Clay Officials Encourage Simple Practices To Avoid Drowning
Clay County officials said simple water safety practices on Dale Hollow Lake can help you avoid a late summer incident. Clay County Emergency Management Director Kyle Haney said safety guidelines from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers encourage smarter decision-making on the water. Haney said the initiative aims to ensure that everyone utilizing the county’s […]
Operation Dry Water, Increased Patrols To Deter Boat DUI
TWRA officers increasing patrols on all major waterways this holiday weekend to deter boating under the influence. As part of the national Operation Dry Water campaign, Tennessee Wildlife sergeant Dustin Buttram said the agency prioritizes the protection of recreational activities to ensure every member of the boating public returns home safely. Buttram said the presence […]
Fall Creek Falls Launches June Conservation Education
Fall Creek Falls State Park launching a new month-long conservation education initiative to engage visitors through hands-on volunteer opportunities and environmental programs. Park Ranger Savannah Jackson said “Caught up in Conservation” originated from staff discussions at the park visitor center focused on expanding the local volunteer program. Jackson said the June event coordinates existing activities […]
TWRA Urging Boat Safety As Early Fatalities Raise Concerns
TWRA officials concerned as five deadly accidents have already occurred on Tennessee waterways and the heart of the boating season has not yet arrived. TWRA Wildlife Sergeant Dustin Buttram said the number of fatal crashes is troubling this early in the year. “You know it’s very concerning,” Buttram said. “That is one of TWRA’s main […]
Bats Are Vital To UC Life, Disease Claiming Many Varieties
As Cookeville celebrates the bat with a celebration at the History Museum Saturday, a TWRA expert said bats play a vital ecological and economic role in the Upper Cumberland. Statewide Bat Coordinator Dustin Thames said local agriculture and forestry benefit most. Thames said bats naturally control pest populations. “Bats are critically important,” Thames said. “There […]
Rainbow Trout Stocked Across UC To Promote Fishing
Anglers across the Upper Cumberland have a new reason to grab their fishing gear this winter as the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency stocking rainbow trout throughout the region. TWRA Fisheries Biologist Connor Ballard said the agency releasing an estimated 75,000 rainbow trout statewide as part of its winter stocking program. Ballard said the program is […]
TWRA Survey Shows Varied Turkey Population Statewide
TWRA’s Annual Turkey Survey showed fewer birds than the recent average. Turkey Program Coordinator Rodger Shields said the survey measures turkey reproduction by evaluating how many poults there are relative to hens in an area. Shields said the state average for poults per hen was 2.2 per hen this year. That’s down slightly from the […]
TWRA Deer Season Opens This Weekend, Hunting Encouraged
Tennessee’s deer hunting season gets underway this weekend. TWRA’s Casey Mullen said the traditional archery hunt begins Saturday. Mullen said the juvenile hunt will be in late October. Muzzle loader season will start in November with rifle hunting beginning around Thanksgiving. “We really want people out there hunting,” Mullen said. “It’s a great way to […]
White Tail Deer Disease Increasing, Hunter Reports Vital
Disease reports are on the rise among white-tailed deer in Tennessee, with confirmed cases in eight counties. TWRA Biologist Dr. Adam Edge said most of those reports have come from areas west of the Upper Cumberland, but there have been a handful of reports in the region. Edge said the viral disease is transmitted through […]
Very Rare Orange Bass Reeled In At Cordell Hull Lake
A Cordell Lake angler recently caught a one-in-a-million type of fish after reeling in an orange bass. TWRA Fish Region Three Reservoir Manager Mike Jolley said orange bass are extremely rare due to a natural phenomenon. Xanthism is a genetic mutation that causes unusual orange pigmentation in a fish’s skin. Jolley said ironically, the only […]
