State’s Wild Hog Management Report Given, New TFWC Officers Elected During Meeting
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission was provided updates on several topics and held the election of its new commission officers for 2015-16 during its one-day February meeting held on Thursday at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s Region II Ray Bell Building.
Chuck Yoest, Program Coordinator, presented an update on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and also made a presentation on Tennessee’s Wild Hog Management Program.
The CWD presentation was a summary on how the disease could have a negative impact on Tennessee’s whitetail deer and elk population if it were to cross into the state. CWD is a fatal disease for elk and deer and found currently in 23 states.
The spread of CWD has been directly linked to movement of captive cervids. CWD is not known to affect humans.
Tennessee’s current wild hog management program was created in 2011. Tennessee’s program of managing wild hogs has become a national model for other states and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
W.H.E.A.T (Wild Hog Eradication Action Team) is comprised of 25 organizations in the state and is leading the efforts in Tennessee. TWRA and W.H.E.A.T.’s approach to wild hog management is proving successful in the early stages. The TWRA has been approached by other states’ agencies about developing a similar program for wild hog management in their own respective states.
An update was given on TWRA’s Carroll Lake by TWRA Region I Manager Allen Peterson. Carroll County Lake is one of TWRA’s family fishing lakes.
Heavy rains last spring caused the gates used to control water levels on the 100-acre lake to be damaged beyond repair. The damage was included as part of a Federal Disaster Declaration.
Since the flood, the damaged gates have been removed and Carroll Lake has remained completely drained. Two public meetings were held in Huntingdon and McKenzie to discuss the lake’s future. The public has indicated that it wishes to have the area restored to a fishing lake. The TFWC asked Agency staff to gather estimated costs in regard to possible options for the future of Carroll Lake.
Don King, Information and Education Division Chief, spoke to the commission about the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) annual state tournament. The tournament will be held in Murfreesboro on April 1-2. It is the ninth state tournament for NASP with a field of more than 1,500 students from games 4-12 expected to participate in this year’s event.
The commission was also told about a special NASP 3-D tournament to be held in conjunction with National Wild Turkey Federation Tournament. About 100 students are expected to participate in the event at the Opryland Hotel and Convention Center.
Tracey Smith was introduced to the commission for being named the Information Technology Division (IT) 2014 Professional of the Year. She is a lead programmer analyst for the division and IT Division Chief Michael May made the presentation of the award.
The commission also elected its new officers for 2015-16. Current TFWC Chairman Jeff Griggs, of Lexington, presided over his last meeting as chairman and as a member of the commission. Chariman Griggs was appointed to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission in 2009 and to the TFWC when it was launched in 2012. It was also the last meeting for TFWC members James Stroud and Tom Rice (both of Nashville) who were appointed to the TFWC in 2012.
Jim Bedsoe, of Jamestown, who served as vice chairman the past year, will now serve as chairman. Lenoir City resident Harold Cannon will move from the secretary position to the vice chairman. Jamie Woodson, of Lebanon, was elected as the new TFWC secretary.
The TFWC will held its next meeting March 25-26 (Wednesday-Thursday) in Nashville.
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