Tennessee WildCast

Partners are very important when it comes to managing fish and wildlife in our great state. There are many times the TWRA needs assistance from other groups, like the Tennessee Valley Authority, to help fund programs and improvement projects through grants. Today we are visiting with TWRA Fisheries Program Manager Mark Thurman and TVA Water Resource Specialist Shannon O’Quinn at the Tellico Trout...

From the top of Rocky Top to the mighty Mississippi River, Tennessee has it all. This week we invite TWRA’s Pandy Upchurch to breakdown the unbelievable biodiversity of Tennessee. We will learn about snakes, mussels, bats and so much more right here on Tennessee WildCast. Don’t miss it! #tnwildlife #itswhatwedo www.tnwildlife.org

In this episode, we explore an amazing salamander know as the Hellbender. The Southeastern Hellbender Conservation Initiative (SEHCI) is a collaboration between Defenders of Wildlife, NRCS, The Nashville Zoo, and other conservation partners to support farmers using conservation practices on their lands that help restore hellbender habitat. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) i...

This week we are coming to you once again from the Crossville Shooting Sports Park. Shooting Sports Park President, Kenny Carey, will bring us up to speed on all that folks can expect when visiting the park. We will also be chatting with shooters Carey Garrison and Gavin Threet. They have competed on many levels including Junior Olympics, All-State Rifle Teams and All-State Pistol Teams. Carey and...

When we think of the “TWRA Greats”, Jack Murrey is always at the top of the list. Jack dedicated over 30 years of his life to wild turkeys in #Tennessee. He was instrumental in restocking more than 10,000 wild turkeys and returning the thunderous gobble of the wild #turkey for Tennessee’s #outdoor enthusiasts. Join us this week as we meet up with Jack’s son, Sam Murrey, and dive into some of that...

When we met up with Chris Ogle a few weeks ago, Matt and I had no idea we were speaking with the future TWRA Wildlife Biologist of the Year! This week we will explore some of the non-game and endangered species we have in Tennessee. Chris knows so much about these critters and works hard managing these species so they can be enjoyed by future generations. From bats to snake to green salamanders, y...

You may have seen her viral video parody of, “All About That Bass” 🎣 or her tough love song, “Throw Ya Back”, but it is obvious when listening to Liz Moriondo’s music that she is no girly girl. Liz can hunt and fish with the best of them and loves them both. Growing up in Missouri she had plenty of opportunities to be outdoors. She also loved basketball and music, but after a difficult scholarshi...

Today we visit with Commissioner Brian McLerran and his daughter Ella. Ella will give us an inside look at what it takes to be a #championship shooter and juggle everything else that’s happening in her life. Commissioner McLerran has been by Ella’s side as a coach, father, and cheerleader. He is very proud of her accomplishments. Brian will share his excitement for the #shootingsports and also tel...

Live from “It’s All About Me”, Admiral Greg Boles invites us abroad for a look inside the #VOLNavy. Don’t miss this episode as we go #sailgating with the Admiral and Boating Officer Jeff Webb to learn how the #TWRA is a crucial part of a Tennessee Football weekend. #tnwildlife #govols

The Crossville Shooting Sports Park, located just north of I-40 on Albert Frye Road, is now OPEN. This shooting park was a joint effort between the #TWRA and the #CrossvilleShootingSportsPark, a nonprofit organization promoting shooting sports for all ages. Join us this week as we visit the park and chat with Cumberland County Mayor, Kenneth Carey, and Regional Captain, Matt Clarey, TWRA Hunter Ed...

You don’t want to miss this one! This week we are visiting the Jackson Kayak plant in Sparta Tennessee to meet Jaeger and his master Damon Bungard, Product and Brand Manager for Jackson Kayak, Orion Coolers and Kennels. Barrett (Jaeger) vom Mountain Creek is a 'teckel’, a hunting dachshund, trained to assist in the ethical recovery of big game. Damon and Jaeger are always on an adventure and have...

With #deer season quickly approaching, the #TWRA wants you to be in the know about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). A new unit, Unit CWD, is in place this year and it has some special regulations and additional harvest opportunities. We will be chatting with Jeremy Dennison, Regional Deer Biologist, and Daniel Stanfield, Regional Biodiversity Manager, to review the new #CWD regulations for Unit CWD....

Tune in this week as we chat with Dr. Books Tiller about Nature Deficit Disorder, learn about some of his outdoor adventures and get tips on being physically ready for the upcoming deer season. Dr. Tiller combines faith in God, outdoor survival and hunting wisdom passed down for generations, along with his expertise in human movement, medical knowledge of the human body, and a champion’s mindset t...

Songwriter and #CountryMusic Superstar Bryan White joins us for this episode of #TennesseeWildCast. Bryan is known for some of his hits like, “God Gave Me You”, “Someone Else’s Star”, and duet with Shania Twain titled “From This Moment On”. He loves music but he also loves the outdoors. Bryan has a cool new contest call Tennessee Giants that will be happening this year and has also started an onli...

MeatEater personality and Director of Conservation, Ryan Callaghan “Cal”, joins us this week to chat about conservation, hunting, fishing and so much more. We will hear stories from MeatEater, learn about his new podcast “Cal’s Week In Review” and chat about his recent visit to Tennessee to learn about the problems we are facing with Asian Carp. All this and more right here on Tennessee WildCast....

Lynne McCoy is a hero to both #wildlife and the wildlife professional. Lynne cares for wildlife like none other and it shows in her knowledge and enthusiasm. Join us this week as we learn about and meet a few special critters Lynne has helped along the way. Wildlife rehabilitators, like Lynne, are invaluable by giving #TWRA and the public a place to take sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals fo...

What is Meet The Mountains? This free festival serves as an annual coming together of Northeast Tennessee's outdoor recreation community. It’s a one-stop shop to experience all of our region’s outdoor opportunities. By increasing awareness of our natural assets and encouraging residents to live healthy lifestyles, the Meet the Mountains Committee hopes this festival increases opportunities for gro...

This week the Woman Angler and Adventurer, Angie Scott, invites us aboard her new Quest pontoon. We will learn about her Podcast “The Woman Angler and Adventurer, her experiences as the only female on 
Team Nashville Bassmasters and chat about the growing number of women getting outside to fish and hunt. Angie has a strong passion to share her love of the outdoors and introduce more women to the s...

Wildlife rehabilitation is no walk in the park. It takes a lot of time, money and energy to maintain a top notch facility. This week we meet up with Union University’s Dr. Huggins and Dr. Kerfoot once again to learn more about the how a facility operates and some of the struggles. We will also hear from a Union University graduate, who studied under these great professors and helped maintain the r...

The #Elk Hunt Raffle deadline is August 2nd! Don't miss the opportunity to get your name in the hat for the grand prize hunt package and other awesome prizes. To purchase tickets visit www.twrf.net. This week on #TennesseeWildCast we visit with Elk Program Leader, Brad Miller, at the #HatfieldKnob Viewing Tower. We will cover the details of the raffle, the prizes, and how to enter. Brad will also...

As summer fades, folks are preparing for the 2019-2020 hunting seasons. This week we visit with Jamie Feddersen, Waterfowl Program Leader, to discuss changes to the duck blind drawing procedure. We will cover draw locations, procedures and touch on other opportunities including the sandhill crane draw. The 2019-20 season dates can be found on our website at http://www.eregulations.com/tennessee/hu...

15-year-old Jack Ladd is a “Jack of all trades.” At the young age of 15, he has been involved in collecting & selling coins, making jewelry from recycled bullets and cartridges, building custom bows from Osage Orange trees, flintknapping (making arrowheads) and now enjoying his current trade of Bladesmithing (making knives). In Jack’s spare time, he is active in his church, cross county running, r...

A few weeks ago we had a chance to visit with the 2019 Bassmaster Classic Champion, Ott DeFoe. Ott takes us through each day of the Classic, his ups, downs and challenges on that final day of the tournament. Also, get the inside scoop during a new segment we like to call “According to Ott DeFoe”. Learn what you ‘Ott’ to do and where you ‘Ott’ to go when fishing in Tennessee. We will also be giving...

Join us this week as we meet One Eyed Willie and Captain Jack, two well know residents on the campus of Union University in Jackson, TN.  These little guys are great examples of the wildlife rehabilitation work being done by Dr. Huggins, Dr. Kerfoot, and their biology students at Union.  Tune in to learn about rehab centers, how they operate and some of the hardest parts of maintaining a wildlife...

Mom, wife, photographer, archery coach and huntress Amy Hall joins us this week for an episode of Tennessee WildCast. Amy has a great perspective on hunting and being outdoors. With only three years of hunting behind her, she has a passion like none other to share her experiences with her kids, friends and anyone she comes in contact with. This past season she encountered an albino buck while in t...