boating.

My career with the TWRA started in 1972. As you know, at that time, wildlife populations in Tennessee were nowhere near where they are today. Then, the agency followed a species-based plan that focused on the restoration of game species that had declined over time. If you look out your window, you will probably agree that the plan worked. Deer, turkey, bear, elk, along with countless fish and non-game species are now thriving in Tennessee. With the successful return of these populations, we must now turn the page and shift our strategic management approach. Under the new habitat-based plan, the Agency will focus on initiatives like wetlands restoration, forest management, and stream monitoring, thus providing places for our wildlife to flourish. We will still utilize species plans but they are incorporated into the larger habitat plans that support multiple species.

It is an exciting time for wildlife in Tennessee. As we reflect on the accomplishments and examine the future challenges, it is important for us to remember that without your support none on this would be possible. Unlike most state agencies, we are not funded through tax dollars. We rely on license sales and boat registrations to provide the money for the work that we perform. To the hunters, fisherman, outdoor recreationists, and recreational boaters…we say thank you.

Ed Carter Executive Director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

TENNESSEE FISH & WILDLIFE COMMISSION

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is the only state agency responsible for the management of Tennessee’s fish and wildlife resources. It is funded primarily by the sportsmen and sportswomen of Tennessee. Its executive director reports to a governing board of 13 individuals called the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission (TFWC).

Appointed to represent the wishes of the hunters and anglers, your commissioner serves to convey to the rest of the TFWC the majority opinion of the district to which he or she is appointed.

Among the commissioners, nine individuals are appointed by the Governor for six-year terms.

Four of the commissioners serve as statewide representatives. Two each are appointed by the Speaker of the House and by the Speaker of the Senate. The Commissioner of Agriculture, the Commissioner of Environment and Conservation, and the Governor serve as ExOfficio members.

To better acquaint Tennessee’s hunters and anglers with their representatives, this special section has been designed for easy reference. If you have an issue or a concern, write or telephone your commissioner.

Jim Bledsoe (Chairman) 2012-17 • District 3

David Watson

2013-21 • District 4

Bill Cox

2012-19 • District 9

Harold Cannon (Vice-Chairman)

Jamie Woodson (Secretary)

2012-17 • District 2

Chad Baker

2012-19 • District 5

Connie King

2014-19 • District 1

Kurt Holbert

2014-21 • District 6

Trey Teague

2015-21 • District 7

Jeff Cook, M.D.

2012-17 • District 8

Dr. Jeff McMillen

2015-19 • Statewide

Jim Ripley

2012-17 • Statewide

2012-17 • Statewide

DISTRICTS District 8

HENRY LAKE

OBION

District 6

District 7

WEAKLEY

District 5

MONTGOMERY

STEWART

SUMNER

CHEATHAM

HOUSTON

District 3

District 2

HANCOCK SCOTT

TROUSDALE

FENTRESS JACKSON

HUMPHREYS

GIBSON

Bill Swan

BENTON

CARROLL

MADISON TIPTON

HAYWOOD

HENDERSON

CHESTER

DECATUR

LEWIS

WARREN BEDFORD MARSHALL

COCKE

WHITE

ROANE

VAN BUREN

MAURY

PERRY

COFFEE

MOORE

GRUNDY

SEVIER LOUDON

BLEDSOE RHEA MEIGS SEQUATCHIE

MCMINN

BRADLEY SHELBY

FAYETTE

HARDEMAN

District 9

MCNAIRY

HARDIN

WAYNE

LAWRENCE

GILES

LINCOLN

FRANKLIN

MARION

GREENE

JEFFERSON

CUMBERLAND

CANNON RUTHERFORD

HAWKINS

GRAINGER HAMBLEN

ANDERSON KNOX

DEKALB

HICKMAN

CLAIBORNE

UNION MORGAN

PUTNAM

WILLIAMSON

CROCKETT LAUDERDALE

2015-19 • Statewide

WILSON

DAVIDSON

DICKSON

CAMPBELL

OVERTON

SMITH DYER

District 1

PICKETT

CLAY

MACON

ROBERTSON

HAMILTON

District 4

POLK

MONROE

BLOUNT

SULLIVAN JOHNSON WASHINGTON CARTER UNICOI

TWRA EXECUTIVE STAFF

Bobby Wilson

Asst. Director - Field

John Mayer

Barry Sumners

Chris Richardson

Asst. Director - Staff

John Gregory

Manager - Region 4

Boating & Law Enf.

Bill Reeves

Dwight Hensley

Tim Churchill

Engineering

Alan Peterson

General Counsel

Darren Rider

Manager - Region 3

Biodiversity

Sheryl Holtam

Policy Administrator

David McKinney

Environmental Svcs.

Manager - Region 2

Mark Gudlin

Frank Fiss

Wildlife & Forestry

Rick Pharris

Real Estate

Tim Cleveland

Manager - Region 1

Fisheries

Michael May

Human Resources

Ken Tarkington

Information Technology

Administrative Svcs.

REGIONS & DISTRICTS

HENRY LAKE

Alicia Cheasty Revenue

WEAKLEY

12

GIBSON CROCKETT LAUDERDALE

11 HAYWOOD

HUMPHREYS

21

FENTRESS

DEKALB WILLIAMSON

LEWIS

22

CUMBERLAND

WARREN BEDFORD MARSHALL

COFFEE

MOORE

GRUNDY

ANDERSON

FAYETTE

HARDEMAN

MCNAIRY

Region I

HARDIN

WAYNE

LAWRENCE

GILES

LINCOLN

Region II

FRANKLIN

SEQUATCHIE

MCMINN

32

HAMILTON

Region III

GREENE

42

SEVIER LOUDON

BLEDSOE RHEA

MARION

HAMBLEN

COCKE

ROANE

MEIGS

SULLIVAN JOHNSON WASHINGTON CARTER

Morristown

JEFFERSON

Crossville

BRADLEY SHELBY

41 KNOX

VAN BUREN

MAURY

PERRY

MORGAN

WHITE

CANNON RUTHERFORD

DECATUR

31

PUTNAM

HAWKINS

GRAINGER UNION

SMITH

WILSON

CLAIBORNE

CAMPBELL

OVERTON

JACKSON

Nashville DAVIDSON

DICKSON

HANCOCK SCOTT

TROUSDALE

HICKMAN

HENDERSON

CHESTER

SUMNER

PICKETT

CLAY

MACON

ROBERTSON

CHEATHAM

BENTON

CARROLL

Jackson

MADISON TIPTON

MONTGOMERY

HOUSTON

DYER

Don King

Information & Education

OBION

STEWART

POLK

MONROE

BLOUNT

Region IV

UNICOI

STRATEGIC PLAN

A NEW CHARGE It's imperative for any successful organization to have a wellwritten and functional business plan to help provide the direction that drives decision-making. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is no different.

For over 50 years, TWRA was provided that direction by a continuously evolving, species-based strategic plan that called for the restoration of game species that had declined to perilously low numbers, primarily due to long-term habitat loss. Now, with the successful return of white-tailed deer, wild turkey, bear, elk and a myriad of fish and nongame animals, it was time for a change – a more holistic approach.

A collection of subject matter experts within the Agency worked together over the course of a few years to develop a new strategy that would sustain the progress made over more than half a century and guide our actions into the future, so that Tennesseans would never again have to worry about trying to restore species that had been lost from our landscapes.

It was time to protect those animals, and the best way to prevent their disappearance was to protect their "home.” A habitat-based strategic plan was born, shifting from a focus on bringing back individual species to a concentration on habitat projects – such as wetland restoration, forest management, or stream monitoring – that protects a whole host of species at once.

But it doesn't end there. With decades of collective public service under their belts, Agency employees understand that our scope extends far beyond protecting the state’s wildlife.

We protect the citizens of our state and all of their natural resources by providing a safe hunting, fishing and boating environment through the tireless efforts of our law enforcement division. As a result, the citizens of Tennessee and its visitors can enjoy many aspects of wildlife recreation.

Our new strategic plan identifies these needs and addresses ways in which we can make these endeavors even more enjoyable for anyone who appreciates our wildlife resources.

TO VIEW THE ENTIRE STRATEGIC PLAN

WWW.TNWILDLIFE.ORG TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

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WILDLIFE & FORESTRY

A

mong our state’s greatest success stories is the restoration of species that had been threatened or even eliminated by the loss of habitat, overhunting, environmental issues and other factors. With populations of key game species such as whitetailed deer, wild turkey, black bear, elk and waterfowl now stable, the TWRA has shifted from a focus on intensive stocking to habitat enhancement that will sustain these animals where thriving and support growth where needed.

Research is at the core of wildlife management, and TWRA biologists are continually studying populations, monitoring for disease, working to control non-native species and collaborating with other agencies to implement best practices that help Tennessee’s wildlife flourish. With habitat loss occurring at an alarming rate, this work is critically important to our state’s future.

ENSURING HEALTHY POPULATIONS FOR THE FUTURE WHITE-TAILED DEER Approximately 240,000 hunters in Tennessee took 164,875 whitetailed deer in 2014-15, with 58% of the harvest being bucks. Our state’s deer herd is stable and healthy at an estimated 750,000 animals. But it hasn’t always been that way.

Around the turn of the 20th century, whitetails were thought to be essentially extinct in Tennessee. Extensive habitat loss from agricultural clearing, heavy exploitation for hides and venison and other factors played a role, and as late as the 1940s, less than 1,000 deer were estimated to live in the state.

TWRA began restocking public and private lands in the 1940s and ‘50s, with the assistance of agencies including the U.S. Forest Service, Tennessee Valley Authority and the U.S. Navy – all told, 9,000 deer were released from 1940-1985. Hunting seasons followed, and by 1990, there were no areas in the state closed to deer hunting.

As a point of comparison, less than 600 deer were harvested in 1952. In 2014-15, 37% of the state’s deer hunters were successful in taking at least one deer. Giles County led the harvest, followed by Fayette, Henry, Lincoln and Hardeman Counties, with Giles and Lincoln counties leading the state in the number of bucks killed with nine or more points.

Biological data was collected by TWRA personnel from 4,238 deer during the last season, and 19% of antlered bucks harvested were 3.5 years or older.

AVOIDING CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE Even though Chronic Wasting Disease has never been detected in Tennessee, TWRA personnel have conducted CWD surveillance since 2002, initially sampling over 1,000 deer white-tailed annually.

The Agency continues to test a minimum of 200 deer each year, with samples sent to the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study College of Veterinary Medicine for analysis.

WILD TURKEY The middle of the 20th century saw wild turkey populations at their lowest in Tennessee, with the total flock numbering only in the hundreds. In 1944, Tennessee’s flock was estimated to be less than 1,000 birds in 18 counties. Today, an estimated 300,000 turkeys are present across all 95 counties.

While populations have boomed in recent years, which is expected as part of a species restoration, most areas are still seeing growth, albeit

slower growth. Overall, the numbers are starting to settle into a stable carrying capacity.

TWRA turkey biologists track the population numbers very closely, using harvest data, public input, postcard mailings to hunters, poult surveys by officers in the field, even aerial surveys by plane in certain areas.

Spring turkey production can be particularly affected by weather and other factors – the floods that have occurred over the last five years, for instance, have had an impact. But hens are resilient, and carry sperm for up to 90 days to compensate for lost poults. Within a matter of days, a hen who has lost her flock can begin laying additional eggs.

Fledglings seen in late summer and early fall are the product of the wild turkey’s particular ingenuity.

Localized fluctuations in populations are always of concern to the Agency, and research is conducted to learn more and develop a strategy to address issues that may arise. Hunters in three counties in southern middle Tennessee (Giles, Lawrence and Wayne counties) have expressed concern about local turkey numbers in recent years, and TWRA has held public meetings, conducted concentrated surveys and tested harvested birds for disease. So far, nothing has emerged to demonstrate a decline, but the turkey team will continue to monitor it closely.

Public input is essential to the process of managing wildlife on the landscape scale, and hunters are encouraged to contact the Agency with questions, concerns and observations.

MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS Nesting Boxes More than 350 wood duck boxes were built from timber harvested from TWRA land and placed at potential nesting sites across the state.

Bird Banding Statewide, approximately 800 wood ducks, 650 mourning doves and 685 Canada geese were banded. Hunters and others who encounter a banded bird are encouraged to report the band number to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, who then sends a certificate containing information on the date and location where the bird was banded.

TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

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PUBLIC DOVE FIELDS Approximately 2,900 acres of public dove fields were planted in sunflowers, millet and winter wheat, buckwheat and corn, comprising 51 WMA fields (1,600 acres) and 29 leased fields (1,300 acres). Harvest through opening weekend 2014 saw more than 13,000 doves taken on WMA fields and another 5,500 on leased fields.

SANDHILL CRANES – POPULAR FOR VIEWING, AND NOW HUNTING The Hiwassee Refuge area in east Tennessee has seen a growing population of sandhill cranes overwintering. While very popular for wildlife viewing, the birds have become a problem causing depredation on farmland in the vicinity. Winter 2014-15 saw the second year of an experimental hunting season on cranes in a hunt zone bordered by I-40 on the north and State Highway 56 on the west. A total of 400 permits were issued in a hand-held drawing, with a limit of 3 cranes per permit.

Three hundred ninety birds were harvested in the 2014-15 season, an increase from 353 birds taken the previous year.

HABITAT MANAGEMENT TWRA manages more than 1.5 million acres of land for public access, and habitat management and enhancement is a year-round job.

Biologists rely on hunting clubs, farmers, conservation organizations and individuals for information and collaboration on best practices.

Habitat highlights in fiscal year 2015 included: • A new well and pump were installed at Hop-in Refuge (Obion County).

• At Wolf River WMA, identified as the Quail “Anchor WMA” in Region I, 350 acres were prescribed burned and another 50 acres of invading trees were cleared to restore and improve habitat for bobwhites, rabbits and other wildlife.

• Wetlands management plans were implemented at the 800-acre Hickory Flats WMA and the 2,700-acre Bark Camp Barrens WMA, both in Coffee County.

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TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

• On Laurel Hill WMA (Lawrence County) 100 acres of dense invasive autumn olive, Chinese privet, and bicolor lespedeza were cleared to restore habitat for bobwhites and rabbits. Another 30 acres were cleared at AEDC WMA and 40 acres at Bark Camp Barrens.

• An intensive habitat management program on the 200-acre Jackson Swamp WMA (Overton County), including the eradication of exotic vegetation, prescribed burns for regeneration, forest and native vegetation management, and 28 acres of corn planted for waterfowl hunting.

• More than 5,000 shrub seedlings and 30 acres of spring and fall food plots were planted on Pea Ridge WMA (DeKalb County).

• 1,300 acres of pine plantation are being converted to native grassland/shortleaf pine savannah on the Bridgestone/Firestone WMA (White County) and Catoosa WMA (Morgan and Cumberland counties), with 100,000 pine seedlings planted.

• Planted 500+ acres of food plots and executed prescribed burns on 150 acres at Chuck Swan WMA in Union and Campbell counties.

• On the Foothills WMA (Blount County), 10,000 acres are being managed for black bear and ruffed grouse. A forest management project is currently underway to generate early successional growth, which generated $80,000 in timber revenue in the process.

• The Forks of the River WMA, located in the Knoxville city limits, has undergone extensive exotic vegetation removal, with native grasses, shrubs and trees planted on the 331-acre urban property.

• Lick Creek Bottoms WMA saw the installation of 1,240 feet of levee, an electric pump and a new water control structure, along with 22 acres burned, 25 acres sprayed and 28 acres disked for moist soil annual stimulation. Additionally, 78 acres of tree canopy were thinned.

• On the North Cumberland WMA (Campbell County), 530 acres of wildlife openings were improved, 900 acres of prescribed burns were performed, and 200 miles of roads were maintained.

• Work on the MonPetit Property near the North Cumberland WMA included 80 acres of wildlife openings improved and three miles of roads maintained.

• In addition to public lands work, TWRA Wildlife Habitat Biologists and Quail Forever biologists (cooperative positions) wrote over 200 management plans for landowners who implemented over 25,000 acres of habitat practices on private lands to benefit wildlife.

WILDLIFE RESEARCH TWRA biologists conduct research projects on various species throughout the state each year. Examples from 2014 include: • Summer brood turkey surveys across 24 counties.

• Testing white-tailed deer in 12 counties for the presence of Chronic Wasting Disease (not found in Tennessee to date).

WHITE-TAILED

2,000 DEER IN 1914 IN 2014 750,000 WILD TURKEYS IN 1944

1,000 IN 2014 300,000 BLACK BEARS

50 IN 1924 IN 2014 4,000 WILD ELK

0 IN 2000 IN 2014 400

Elk hunts have been available for the past five years.

50

years, the Over the last number of ducks wintering in Tennessee has DOUBLED, while hunter harvest has increased by more than percent.

50O

• Blood tests on wild hogs removed from Kyles Ford WMA in Hancock County and found the presence of pseudorabies and brucellosis.

• Attached GPS telemetry collars to hogs to track movement on Catoosa WMA (Cumberland and Morgan counties).

SICK, INJURED AND PROBLEM WILDLIFE Wildlife managers understand that the future of our natural resources depends on positive human-wildlife interactions. TWRA officers in the field – who are required to have a degree in wildlife science or biology – are responsible for much more than law enforcement. Each day, they may be conducting an educational program, assisting with biological research, providing assistance to landowners, transporting a sick animal to help, or capturing and relocating wildlife to a safer area to minimize negative interactions with citizens.

For example, the Gatlinburg Bear Project handled 157 nuisance bear calls, removed nine problem bears, and gave 10 presentations on living with bears to local schools and civic groups.

BLACK BEAR HARVEST ON CUMBERLAND PLATEAU MAKES HISTORY Wendell Freels of Morgan County made history last September, harvesting the first black bear from the Cumberland Plateau in more than 50 years. The bear, which weighed in at 428 pounds, was taken near Sunbright on the opening day of the first present-day established season for black bear on the Plateau. Freels is not only a long-time hunter – he also holds a wildlife degree and studied black bear at the University of Tennessee. As a nod to the historic moment, Freels donated the mounted bear to the TWRA for public display.

On behalf of all Tennesseans, we thank him for his generous gift.

BRINGING ELK BACK TO TENNESSEE – THE HATFIELD KNOB ELK VIEWING AREA August 2015 marks the 10-year anniversary for the Hatfield Knob Elk Viewing Area in the North Cumberlands WMA in Campbell County. The site was built to provide the public with an opportunity to see first-hand the restoration of wild elk in Tennessee, after having been extinct here for more than 150 years.

Elk were stocked in the North Cumberlands in the early 2000s, and the herd has grown to include more than 300 individuals.

Through a partnership with TWRA, the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, Campbell Outdoor Recreation Association, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and others, the viewing tower was constructed, food plots were installed and volunteer teams were assembled to handle ongoing maintenance, trash removal and public education.

A study through the University of Tennessee’s Human Dimensions Laboratory confirmed that as many as 16,000 visitors utilize the site annually, and surveys of visitors revealed some interesting findings. More than 65 percent of visitors – including 33 percent from out of state – were from beyond the five-county area (Campbell, Claiborne, Anderson, Union and Scott counties), with 70 percent of first-time visitors indicating an interest in returning annually.

The vast majority responded that they were “highly satisfied” with their visit, which correlated with their having seen elk in the area. Winter saw the highest viewing success rate, with as many as 90 percent seeing bulls and calves on their visit. Respondents reported seeing other wildlife, as well, including white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, songbirds, coyotes and other species.

Organizers are currently working to build the volunteer base of individuals willing to be trained to assist with maintenance, interact with visitors, assist in elk censuses, spring calf counts, relocation of problem animals, placing tracking collars on elk and other ongoing research initiatives.

Wendell Freels, with the bear that he donated to TWRA–the first bear to be harvested on the Cumberland Plateau in more that 50 years.

TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

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FISHERIES

T

ennessee is home to 32 large reservoirs, three major river systems, thousands of miles of tributary rivers and streams, and dozens of smaller WMA and Family Fishing lakes managed by TWRA. The TWRA fisheries staff directs stocking from 13 state and federal hatcheries. Nearly 9 million fish are stocked each year – from fry to fingerlings, brood fish and trophies – including several species of game and non-game fish.

As a state with a diversity of habitats, stretching from the coldwater mountain streams in the east all the way to the Mississippi

River, with dozens of lakes and several large reservoirs in between, Tennessee has become known for trophy bass, trout, catfish, musky, striped bass and other species.

TWRA fisheries biologists stock various species throughout the year based on population surveys, angler success and other research.

These efforts are integral to the ongoing maintenance of Tennessee’s fisheries, large and small.

Altogether, TWRA manages overe 500,000 acres of reservoirs and lakes and 60,000 river miles for the benefit of the state’s resources, its citizens and its visitors.

GROWING THE NEXT GENERATION TENNESSEE’S TROUT PROGRAM The TWRA manages year-round trout fisheries at 10 tailwaters below large dams. Springtime stockings create several weeks of fishing at over 80 smaller streams and lakes. Another 36 sites are stocked in the winter to provide trout fisheries in waters that would not support trout in the warmer months.

In addition, certain areas have been targeted for trophy trout programs, and others for restoration of native populations. The Agency also maintains 75 monitoring stations on 25 wild trout streams in East Tennessee.

Trophy trout initiatives included 180 trout ranging from 3-8 pounds stocked in the Tellico River, Citico Creek and Green Cove Pond; and the Hiwassee River, where nearly 900 brood trout retired from the hatchery system were stocked, each weighing at least three pounds each.

THE SYCAMORE CREEK BROOK TROUT PROJECT The Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee include more than 600 miles of coldwater streams, all of which were once home to native brook trout. These streams were severely impacted by human intrusion during the late 1800s. Over the last four years, a partnership between the TWRA, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute, Trout Unlimited and Tennessee Technological University has been focused on expanding the native brook trout population in the Tellico River tributary Sycamore Creek in the Cherokee National Forest.

Working with the Southern Appalachian Back Country Horsemen, TWRA biologists hiked into remote sections of Sycamore Creek and

harvested brood fish using backpack electrofishing units, then sent the fish out by horse and mule and ultimately to the Tellico Hatchery.

Rainbow trout populations were thinned out and brook trout fingerlings have been stocked throughout the length of the stream. About 1,000 large fingerlings in the 3 to 4-inch range have been stocked each year, and with the brookies now spawning and growing successfully, the team plans to move to another stream in the system next year.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Forest Service is working on mapping all of the state’s brook trout waters on Geographic Information System (GIS) technology.

FAMILY FISHING LAKES TWRA manages 18 Family Fishing lakes located in middle and west Tennessee, many of which include concessions and restroom facilities, bait and tackle, boat rentals and more. Some of these are trophy bass fisheries, but most are just convenient places to take a kid fishing or to escape for an afternoon.

KID’S EVENTS TWRA's focus on getting kids hooked on fishing included 68 youth events last year, stocking approximately 38,000 pounds of catfish at locations that hosted about 15,000 kids and their parents, many of whom were fishing for the first time. Several other fishing rodeos included thousands of trout stocked for the participants to catch.

Youth events are often centered around urban and suburban areas, where children may not have the chance to fish as much as their rural counterparts.

TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

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INVASIVE SPECIES Asian carp have become a threat to public safety and native fish populations on several rivers and lakes, primarily in Middle Tennessee. The carp, which can grow very large, are attracted to the sound and vibration from boat motors and leap into the air, often hitting unsuspecting fishermen.

TWRA biologists have been working to determine where the Asian carp exist, how far they are travelling, and how rapidly populations are growing. From a long-term perspective, the Agency is looking at ways to eradicate the species where possible and control it where necessary.

TWRA Statewide River and Streams Coordinator Jason Henegar with one of the 2,400 lake sturgeon released into the French Broad River in 2014.

THE LAKE STURGEON AND THE ALLIGATOR GAR The lake sturgeon was once found throughout eastern North America, as far south as the Tennessee River in Alabama, but overfishing and habitat destruction had reduced their population to less than one percent of historical numbers. Prior to the restoration effort, the last known lake sturgeon in the Tennessee River basin was seen in Fort Loudoun Reservoir in 1960.

In 1998, TWRA and its partners launched a restoration effort in the upper Tennessee River system, with a goal to establish a self-sustaining population of lake sturgeon in the upper Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. Sturgeon eggs from Wisconsin are hatched at the Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery in Georgia, distributed as fry to three other hatcheries and grown out to at least five inches before being released. A number of fish are held at the Tennessee Aquarium Research Institute in Chattanooga and grown to 2-4 feet in length before being released. Since 2000, more than 181,000 lake sturgeon have been stocked in the upper Tennessee and Cumberland river systems, including Cheatham, Cordell Hull and Old Hickory reservoirs.

The Alligator gar is one of the largest North American freshwater fishes that once inhabited the large, slow moving rivers, reservoirs and oxbow lakes of Tennessee’s Mississippi River basin, but now is extremely rare here. They prefer large rivers that have overflowing floodplains, but these rivers have all but disappeared in Tennessee due to channelization, dredging and the building of dams and levees.

TWRA and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service began a restoration of the species within their historical range in West Tennessee in the late 1990s, with initial stockings in the Obion and Forked Deer rivers and the Clear and Crooked creeks and, later, the Hatchie River. About 10,000 fingerlings were stocked into Tennessee waters in 2014.

Alligator gar have two rows of canine-like teeth on the upper jaw where other gars usually have only one row, and their snouts are far shorter and wider than the more common longnose gar.

Any angler who catches a “short-nosed” gar over 10 pounds is likely to have caught an alligator gar, and should release it immediately and contact TWRA. Likewise with the lake sturgeon – both are endangered and illegal to possess.

FISH POPULATION MONITORING/WATER QUALITY SURVEYS Each year, TWRA uses electrofishing equipment to research species in about 29 community, agency and state park lakes, in 27 reservoirs and in nearly 100 streams and rivers. Biologists use the technique to temporarily stun fish for measurement, tagging and tissue sampling. Gill netting is utilized for sampling as well, particularly on large reservoirs.

Some measure of water quality is taken at each of the locations mentioned above in conjunction with the fish population surveys, and additional temperature and dissolved oxygen profiles are conducted on 2530 reservoirs annually.

All told, approximately 9,000 man hours are dedicated to fisheries biologists monitoring the health of our waterways and their inhabitants.

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TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

600,000 ACRES OF LAKES THAT TWRA MANAGES

477,710 ACRES OF LAKES THAT TWRA STOCKS

810 MILES OF RIVERS THAT TWRA MANAGES

8,994,022 NUMBER OF FISH THAT TWRA AND USFWS STOCKED IN THE WATERS OF TENNESSEE For example...

J. Percy Priest: 431,914 Cherokee bass, striped bass and blacknose crappie Old Hickory: 731,863 Striped bass, walleye, sauger and blacknose crappie Center Hill: 443,882 Black crappie, walleye and smallmouth bass Normandy Lake: 239,665 Walleye and blacknose crappie Tim’s Ford: 394,674 Walleye, striped bass, Cherokee bass and blacknose crappie Norris: 511,415 Walleye, striped bass and blacknose crappie Cherokee: 500,084 Saugeye, walleye, Cherokee bass, striped bass, blacknose crappie Watts Bar: 701,352 Walleye, striped bass, blacknose crappie

HATCHERIES STOCKING BY THE NUMBERS Humboldt: 977,334 Bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish, crappie, sauger and walleye Springfield: 1,081,864 Bass and blacknose crappie Flintville Hatchery: 97,217 Trout Sugar Creek: 33,655 Black crappie Hiwassee: 82,905 Black crappie Tellico: 150,643 Rainbow trout Eagle Bend: 1,200,286 Walleye, saugeye, striper, bass, crappie and musky Morristown: 412,439 Blacknose crappie, striped bass, musky, saugeye and walleye Buffalo Springs: 524,122 Trout Erwin: 82,425 Rainbow trout Normandy: 2,474,639 Walleye, striped bass, Florida largemouth bass and blacknose crappie Dale Hollow (USFWS): 1.6 million Trout Erwin (USFWS): 22,000 Trout

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE More than 1,200 private pond owners called on TWRA for advice and technical assistance in 2014.

Fisheries biologists provide educational materials, conduct site visits, contacts and resources for professional pond management, and in some cases, help individuals develop comprehensive plans.

BANK STABILIZATION AND FISH STRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS • Planted 1,000 bald cypress trees at Normandy, Tim’s Ford, Woods and Percy Priest reservoirs.

• Added approximately 230 fish habitat structures at Normandy, Nickajack, Cordell Hull, Douglas, Cherokee and Kentucky lakes • Maintained 135 stakebeds on Percy Priest FLORIDA BASS PROGRAM YIELDS NEW STATE RECORD, EXPANDS TO FOUR NEW RESERVOIRS Campbell County high school teacher, bass team coach and tournament fisherman Gabe Keen has spent years chasing big bass on Chickamauga Lake, and he’s seen the bass getting bigger each year.

Keen knew that late winter was his best chance at a record fish, when the females were loaded with eggs.

On a cold February day, he slow-rolled an umbrella rig over a ledge and enticed a strike – and when the scale settled at 15.3 pounds, Keen realized he had caught one for the books.

Tennessee began experimenting with Florida bass introductions in the late 1990s, and zeroed in on Chickamauga as an ideal test location in 2000. But in 2005, after hundreds of thousands of Florida strain fingerlings had been stocked over the course of several years, samples were still showing less than 5 percent of the bass population carrying the Florida gene.

TWRA fisheries officials took a new approach, stocking larger fingerlings ahead of the native bass spawn for competitive advantage, and focusing more concentrated introductions on three key zones instead of spreading them across the reservoir. In 2010, more than 30 percent of sampled bass were showing the Florida gene – and within a year, the catch was confirming what the biologists were seeing.

Three years later, a sample was taken of 45 tournament fish. Each weighed in at over eight pounds and every one of them carried the Florida bass genetics. Most of them were a cross with the Northern bass.

The TWRA fisheries team set out to create a trophy bass fishery on Chickamauga Lake with the support of the local fishing community. But the big question was, “What are the risks of crossing native Northern bass with Florida bass – would it create an Gabe Keen and his record bass–15 lbs, 3 ozs. inferior fish years down the road?”

As it turns out, the merging of bass strains resulted in a fish that carried the best of both species. Florida bass are typically hard to catch, but they grow much bigger. Northern bass are smaller but more aggressive.

The result, known as the F-1 cross, is a bigger, better fighting fish.

The program exceeded expectations, and TWRA announced earlier this year that four large reservoirs – Fort Loudoun, Watts Bar, Nickajack and Kentucky – along with a handful of smaller impoundments were stocked with nearly one million Florida bass that will hopefully breed with the native fish and create the F-1.

Genetics take years to play out, biologists say, and this is still an experiment.

Another decade of data will give the fisheries team a much better read on the benefits and any drawbacks.

Meanwhile, populations of northern bass in other reservoirs are there should they be needed in the future.

Meanwhile at Chickamauga, eye-popping catches continue, and it’s looking more possible that the next state-record bass catch could be just around the corner.

TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

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BIODIVERSITY

CONSERVATION, RESTORATION & PROTECTION Non-game species are equally important to the environmental health and diversity of our state, which is unique in its geography, ranging from the river bottoms of West Tennessee to the Middle Tennessee hills and the mountains to the East.

TWRA biologists are focused on a number of priority species, and are conducting ongoing research to monitor and better understand their habitat associations. Of course, habitat that is good for deer and turkey is also good for other priority species in the state.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2014 INCLUDE: • Placed radio transmitters on more than 50 endangered Indiana bats in three counties to locate maternal colonies; discovered new bat roosts in four locations.

• Determined the presence of White Nose Syndrome in bats in five new counties through 22 colony surveys.

• Documented 209 bald eagle nests across the state and continued tracking success of the restoration effort (in 1974, there were no known bald eagle nests remaining in Tennessee).

• Conducted cerulean warbler surveys on Laurel Hill WMA (Lawrence County).

• Assisted with hummingbird banding at Warner Park (Davidson County) in conjunction with the Tennessee Ornithological Society.

• Coordinated construction and distribution of 100 bluebird boxes across East Tennessee.

• Placed prothonatary warbler nesting boxes on the Cumberland Plateau.

• Distributed 25 barn owl nesting boxes in Middle Tennessee.

THE GOLDEN EAGLE PROJECT America’s largest bird of prey spends its winters in the central and southern Appalachians, having migrated in late fall from its breeding grounds in Quebec, Labrador and Ontario, Canada. The eastern population is estimated to be 3,000 to 4,000 birds, some of which winter in Tennessee.

Much is unknown about the golden eagle’s movement patterns, migration routes, habitat use and breeding habits. Over the last two years, TWRA biologists have been part of a larger regional team focused on trapping and tracking golden eagles via solar powered cellular GPS devices funded by a federal grant.

Study sites were identified in heavily forested areas with small openings (1-2 acres), and road-killed deer carcasses were used as bait.

Trail cameras captured images of all animals visiting the site over the

course of three or four weeks, and ground blinds and wooden boxes (to mimic the rocket-propelled net boxes) were placed to allow the extremely wary eagles to acclimate to their presence. Trapping sites across 15 counties covered the east, middle and west regions of the state, and data was submitted to the Eastern Golden Eagle Working Group at the University of West Virginia.

Four transmitters were deployed on eagles, after the birds were weighed, measured and sampled (blood is tested for elevated lead levels and other insights, and eagles are sent to rehabilitation centers for recovery and release when necessary). The transmitters collect and store data with up to one meter of accuracy – location, speed, altitude – and distributed through cellular towers when in range. The data is sent over the course of many months, and mapped using satellite technology.

TWRA biologists coordinated with counterparts in Alabama and North Carolina, and two eagles – a four-year-old male and a sevenyear-old female – were successfully trapped four miles into Alabama, south of Franklin County, Tenn., and a male at least seven years old was trapped approximately 400 yards into the state of North Carolina in the Unaka Mountains. Three of the eagles were outfitted, tested, banded and released, and one was sent for treatment of lead poisoning at the Raptor Rehabilitation Center in Memphis and later released at the capture site. A fourth eagle, a four-year-old male, was captured and released at Bear Hollow WMA in Franklin County. Tracking data showed that the eagles maintained a relatively small wintering range before heading back north, but one of the males traveled nearly 340 miles into West Virginia over the course of two days before returning to the capture site.

For more information on the program and its findings, including 2015 updates, trail camera images, a blog chronicling the process and more, visit www.tnwatchablewildlife.org/GoldenEagles.cfm.

0 NUMBER OF KNOWN BALD EAGLE NESTS IN TENNESSEE IN

1974 209 NUMBER OF NESTING PAIRS IN TENNESSEE IN

2014

TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

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ECONOMIC IMPACT

STRONG SUPPORT FROM HUNTERS, ANGLERS AND BOATERS Tennessee’s hunters and anglers had a $1.8 billion economic impact on Tennessee’s economy. That number grew to $6 billion when wildlife watchers and boaters were added.

In 2011, there were 994,000 men and women who hunted or fished in Tennessee and brought in $1.8 billion to our economy. This is according to the most recent information available from the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.

In addition, another $942 million entered our economy from those whose passion leaned more toward photographing or just watching wildlife in Tennessee, a state blessed with one of the nation’s most diverse wildlife populations.

Furthermore, boating increased economic spending by $1.2 billion. Most of that increase was related to power boating, but it should be noted that small non-motorized craft, such as kayaks and canoes, have exploded in popularity since 2011.

The following is a breakdown of dollars by hunters, anglers, wildlife viewers and boaters. It includes days filled with the enjoyment of our outdoors and jobs created because of the fish, wildlife, and boating opportunities in Tennessee.

SEGMENT PARTICIPANTS DAYS

SPENDING JOBS

Total Sportsmen*

$1.8 billion

26,389

994,000

26.8 million

Total Anglers*

826,300

17 million

$1.3 billion

17,542

Total Hunters

374,600

9.8 million

$505 million

8,847

1.95 million

6.4 million

$942 million

23,356

642,000

5 million

$3 billion

23,512

Wildlife Watchers

Boaters**

* Data includes residents and non-residents, age 16 and up, and is a snapshot of participation and spending for 2011. “Total Sportsmen” does not equal the sum of anglers and hunters as some individuals both hunt and fish. ** Source: National Marine Manufacturers Association

IMPACT FROM HUNTERS, ANGLERS AND BOATERS

$167 MILLION STATE AND LOCAL TAXES

$971 MILLION SALARIES AND WAGES

$214 MILLION FEDERAL TAXES

$4.9 MILLION SPENDING PER DAY

$2.9 BILLION RIPPLE EFFECT TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

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LAW ENFORCEMENT

MULTIFUNCTIONAL OFFICERS Tennessee’s wildlife officers have a lot of ground to cover: more than 27 million acres, from the bottomlands in the west, across the plateau and all the way to the mountains of the east.

Any given day could include wildlife and fisheries law enforcement; safety checks; helping people who are lost, injured or stranded; assisting sick and wounded wildlife; working with research biologists; offering conservation advice and problem wildlife support to private landowners; conducting school programs and youth events; volunteering for programs that help novice or disabled sportsmen and women enjoy the outdoors; and mobilizing with other agencies in emergency situations.

Every TWRA officer is required to have a degree in wildlife or fisheries biology, or wildlife management. Each has graduated from the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy and is constantly training in other specialties, including search and rescue, BUI enforcement, and illegal commercialization of wildlife. This training makes them among the most qualified wildlife law enforcement officers in the nation. In 2014, Wildlife Officer Jonathan Lee was named the Southeastern Association of Fish & Wildlife Officers “Officer of the Year.”

STATEWIDE COVERAGE The vast majority of Tennessee’s hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts are law-abiding citizens. Even so, given the wide spectrum of law enforcement duties, 135,000 man hours were spent enforcing wildlife, fisheries and boating laws in 2014. Approximately 139,000 citizens were inspected and officers wrote 7,036 citations, 3,792 warnings, and made 247 arrests. Further, more than 7,700 citizens in distress – whether lost, broken down, injured or otherwise in need of aid – were assisted by TWRA Wildlife Officers.

Officers spent nearly 14,000 man hours undergoing training and gaining additional certifications, and more than 11,500 hours assisting with public training and certifications, including the Hunter Education, Boating Education, Becoming an Outdoors Woman, Bow Hunting and other courses and workshops.

On the public education front, including school programs, events, media appearances and other interactions, TWRA Officers spent 14,951 hours reaching nearly 500,000 people. They also took more than 4,200 phone calls!

Finally, Officers spent more than 9,000 man hours on wildlife, fisheries and habitat management, data collection, wildlife assistance, fur tagging, and assisting private landowners with pond and technical assistance.

BEYOND THE WOODS AND WATERS The responsibilities of a TWRA wildlife officer don’t end with the enforcement of hunting, fishing and boating laws. Because these officers undergo specialized training and spend the bulk of their time in the field or on the water, Tennessee’s wildlife officers have always been relied upon in emergency response operations. TWRA assists the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, taking an active role when needed.

Officers receive training in the operation of small boats, four wheel drive vehicles, ATVs and other equipment, and they are outfitted with foul weather gear. They have gained significant knowledge and experience under a variety of weather conditions while working wildlife and boating enforcement, whether in the middle of the day or the dark of night. As a result, TEMA regularly calls upon Agency personnel and

TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

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equipment for assistance during dangerous snow and ice storms, flooding, and tornadic conditions, particularly in situations where people are stranded and regular law enforcement vehicles aren’t effective.

Agency wildlife law enforcement officers are also responsible for enforcement of federal laws and regulations in connection with homeland security-related activities on Tennessee waters, as part of cooperative agreements with the U. S. Coast Guard. And, they are regularly asked to perform security sweeps from the water at bridges and overpasses during such events as presidential visits.

A DAY IN THE LIFE: BOATING ENFORCEMENT ON MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

by Captain Matt Majors As we boarded the patrol vessel, like we have done routinely many weekends before, my mind couldn’t help but wonder what was in store for us today. Some days I don’t wonder, but this day I did.

Officer Mitch Clure and I began the day on Ft. Loudoun Reservoir with routine work, checking vessels that had committed minor infractions. I was very humbled at the positive response we received throughout the day. Folks were honestly glad to see us out, which is not always the case. We were met with smiles and words of praise by many boaters we encountered.

We soon met up with Officers Landon Reeves and Jeff Pearce, but not before we issued several citations and warnings for not having enough floatation devices, registration violations, and child life jacket law violations. Oddly enough, these folks were very complimentary of our work in enforcing these laws. One of the vessels we encountered had run out of fuel. We gladly towed him back in to the dock.

A quick meeting with Officer Clint Smith and Investigator George Birdwell was interrupted by an urgent radio call from Morristown TWRA dispatch informing us of a vessel taking on water near our location. We located the vessel quickly about a mile upstream and assisted them with transporting occupants safely back to the dock. Although not as urgent as we thought, our men handled it with great professionalism.

Just downstream, as we patrolled we noticed a pontoon that was pulling four children on an inflatable. One of those children fell off near us and it was clear the driver was not paying attention. The pontoon kept going down the lake as we pulled near the child to tell him we were there to help. Officers Pearce and Reeves, who were close behind, signaled for the pontoon to stop and return to pick up his child. As they returned, the driver was obviously embarrassed. Another child safe and a negative outcome was avoided.

No sooner had we left that child we saw three young men, near the middle of the lake, beside an overturned canoe. We helped the three boys board our boat, pulled their canoe up on the bow of our vessel to 17

TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

drain the water, and took them back to their dock. The adults on the dock didn’t even know they had overturned. Thankfully the boys were wearing life jackets. Another story of the jackets saving lives – and another story of TWRA officers being in the right place at the right time.

Back down the lake near the “Rockin’ the Docks” music festival, we arrived just after sunset. With several hundred vessels gathered for music and fireworks, it was imperative that we be available nearby “just in case.” Several of our other officers, who had been pulled away from the music festival earlier due to a personal watercraft injury incident, were just getting back.

Barely visible in the distance, we spotted a bass-type vessel without any navigation lights crossing the lake. Upon stopping the vessel, it was apparent that the operator had been drinking. Officer Clure conducted field sobriety tests and concluded the operator was not impaired enough for arrest. Honestly, the man thought he was going to jail, but this example just reinforces how professional our officers are. He was released with a citation for a navigation light violation.

The fireworks display went off without incident and the spectators from the land and boats didn’t seem to have any trouble. It is a good feeling when things just go right, or safely, in other words. After all, safety is what our officers strive for.

As we left the lake well after midnight, it felt good not to have had a day full of high-adrenaline encounters. Meeting so many new faces, people who were genuinely thankful for our officers, was a welcome feeling. Helping folks who needed help and keeping our waters safer… well, that is a feeling you can only get by wearing a green uniform with pride.

During my drive home, I reflected on the role of wildlife officers nationwide, some likely still on patrol on lakes and rivers keeping us safe. I thanked them for their service, and I thank our TWRA officers for their service and commitment to waterway safety. I could find no finer men and women to work with.

INFORMATION & EDUCATION

Public communication is vital. Whether it be date changes for hunting seasons or bag limits, new educational programs or safety alerts, news releases and multimedia production, the Information and Education Division plays a key role in getting the word out. The I&E division works cooperatively with other divisions to help craft mes-

sages and create content for the agency magazine, website and social media outlets.

The majority of agency printing needs are handled in-house. Print jobs such as ticket books, reports, educational materials and much more are designed, printed and bound in a timely fashion.

SHARING THE MESSAGE

Shane Hall, pictured with a wheelchairaccessible blind, is largely responsible for the Moment of Freedom project.

MOMENT OF FREEDOM Tennessee has become an ideal destination for sportsman with mobility impairments. Many organizations have worked hard to provide wheelchair-accessible custom blinds and fishing piers on public lands and waters. More than a dozen deer, turkey and waterfowl blinds that include ramps and other features to make hunting from a wheelchair more convenient can be found across the state. A number of wheelchair-accessible fishing piers and observation towers offer additional outdoor opportunities as well.

The state’s Moment of Freedom initiative, a cooperative effort by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation, Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission and other partners, is aimed at increasing these outdoor opportunities. The primary goal of the Moment of Freedom is to create 21 new wheelchair-accessible sites over the next three years.

NATIONAL ARCHERY IN THE SCHOOLS PROGRAM The National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) is a joint venture between state departments of Education and Wildlife. Several archery equipment manufacturers and organizations are also partners.

The program promotes student education, physical education and participation in the lifelong sport of archery. The program’s focus is to provide International Style Target Archery training in physical education classes, grades 4-12.

65TH ANNIVERSARY DISPLAY TRAILER In recognition of the agency’s 65th anniversary, a 28-foot display trailer was outfitted with memorabilia, photos, video screens and information relating to past and present work being done to manage wildlife in Tennessee. During the year it was visited by thousands of interested sportsmen, and other wildlife enthusiasts. It was a huge hit at outdoor shows, county fairs, agency events and other venues across the state.

Several other display trailers are used across the state to carry our message to the public. They provide great opportunities to meet and greet the public.

BECOMING AN OUTDOORS-WOMAN The first Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) workshop started in 1991 as an experiment to determine whether providing an educational opportunity would be enough to welcome women outdoors. Since 1991, the program has expanded to all 50 states and several Canadian provinces, with many offering multiple opportunities. Women are interested in learning outdoor skills. When the opportunity is offered, they line up for the chance to be involved. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency hosts several BOW and Beyond BOW events every year. Tennessee events include canoe trips down the Hiwassee River, muzzleloader workshops, and an entire weekend workshop filled with classes and activities every aspiring outdoors-woman will enjoy. Some of these classes include basic archery, reading the woods, ATV operation, dutch oven cooking, fly-fishing, nature photography, and much, much more.

TENNESSEE OUTDOOR YOUTH SUMMIT The TWRA conducted the fifth annual Tennessee Outdoors Youth Summit (TOYS) in June this year. This program is for students in high schools across Tennessee and is held in cooperation with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation (TWRF). Students are introduced to many different outdoor activities including boating, hunting, trapping, archery, photography, marksmanship, plant identification, forestry, camping, water quality, trap shooting, skeet shooting, wildlife identification, and several classes with wildlife and fisheries biology as the topic.

Students will participate in hands-on classes that will teach the importance of the natural resources and their management.

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TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION All meetings of the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission are recorded and posted on the agency website for public viewing. Whether the meetings are held in Nashville, or “on the road” at a location in one of the other grand divisions, the meetings are viewable from anywhere in the world.

Rather than taking time off work and traveling to a TFWC meeting, sportsmen can watch at home and communicate with their commissioner accordingly.

TV and Radio public service announcements are created and distributed on a regular basis. Educational videos are produced, shared on the web and distributed on DVD. TENNESSEE WILDLIFE MAGAZINE Tennessee Wildlife Magazine is the agency’s quarterly publication that reaches 150,000 subscribers. The summer issue features stories and the ever-popular calendar that is filled with breathtaking photos of native Tennessee wildlife. Limited space is allowed within its pages to help lower costs.

TENNESSEE UNCHARTED Tennessee Uncharted is TWRA’s outdoor TV program. Season one aired on Public TV across the state this past year. It’s also available for viewing online at www.TnUncharted.com. Produced for a wide range of ages and outdoor interests, Tennessee Uncharted inspires viewers to get outside and enjoy the beauty and active opportunities our state has to offer.

Regulation Guides–Nearly one million regulation guides are printed and distributed to the sportsmen of Tennessee.

Advertising within their pages help offset the cost of production and printing.

“SWING FOR THE TREES” This campaign was conducted in partnership with the Nashville Sounds AAA baseball club in Nashville. Signage was created for the left field fence. Radio spots were produced and ran during each home game broadcast. Every time the Sounds broke a bat, the stadium announcer let fans know that trees would be planted somewhere in Nashville. This campaign helped highlight the need for trees in areas for shade and stream protection.

2.7 MILLION PEOPLE VISITED TWRA’S WEBSITE THIS YEAR

100,000+ PEOPLE DOWNLOADED TWRA’S ON-THE-GO APP THIS YEAR

50,000 PEOPLE “LIKED” TWRA’S FACEBOOK PAGE

150,000 PEOPLE RECEIVE TENNESSEE WILDLIFE MAGAZINE

240 NEWS RELEASES THAT TWRA PRODUCES EVERY YEAR

1 MILLION PIECES OF MAIL PROCESSED BY THE TWRA MAILROOM THIS YEAR

TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

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ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

T

ennessee is blessed with a diversity of Ecological Regions including the Appalachian Mountians of upper East Tennessee, the ridge and valley system of the Tennessee River, the Cumberland Plateau interior highland rim, central basin and the Mississippi coastal plain of West Tennessee.

The TWRA is active in a wide variety of habitat protections and conservation activities on a statewide basis. The Environmental Service Division advocates for habitat protection and conservation

through comments to Environmental Impact Statements as well as participating in federal planning for management of TVA reservoirs, national forests and parks, and inter-state gas pipelines licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The Division is also an active member of Tennessee’s Natural Resource Damage Assessment process which allows Tennessee to recover compensation for damages to the State’s natural resources.

HABITAT PROTECTION & CONSERVATION FRESHWATER MUSSELS Freshwater mussels belong to an important group of animals known as molluscs. This group includes both mussels and snails. Mussels occur in a wide variety of aquatic habitats and they provide many natural benefits. They are filter feeders and efficiently remove suspended organic particles from water. Mussels serve as indicators of water quality. All are affected by pollution and they can be used to monitor the health of aquatic systems. Mussels themselves serve as food for other animals such as fish, muskrats, raccoons, otters and birds.

Freshwater mussels have an interesting MUSSEL LIFE CYCLE and complex life cycle.

Each species of mussel depends on a certain species of fish to act as host for transformation of mussel larvae to juvenile mussel. Fish hosts move mussel resources around and distribute juvenile CLEAN STREAMS PROJECT mussels throughout river TWRA recognizes that community support for and pride in systems. Without good conservation of local streams is essential for the overall protection of water quality, diverse fish populations and quality aquatic habitat, freshTennessee’s amazing stream resources. One of our important projects is water mussels cannot survive. the clean streams initiative, where TWRA works with a wide variety of Of nearly 300 recorded species of freshwater mussels in the United partners to clean up streams, re-vegetate riparian zones, teach stream States, approximately 130 are or were known to occur within the politiecology and stream fishing, and bring attention to local stream resourccal boundaries of Tennessee. Unfortunately, many mussel species are es. Each year TWRA supports clean streams projects statewide. The now considered endangered or threatened; some have populations limproject now in its twelfth (12th) year. ited to only one or two sites. Forty-eight species known from Tennessee are currently on the federal endangered list and several species are already extinct. Protecting ECOLOGICAL REGIONS OF TENNESSEE and enhancing mussel resources is a primary function of the Environmental Services Division of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

TWRA’s Environmental Services Division conducts Agency activities designed to protect habitat for wildlife, fish, and aquatic life. The Division works closely with state and federal environmental regulatory agencies such as the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Routinely, the Division will work and partner with state and federal natural resource agencies including the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). One principal partner in habitat protection is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Division works closely with conservation organizations such as the Tennessee Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Cumberland River Compact (CRC), the Tennessee Environmental Council (TEC), the Izaak Walton League (IWL), and watershed groups such as the Nolichucky Watershed and Little River Watershed organizations.

The Division is actively engaged in habitat protection research projects with the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK), East Tennessee State University (ETSU), Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), and Austin Peay State University (APSU).

6,742 MUSSELS COLLECTED, TAGGED, TRANSPORTED AND STOCKED INTO 10 SITES STATEWIDE

258 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROJECTS EVALUATED

172 AQUATIC RESOURCE ALTERATION PERMITS REVIEWED

52 TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION INTERDISCIPLINARY ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS ASSESSED

27 US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS PERMITS REVIEWED

TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

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REAL ESTATE

LAND ACQUISITION AND PUBLIC ACCESS TWRA is constantly working to provide new access to lands and waterways, through both lease agreements and acquisitions through Tennessee’s Real Estate Fund. Often, non-profit conservation organizations acquire land and donate it for the good of the public. Other times, areas contiguous to existing public areas become available, and TWRA’s Real Estate division works to make the acquisition on behalf of the state’s citizens and visitors. Altogether, TWRA maintains more than 250 public access points across the state.

Focus in recent years has been placed on migration corridors and areas with significant conservation potential, dating back to the 2006 plan established through the Tennessee Heritage Conservation Fund.

Likewise, new boat ramps, parking areas and other facilities that serve boaters, anglers and others are continually being added, restored and maintained.

LAND ACQUISITION EFFORTS IN 2014 INCLUDE: • 43,000 acres leased in the Cumberland Mountains (Claiborne, Campbell counties) • 712 acres purchased adjacent to Rankin Bottoms WMA (Cocke County) • Began acquisition of 2,816 acres of wetlands at Tumbleweed WMA (Dyer and Lake counties) • Continued acquisition of 575 acres of forest at Blackburn Fork WMA (Jackson County) in partnership with the Tennessee Parks & Greenways Foundation.

• Continued acquisition of 3.989 acres of Scott’s Gulf land (White and Van Buren counties) in partnership with the Open Space Institute and the Land Trust for Tennessee.

• Completed acquisition of 418 acres of wetlands on South Fork of the Forked Deer River in partnership with TN Parks & Greenways Foundation.

• Began acquisition of 3,647 acres in Blount and Monroe counties to be donated by The Nature Conservancy.

• Completed acquisition of 4,208 acres of forest on Skinner Mountain (Fentress County) from The Nature Conservancy.

• Began acquisition of 1,753 acres in Hickman County in partnership with Tennessee Parks & Greenways Foundation.

• Working on public access to Doe Mountain land (Johnson County) for a new multi-user recreation area.

• Maintained 100 acres of Off-Highway Vehicle trails and renovated 30 miles of trails in New River Unit of North Cumberlands WMA (Campbell County).

• Began acquisition of three acres of wetlands in Johnson County for bog turtle restoration.

• Pursued agreements with landowners for public access to Cummings Cove WMA (Marion and Hamilton counties).

• Built new parking lots at McGlothin Largen WMA (Roane County) and Boil Springs WMA (Macon County).

• Paved the roadway at parking lot at John Sevier Hunter Education Center (Knox County).

RIVER AND LAKE ACCESS • 90 boat access points maintained.

• Added three new boat ramps at White’s Landing (Lake County).

• Expanded parking area at Green Cove Pond in the Cherokee National Forest.

• Mine reclamation/drainage improvements/water quality improvements at Big Lauren Creek, which feeds Obey River and Dale Hollow Lake (White County).

• Assisted with the expansion of boat ramps at Douglas Lake (Jefferson County) and Norris Lake (Anderson, Claiborne, Campbell, Grainger and Union counties).

• Opened Big Springs Access Area and parking area boat ramp on South Holston River (Meigs County).

• Acquired Loyston Point access on Norris Lake (Anderson County).

• Installed new pier at Little Milligan boat launch on Watauga River (Carter County).

• Exploring opportunities for new river access on the Clinch, Powell and Watauga rivers in East Tennessee.

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS) TWRA also maintains the Tennessee Recreation Atlas for GIS users, with coverage of 2.6 million acres across the state. Maps are continually being created for numerous WMAs, wetlands projects, access points and other public lands.

WETLANDS ACQUISITION PROGRAM The Agency administers Tennessee’s Wetlands program, currently including more than 112,000 acres.

TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

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POLICY

T

he Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is charged with developing, managing, and maintaining sound programs for hunting, fishing, trapping, and other wildlife-related recreational activities in Tennessee, including boating.

As an Agency, our mission is driven by words like conservation, preservation, management, protection, and enhancement of the state’s wildlife and natural resources… and achieving that mission often invokes terms such as revenue, enforcement, expenses, conflicts, preferences and policies.

The TWRA is directed by a 13-member commission of private citizens appointed by the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the speaker of the Senate. Additionally, the General Assembly and the Governor have direct oversight of rules and regulations implemented by the TWRA, along with the Agency’s budget.

But it is important to recognize that the TWRA is focused on more than just the sports of hunting and fishing. In fact, the strategies and regulations implemented and enforced by the TWRA play a major – though often unseen – role in the life of every Tennessean.

CONSERVATION POLICY INCREASING THE PENALTY FOR BIG GAME POACHING A group of Tennessee landowners banded together and worked with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and members of the General Assembly to significantly increase the penalties associated with poaching big game animals. The landowners group pointed out that road hunting, trespassing and other big game violations were common problems for property owners in Tennessee. As a result, Senator Jim Tracy and Representative Pat Marsh introduced legislation to stiffen penalties in an effort to deter the illegal activity. The legislation passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 89-0 and the Senate by a vote of 28-3.

As written, the new law increases the minimum financial penalties an individual faces if convicted of poaching deer, turkey, bear, or elk, above and beyond the criminal penalties. Any person convicted of poaching a big game animal in Tennessee now faces at least a $1,000 penalty for illegally killing a deer or a turkey; a $1,500 penalty for an elk; and a $5,000 penalty for a bear. For deer and elk, the penalty increases even more based on antler points. For example, a 12-point buck could cost a poacher $11,000, and a revocation of their hunting privileges until the money is paid in full.

Prior to the change, the minimum restitution amount for any person convicted of illegally or improperly killing or possessing a deer, turkey, or bear was $200. The minimum amount for an elk was $1,000.

Wildlife belongs to all of us, and a poacher who kills an animal illegally is stealing from the citizens of Tennessee. These new penalties are designed to deter poaching by adding a significant financial penalty on top of the criminal charges, and will likely offer a strong disincentive for those who are considering breaking the wildlife laws.

INCREASING THE RETURN ON TWRA’S ENDOWMENT FUNDS The TWRA will soon be making more money on their investments, thanks to legislation championed by State Treasurer David Lillard. The Agency has two main endowment funds – the Watchable Wildlife fund, which is comprised of the proceeds from the sale of the bluebird specialty license plate; and the Lifetime Sportsman’s License fund, which is comprised of the proceeds from the sale of lifetime hunting and fishing licenses.

The Agency is not permitted to spend the money contained in these funds, and can only utilize the interest generated from the investment of those dollars. For the last several years, the investment options available to TWRA under state law have produced an extremely low rate of return – less than one percent. Under the new law, the State

Treasurer will be able to manage the funds with more flexibility and, ideally generate a significantly higher rate of return on the investments.

The legislation was sponsored by Senator Mike Bell and Representative Jeremy Faison, and was passed unanimously by both houses of the General Assembly.

LOWERING THE WHITE-TAIL BUCK LIMIT STATEWIDE In order to increase the antlerless deer harvest in areas and better balance the age structure of the statewide antlered buck harvest, the TWRA has changed the statewide white-tailed buck limit to two (2), starting with the 2015-2016 seasons.

Deer harvest data gathered from the mandatory big game check-in process and field surveys over last year’s deer season showed that less than 2,700 of 240,000 – less than two percent – of Tennessee deer hunters took a full limit of three bucks.

Before the reform, around 40% of the antlered bucks harvested annually were yearlings (i.e., 1.5 years old) and less than 20% were 3.5 years old or older. Altering the antlered buck limit in this manner should allow more bucks to survive to older age classes, therefore increasing the number of older bucks in the herd over time and, consequently, boosting the excitement of Tennessee’s deer hunting. Additionally, the decreased antlered buck limit should result in a shift in harvest pressure from antlered bucks to antlerless deer, helping to stabilize or decrease deer populations in areas, while still allowing meat-hunters ample opportunities for harvest in the State.

The last time there was a reduction in Tennessee’s buck limit (1999), the antlered buck harvest declined while the antlerless harvest increased. A similar outcome should occur in today’s time, resulting in an improved buck to doe ratio of the harvest and a better balanced age structure of harvested antlered bucks in the future. This will allow TWRA to continue achieving its deer management goals.

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FUNDING

T

he Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is unique from other Tennessee governmental agencies and from wildlife agencies in other states in the way that TWRA is funded. Funding for the Agency comes almost exclusively from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, boat registration fees, and federal excise taxes

on related equipment. TWRA does not receive any funding from the state’s general fund tax revenues. The money generated from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, boat registrations, and federal aid programs associated with hunting, fishing, and boating make up over 85% of the Agency’s annual budget.

AGENCY FUNDING FEDERAL PROGRAMS Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration act, better known as the Pittman-Robertson (or "P-R") Act after its principal sponsors, Senator Key Pittman and Representative A. Willis Robertson, was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on September 2, 1937. The Act generates money through a 10 percent federal excise tax on ammunition and firearms used for sport hunting. The money generated through the tax is then distributed to the States for wildlife restoration.

Tennessee’s portion of the money collected is determined by the size of the state and the number of hunting licenses sold in Tennessee annually. Federal Funding from P-R pays for up to 75 percent of qualified project costs, but, in order to draw down the funding, Tennessee must put up 25 percent.

Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act The Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, commonly referred to as the Dingle-Johnson Act was adopted by Congress in 1950. The Act was modeled after the Pittman-Robertson Act, aimed at creating a similar program for the management, conservation, and restoration of fishery resources. Funds to support the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration programs are received from excise taxes on fishing equipment, fish finders, motorboat fuels, small engine fuels, and import duties.

TWRA is eligible to receive grant funds from the Act because the Agency is responsible for the management of the state’s fisheries.

Tennessee’s portion of the funds is based 60 percent on the number of licensed anglers and 40 percent on the size of Tennessee’s land and water area. TWRA draws down funds for qualified projects by paying 25 percent of the project costs with money generated by state license sales.

CHANGES IMPLEMENTED IN 2015 For only the second time in 25 years, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) adjusted the way hunting and fishing licenses and fees are structured in order to maintain its successful wildlife, fisheries and education programs. The changes include incremental fee increases on existing licenses and permits and the inclusion of new user groups.

The change is not something the Agency took lightly. The incremental increase in the cost of existing licenses and permits was the smallest increase in the Agency’s 65 year history. The reality is that the cost of managing the state’s wildlife and fisheries has never been more expensive than it is today. The Agency’s operating expenses, including

LICENSE SALES & BOATING REGISTRATION 3-YEAR COMPARISON

everything from fertilizer to fish food, have increased dramatically over the last decade.

The changes to the fee structure included more than incremental increases of existing licenses. As part of the new approach, Tennessee hunters and fishermen – while generating the vast majority of funding – no longer bear the burden exclusively. A High Impact Wildlife Management Area Conservation fee is incorporated, for example, and non-resident licenses were adjusted to seek additional revenue from those who live outside the state but travel here to utilize our world-class resources. Additionally, the Agency adjusted the fees associated with guides and commercial fishermen, as well as recreational shooters at state-owned and operated firing ranges.

Every dollar generated by licenses is utilized for wildlife and fisheries management, so that Tennesseans have an opportunity to enjoy the incredible natural resources owned by all of us. That includes everything from ensuring access to millions of acres of high quality public lands to enforcing wildlife laws that ensure healthy, sustainable game and fish populations for the future. The changes to the fee structure implemented by the Agency generates additional revenues to cover the current budget shortfall, and ensure that the nationally recognized work of our state’s wildlife agency can continue for the next decade or more without any negative impact on the public or its resources.

TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

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WILDLIFE EXPENSES FY 2013-14 Overhead/Insurance

Support Services 10%

(paid to state government)

5%

WILDLIFE INCOME FY 2013-14

Administrative 9%

Information & Education 9%

Federal 35%

Law Enforcement 18%

License Sales 51%

Wildlife Management Areas 19%

Fisheries 17%

State Reimbursement 2%

Wildlife 14%

Inter-Dept 8% Current Serv 3%

BOATING EXPENSES FY 2013-14 Clean Vessel 5%

Overhead & Indirect Cost 10%

Administration 12%

BOATING INCOME FY 2013-14 Boating Education & Coordination 3%

Federal 35%

Access Areas 15%

Law Enforcement 47%

Data Processing 6%

Registration Fees 57% Registration 2% Marine Fuel Tax 6% General Fund Reimbursement 2%

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Other 1%

TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY • 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT

Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is available to all persons without regard to their race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or military service. TWRA is also an equal opportunity/ equal access employer. Questions should be directed to TWRA, Human Resources Office, P.O. Box 40747, Nashville, TN 37204, (615) 781-6594 (TDD 7816691), or to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Human Resources, 4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA 22203.

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Authorization No. 328965, 150 copies, June, 2016. This public document was promulgated at a cost of $11.34 per copy.