Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

It has been about 150 years since elk wandered throughout Tennessee. Early records indicated that elk were abundant in the state prior to being settled by European explores and colonists. As these settlers moved westward the elk population declined.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) decided to reintroduce elk to the state in the late 1990’s. Part of the Agency’s mission is to restore extirpated wildlife when and where it is biologically and sociologically feasible. The states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Kentucky have also restored elk. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park has restored elk within the park in North Carolina.
The project received the needed funding and support from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF). Their mission is to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat. They have more that 150,000 members and are based out of Missoula, Montana. Tennessee has seven chapters through out the state.

Several partners have been involved with the project and contributed by doing the things they do best. The partners include the Rocky Mountain Elk foundation, Parks Canada, Campbell County Outdoor Recreation Association, Tennessee Wildlife Federation, University of Tennessee and the U.S. Forest Service and TWRA. Recently, the Safari Club International (SCI) and the Chattanooga Chapter of SCI have also assisted with funding.