WINTER 2013
Youth Dove Hunt takes off in Rogersville Photo essay captures the fun
Civil training
Blowing Springs Kennel taps into the ‘willingness to please’ of man’s best friend
Wonders of water GOU kids take the plunge
A different kind of ‘dynasty’ page 12 Wetlands Acquisition Act revives waterfowl habitat over nearly three decades
PLUS: New website for TWF Prescribed burns at Sundquist WMA Amazing grilled dove recipe 500
$
www.tnwf.org
WINTER 2013 l www.tnwf.org l 3
WINTER 2013
SOUTHERN EXPOSURES
2013-2014 Board of Directors Dr. John O. “Jack” Gayden • Chairman, Memphis Peter Schutt • Vice Chairman, Memphis Robert Lineburger • Treasurer, Brentwood Terry Lewis • Secretary, Knoxville Chris Nischan • Sergeant at Arms, Nashville R.B. “Buddy” Baird III • Rogersville Allen Corey • Chattanooga Mike Chase • Knoxville Frank Duff • Chattanooga Bob Freeman • Nashville Monty Halcomb • Wartrace Dan Hammond • Franklin John Jackson • Dickson Sam Mars III • Harrogate Albert Menefee III • Franklin Tami Miller • Franklin Richard Speer • Nashville Ric Wolbrecht IV • Germantown
Advisory Board Albert Buckley Jr. • Franklin Jim Byford • Martin Jim Candella • Brentwood Charles Chitty • Chattanooga Bill Cox • Collierville Nick Crafton • Memphis Phillip Fulmer Sr. • Knoxville Paul Grider • Bolivar Mark Ingram • Maryville Mike Kelly • Nashville Jean Maddox • Nashville Jim Maddox • Nashville Colin Reed • Nashville Tom Rice • Nashville
TWF friend Darryal Ray of Townsend didn’t have far to go to get this shot. A mother black bear and her cubs were feeding in the backyard of Darryal’s neighbor! Kendall McCarter, Executive Editor Mark Johnson, Editor
ABOUT THE COVER: Mallard duck numbers in Tennessee are increasing thanks to improvements to the state’s wetlands. More on page 12.
TWF Staff Michael Butler, Chief Executive Officer Kendall McCarter, Chief Development Officer Karen Vaughn, Director of Grants & Special Projects Chad Whittenburg, Director of Mitigation and Ecological Services Shayla Beebe, Senior Program Director Mark Johnson, Director of Communications Sonya Wood Mahler, GOU Manager Andrew Peercy, TNSCTP Manager Michael Gray, Director of Finance Matt Simcox, HFTH Coordinator Cameron Mitchell, Development Officer Kate Friedman, GOU Coordinator Amy Colvin, GOU Administrative Assistant Tony Lance, GOU Program Assistant Kim Smythe, GOU YOLP Assistant George Oswalt, Office Assistant Jay Sheridan, Public Relations, Sheridan Public Relations
Brian Sparks • Collierville Photo by Steve Oehlenschlager Tennessee Out-Of-Doors
Youth Dove Hunt brings out TNSCTP shooters – Page 11
FEATURES
PROGRAMS
10
Civil training
Bob Foster focuses on Labs’ innate talents and desire to please
A different kind of ‘dynasty’ 12
11
TN Scholastic Clay Target Program
Youth Dove Hunt a runaway success at Rogersville
Great Outdoors University 16
Wetlands Acquisition Act of 1986 revives waterfowl habitat
19
17
Burning to renew at North Cumberland
Traditional management tactics create wildlife openings
Kids experience the wonders of water on GOU trips
Hunters for the Hungry
Unaka High School becomes first prep processor in the history of program
DEPARTMENTS 4 Chairman’s Corner 5 From the CEO 7 On the Web 12 Social Media 18 Around the State 19 Stewardship 20 Board Member Spotlight 21 TWF Staff News 23 Memorials and Honorariums
WILD GAME RECIPE 22 Sweet Thai Chili Grilled Dove
Tennessee Out-of Doors Magazine is the official publication of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation. Printed materials include natural resource and conservation news, outdoor recreation news and articles on pertinent legislation. All submissions are subject to editing or rewriting. All editorial, advertising and subscription correspondence should be mailed to:
Tennessee Out-Of-Doors
300 Orlando Avenue, Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37209
WINTER 2013 l www.tnwf.org l 3
CHAIRMAN’S CORNER
TWF — what’s not to be excited about? Over the past few months, I’ve crisscrossed Tennessee on behalf of TWF, and I’ve spoken to quite a few people about our mission. One of the questions I get most often is, “Why are you so enthusiastic about this organization?”
It’s a good question and an easy one to answer. The simple
Target Program. We’ve
version is, the more I learn about the Federation, the more engaged
had another record
I become.
season in participation,
TWF has been around for a long time — since 1946, in fact —
and more and more
Dr. John O. Gayden Chairman of the Board
and over those 67 years, this organization has accomplished great
youngsters are getting a
things, from the creation of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources
taste of outdoor life
Agency to ensuring Tennesseans’ right to hunt and fish to
through the shotgun shooting sports. Our Tennessee shooters
spearheading the Wetlands Acquisition Act of 1986. (Read about
continue to impress. In fact, they brought back an impressive 13
this on page 12.) But with the growth we’ve experienced in staff,
titles this summer from the SCTP National Championships in Illinois.
programs, and communications over the past year, the organization
That was No. 1 in the country! TNSCTP’s state championships are
feels more dynamic than ever. We’ve got a lot going on and we
even being featured on the Outdoor Channel TV program, “Shooting
need your help.
USA.” We are also proud to announce that TWF has been named a
I encourage you to read Tennessee Out-Of-Doors closely, learn about what TWF does, and find your niche. There is a broad spectrum of ways you can get involved. For example, look at Great Outdoors University. The wonderful
“Certified Training Center” by USA Shooting, the governing body of Olympic shooting sports. More about that on page 21... Lastly, I want to touch on what is perhaps my favorite TWF program, Hunters for the Hungry. Right here in my hometown of
program started by my good friend and fellow board member Peter
Memphis, TWF launched a contest between two high schools
Schutt has just completed another amazing season of introducing
— Memphis University School and Hutchinson School — to see
underserved children to the outdoors. I’ve witnessed first-hand the
which could raise the most money to support this amazing program.
spark that is lit in the imagination of youngsters who get their first
It’s my hope that this pilot program will spread across our state and,
look at a real campfire or catch their first fish or witness their first
within a few years, Tennessee high schools far and wide will be
shooting star. And now, GOU is making its initial steps into East
raising awareness about hunger and actively engaged in helping to
Tennessee. They’re working hard to create some of the same
feed Tennesseans in need. There are more details about this
opportunities for the youth of Chattanooga and Knoxville that those
exciting contest on page 18.
from Nashville and Memphis have enjoyed over the past several
Folks, I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of the Tennessee
years. Learn more about GOU in a wonderful article by program
Wildlife Federation these days, and I hope that as you enjoy our
Manager Sonya Wood Mahler on page 20 and visit our new website
state’s abundant wildlife and spectacular outdoors over this blessed
at www.tnwf.org to see how you can get involved.
holiday season, you’ll look at ways to get involved, too. Let’s do our
That reminds me; Did I mention we have a new website? We did, in fact, launch our brand-spanking-new website back in October!
best to pass along Tennessee’s rich natural resources to the generations to come.
It’s a fantastic way to stay up to date with the goings on of TWF and is a comprehensive source of information on wildlife and habitat conservation in Tennessee. Read all about it on page 6. There is also a lot to be proud of in our Tennessee Scholastic Clay
Tennessee Tennessee Out-Of-Doors Out-Of-Doors
Merry Christmas and God bless!
FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
What we learn while building our foundations Independence, freedom, self-reliance, self-confidence … These are words that today you might expect to hear during a political debate on CNN or Fox News or in the latest self-help book or seminar. But I want to raise these words to reflect upon the impacts we are seeing Tennessee’s great outdoors have upon young people through our youth engagement programs. As many of you reading this today can attest to from your
It is also where we are
Michael Butler
personal experiences, spending time in the great outdoors as a child
training the next generation of
helped form your sense of independence, self-reliance, and
sportsmen and women through
self-confidence. The woods, streams, and fields were where you
our Tennessee Scholastic Clay
tested yourself against nature, quickly learning a healthy level of
Target Program. We start with young people who have never fired a
respect for things beyond your control while strengthening your
shotgun and are able to turn them into proficient marksmen and
body and mind. Do you remember the feeling you had when you
women, and show them how to successfully go afield and harvest
caught your first fish without any help?
game. By completing this circle we remove all the barriers to
The great outdoors are one of the few places where we as men, women, and children can experience a true sense of freedom. It is one of the few places where we can test ourselves. It is one of the
CEO
recruiting the next generation of hunters and thereby ensure our sporting conservation heritage into the future. My most vivid and sustaining memories growing up were of
few places where we must learn to be still, observant, and listen,
mallards crashing through the timber, going camping and hiking with
lest we miss a great opportunity to experience magnificent wildlife.
my friends, hunting squirrels and doves with my dad, gigging frogs
Lastly, it is where many of us were mentored by our father,
at midnight, and hearing the beagles run a rabbit on a cold January
mother, uncle, or grandparent and taught life lessons that have
day. These are experiences and feelings that played a large part in
stayed with us.
making me who I am today. With your support, the Federation is
A growing body of scientific research is beginning to confirm
making similar experiences a reality for thousands of Tennessee’s
these anecdotal and personal impacts that we all have experienced.
young people who will be responsible for leading the future
Time in the great outdoors is being shown to contribute greatly to
conservation movement in our great state.
good health, including better handling of stress and lessening the symptoms of attention deficit disorder in children. This research and our own experiences point to the important
Our habitat restoration and management programs fill a specific niche by working with private landowners to develop and restore wildlife and wetlands habitats across Tennessee. While these are
role that the great outdoors play in the proper development of
the newest programs in the TWF suite, our first projects are
children into strong and well-rounded adults. It is also how we raise
underway and will be among the best of their kind.
the next generation of conservationists who will seek to protect our wildlife, land, water, and habitat into the future. This is where the “rubber meets the road” for TWF and our
As your chief executive, I am proud of our wonderful staff and the hard work and dedication they put in. We are strong and growing, and we greatly appreciate and value your support.
youth engagement programs. For underserved youth in the
Please take a moment to tell your friends about Tennessee’s
inner-cities of Memphis and Nashville, it’s our Great Outdoors
gateway organization to the outdoors, and ask them to support the
University program that is working to provide these children with
Tennessee Wildlife Federation.
the same experiences you and I had during our childhood that helped to build our character and open our eyes to a big world full of grand opportunities. WINTER WINTER 2013 2013 ll www.tnwf.org www.tnwf.org ll 35
ON THE WEB
New TWF website becomes a reality
I
n October, TWF launched a new website featuring a completely
resources,” says Johnson. “It’s a great way to learn about what
updated look, navigation, and functionality. The site contains
TWF does and contains details about all of our programs, but also
information about TWF’s programs, history, impacts on
includes easy-to-understand information on how anyone can get
Tennessee’s wildlife and great outdoors, and much more. “This represents the fulfillment of a long-term goal,” says TWF Board Chair Dr. Jack Gayden. “The project required a lot of planning and blood, sweat, and tears, but we believe it was worth the wait.” Designed by Memphis-based web consultant Bradley Wilkerson, the site was built by Vanick, Inc., also of Memphis, before TWF Communications Director Mark Johnson took over and added content, including numerous videos and photos. “We believe that this site will act as the main portal of
involved with our organization. We also have a function called the ‘Legislative Action Center’ that makes communicating with your state lawmakers easy and effective.” Johnson adds that the donation page provides users with a quick and simple way to make a gift, including a program designation feature that allows donors to support their favorite area of interest. “This is just our first step in revamping our web presence,” says Johnson. “Much like the other growth in our organization, we see this new website as the beginning of lots of exciting things on the
information for Tennesseans who are interested in the goings-on of
horizon as it relates to communications. Our ultimate goal is to
wildlife conservation, hunting, and our state’s natural
create a statewide community of outdoor enthusiasts who can stay informed and take action in a variety of ways through our various online media.”
TWF’s new website features a wealth of information about our programs, public policy, and an ever-growing library of special reports and results related to Tennessee’s natural resources and wildlife. Go to www.tnwf.org. Tennessee Out-Of-Doors
SOCIAL MEDIA
From our Facebook friends As our social media community continues to grow by leaps and
two winning submissions from the past few months.
bounds, so does our interaction with you, our friends. This is one of
Also, our friends sometimes share outdoor photos on our
our favorite forms of communication, so if you’re a Facebook user
Facebook page like the ones below. Keep ‘em coming!
but haven’t yet LIKED our page, be sure to do it! It’s an excellent
Remember: You can find us on Facebook at
way to stay connected with other outdoor enthusiasts in our state.
www.facebook.com/tnwildlife and on Twitter at
Occassionally, we have caption contests, and diplayed below are
PHOTO POSTINGS
“Father-daughter Veterans Day bucks for me and my little girl! Maddie’s is a six-pointer, mine a 10-pointer. Taken about 100 yards and 10 minutes apart, Monday, Nov. 11, 2013.” — Greg Spradley
www.twitter.com/twfoutofdoors.
WINNING CAPTIONS
“Seriously, I’m smelling fox like crazy over here, guys. I’m not kidding. Like it is right here!” — Zombiekiller John
“Mom, we’re scared! Can we come sleep with you?” — Betty Hernandez
ONLINE GIVEAWAY ENDS DEC. 23! To celebrate the launch of our new website, TWF is conducting an online giveaway of two high-end, branded items from Cabela’s like this blaze-orange hunting parka and Camelbak hydration pack, both sporting the TWF logo. Each have an estimated retail value of $125-$150. The randomly drawn winner will choose between the two. Check out our This amazing photo of a Sumner County gobbler was snapped by Sherry Baker.
website and social media outlets for information on how to enter!
WINTER 2013 l www.tnwf.org l 3 7
F E AT U R E — F R I E N D S O F T H E F E D E R AT I O N Photos by Bob Foster
civil training In producing high-caliber retrievers, Chattanooga’s Bob Foster focuses on the animal’s innate talents and desire to please By Jay Sheridan
Bob Foster and Roddy Reynolds of Chattanooga-based Blowing Springs Kennel train championship hunting dogs like Hoss, Foster’s own chocolate Lab, and Samantha, in the background. The trainers start working with puppies at birth and by six weeks of age, they are already familiar with retrieving.
Labrador retrievers earned their name centuries ago helping fishermen off the coast of Newfoundland gather nets and secure cod flopping off the lines. In the offseason, they would assist the settlers – many of whom were British – catch and retrieve game for subsistence. In time, the wealthy Brits learned of the Lab’s steady nature, keen nose and eagerness to please. It became clear that this breed of dog made for an excellent conservation tool. Fast forward to the 21st century, and dog breeding and training has
hunting companion. At the root of it all, says Bob Foster, owner of Chattanooga-based Blowing Springs Kennel, is obedience. Foster and his business partner, Roddy Reynolds, have produced five generations of chocolate Lab puppies over the course of 30 years. They’ve developed a training model that starts at birth, working with everything from duck dogs to pointers, drug dogs to shed antler hunters, and trackers for dead and wounded big-game species. All of it is rooted in the notion of harnessing a Lab’s innate talents while teaching it to behave with civility. “When the pups are born, the first day is free,” says Foster, a longtime friend of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation. “They go to work on Day 2. They don’t just lay around for weeks. When they go home with their new
become big business. Labs are perennial contenders for the title of “most
family at around six weeks of age, they are crate-trained, potty trained,
popular breed in America,” as good for a house pet as for a waterfowl
walking on a lead, and familiar with limited retrieving.”
Tennessee Out-Of-Doors
DID YOU KNOW? Researchers believe that most dogs wag their tails to the right when they see something they recognize, and wag to the left when they feel threatened.
And they are quiet ... remarkably so. Foster stands in the middle of the kennel with dozens of dogs – including ones there to board and train – and the anticipated sound of barking in the background is strangely
blind knocking guns over. It’s 99 percent obedience – they want to please. You just have to show them what to do.” He likens it to the first day of kindergarten, with a young student being
absent. He says it’s an “environmental thing, like going on a date to a nice
told that they are going to be a writer, and never understanding anything
restaurant versus a dive.” Everyone wants to fit in and adapts to the
about math or science because they weren’t ever exposed to it. Blowing
behavior of their peers. Here, that means no barking and whining. In the
Springs takes an opposite approach.
kennel and in the field, individual dogs are profiled through detailed personality tests to find their unique attributes and weak points.
Case in point: all of the kennel’s Labs are trained to point birds, as well as retrieve. It goes back to the instinct to hunt to eat, and Foster points
“The drive to hunt and retrieve is in their nature,” Foster says. “Once
out that stalking, sneaking, and attempting to catch is essentially the
we gain their trust, convince them that ‘no’ means ‘no’ and that learning
same thing as pointing and flushing a covey of birds. He starts with a
new things is fun and exciting, then we have begun to tap in to the dogs’
pheasant wing on a pole, allowing puppies to chase after it and never
full potential. A lot of trainers start off to create a duck dog, and they may
stopping until the dog gives up. Then, he gets to catch the wing, and is
end up with an unbelievable retriever who won’t ride in the truck, wines
heaped with praise. Over time, dogs learn that it doesn’t do any good to
in the blind, jumps at the sound of safeties clicking off or runs around the
run like crazy, and there’s value in taking the slower approach. Ultimately, dogs are taught to flush the birds up on their names. Instead of a command like “flush,” they go on the sound of their name, which allows multiple dogs to work together without confusion. Foster says it’s entirely possible to have a duck dog that points upland game birds, to take a Lab to South Dakota and hunt waterfowl in the morning and pheasants in the afternoon. He says he’s never had a Lab try to point a duck, and theorizes that the different set of circumstances, commands, and situational stimuli give them all the clues they need to understand their job for the moment. And the dogs’ skillsets aren’t limited to bird hunting. The Blowing Springs staff regularly trains dogs to find antler sheds in the spring and to blood-trail white-tailed deer and other big-game species. He says he learned a valuable lesson early on: A dog’s nose, being 1,000 times more sensitive than a human’s, can distinguish the difference between animals from different geographical locations. “We had great success with a shed dog from Alabama whose owner provided us some antlers for training,” he says. “We started with large pieces close by and ended up using small sections well-hidden. The dog did an outstanding job. We then trained a dog from the Midwest the same way, but when we took him home, he wouldn’t find sheds in the wild. We apologized, came back, and tried to figure out what went wrong. We knew it was a human problem, not the dog’s. We discovered that what an animal eats really affects the way it smells, and we started having people send us local antlers so that the dog would be able to distinguish the particular scent from their home territory.” The same essential process has worked with blood tracking, using samples from the dogs’ home range to create large trails and ending up with specks of diluted blood spaced over long distances. The trail gets colder and colder, with 20 yards or more between “clues.”
Foster introduces a new “resident” to other dogs he and co-owner Reynolds are training. Foster says that young dogs want to “fit in” with the veterans and will easily pick up positive traits.
Eventually, the dog will “go up the side of a mountain” to find a deer, and please its owner, says Bob. It could make the difference between recovering an injured animal and leaving it to waste. (See Labs, page 10) WINTER 2013 l www.tnwf.org l 9
LABS (Continued from page 9) While state regulations require a call to the local wildlife officer before using a dog to track a deer, Bob says that in his experience, TWRA is apt to give permission after ensuring that hunters are not running live deer, but making the effort to recover a wounded one. Blowing Springs’ approach is more scientific than subjective, and though dogs are “graded” on various factors throughout the training process, the ultimate judge of success is the client.
Dogs of twf The staff at TWF enjoy a long, rich history of canine companionship, and we thought it’d be fun to show you a few of our best buddies. We’d love to see your dogs, too. Go to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tnwildlife and post your pictures. They may show up in the next Out-Of-Doors!
“Like anything else, they see more great jumps in progress than I do,” Foster says. “We’re overly critical of our own progress, but we’re heavy on client involvement and tailoring the training to the situation. It may take weeks, months, or years to reach the dog’s full potential, but some people are thrilled with a good family dog who will perform well in the field a few times per season. We work with both ends of the spectrum, and everything in between.” Above all, Foster says it’s about getting people into the outdoors. If it takes a dog to do it, so much the better. “The Lab is an unbelievable conservation tool, and none of us are as good a shot as we think,” he says. “I’ve personally seen a lot of birds shot that never would have been recovered without the use of
LEFT: Story, a 7-year-old Samoyed, is owned by GOU Manager Sonya Wood Mahler. RIGHT: Sage, a 4-year-old chocolate Lab, belongs to Development Officer Cameron Mitchell.
a retriever, and the same thing on the tracking side. It is our critical obligation to do everything we can to recover the animal we’ve shot and use it for its intended purpose.” For more information on Blowing Springs Kennel, including an incredible video training series, visit www.blowingsprings.com.
LEFT: Kate is a 2-year-old black Lab owned by TWF Board Chair Dr. Jack Gayden. RIGHT: Cliff Vaughn and then-3-yearold Cassidy, husband and daughter of TWF Director of Grants and Special Projects Karen Vaughn, duck hunt with the family’s 2-year-old Lab, Oscar.
LEFT: Bedford, a 16-year-old black Lab owned by TWF CEO Mike Butler, is now enjoying a life of retirement. RIGHT: Diesel, a 2-year-old American bulldog, belongs to executive assistant Katie Eadler.
Blowing Springs also trains retrievers to locate shed antlers, as with 8-month-old Kash. Foster says dogs are more successful when searching for antlers indigenous to their home territory. Tennessee Out-Of-Doors
RIGHT: From left, Lucky, an American pit bull terrier, and Gracie, a terrier mix, belong to GOU Memphis manager Kate Friedman.
TWF PROGRAMS
Youth Dove Hunt a runaway success Photos by Mark Johnson Some 50 youngsters — mostly Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program athletes — their parents, volunteers, and TWF and TWRA staff gathered at Terry Whitson’s Rogersville farm Saturday, Sept. 7, for a fantastic and memorable TWF Youth Dove Hunt. Thanks to Tom and Hunter Rice, Jerry Strom, and many others for their help in organizing the event.
The 50 or so youngsters who participated in the TWF Youth Dove Hunt proudly displayed their Tennessee hunting licenses before heading to the fields. After being treated to an old-fashioned cookout, they were required to view a bird identification presentation prior to the hunt.
ABOVE LEFT: TNSCTP Manager Andrew Peercy conducts a safety briefing. ABOVE RIGHT: Austin Coleman, 15, of Sweetwater, harvested his limit of 15 birds.
LEFT: Samantha Dockery, 14, fires at a passing dove. ABOVE: Peercy, left, and other organizers extend their gratitude to landowner Terry Whitson. RIGHT: Ian Kilday, 12, waits for the sun to lower and the birds to get active. WINTER 2013 l www.tnwf.org l 11 3
T W F H I S TO R Y
a different kind of ‘dynasty’ Tennessee’s 1986 Wetlands Acquisition Act revives waterfowl habitat over nearly three decades By Mark Johnson
Thousands of majestic mallards are making their annual migration from summer breeding grounds in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba, Canada, south through the Mississippi Flyway and into West Tennessee wetlands. For the younger generation of Tennessee sportsmen, it may be tough to understand that mallards and other waterfowl species were on thin ice less than three decades ago. In fact, were it not for the efforts of visionary conservationists like the Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s longtime CEO Tony Campbell — back when the organization was known as the Tennessee Conservation League (TCL) — abundant West Tennessee waterfowl might only be a distant memory today. Given our state’s history of astounding duck harvests, the “dynasty” of the
was no different than any other Southeastern U.S. state; the post-WWII industrial boom required that more and more “unusable” land be put into production of one form or another, and in West Tennessee, that likely meant converting wetlands to farmlands. The loss of wildlife habitat was a predictable if poorly planned result. But when Congress authorized the West Tennessee Tributaries Flood Control Project (WTTFCP) in 1948, the die was cast for a fierce The mallard is the ancestor of almost every domestic duck breed. It’s so prolific that it has given rise to many duck populations worldwide. Here are a few more interesting facts: • Mallards are strong, fast fliers. Some have been estimated at travelling better than 55 miles per hour. • The stereotypical duck’s “quack” is the vocalization of the female mallard. Drakes don’t quack; they make a softer, raspy sound. • Like other ducks, mallards shed their flight feathers at the end of the breeding season and are flightless for 3 to 4 weeks. During this vulnerable time, their body feathers molt into a camo-type plumage that makes them difficult to see and identify. • A flying group of ducks is called a “flock,” but a group on the water is called a “sord.” • There are feral breeding populations of mallards in the Bermudas and Cayman Islands.
mallard seems unbreakable. So abundant were the birds around the turn of the 20th
struggle between conservationists and those agencies — mainly, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) — that sought to tame Mother Nature’s design of the Mississippi River’s tributary system. Fast-forward to the early 1980s. After a nearly 20-year David-and-Goliath struggle between USACE and Tennessee Wildlife Federation board member J. Clark Akers III, among others, the WTTFCP had been shelved, but damage to much of the Obion and Forked River Basin had already been done through the Corps’ channelization and dredging efforts. (Read about Akers’ epic battle in our Spring 2012 issue of Tennessee Out-Of-Doors.) In her book, “Sportsmen United: The Story of the Tennessee Conservation League,” author Marge Davis writes that by 1981, “as many as half of all wetlands in the U.S. had been dredged,
century that, in 1905, the daily bag limit for ducks was 50 per day per
filled, drained, or otherwise destroyed. In Tennessee, possibly as
hunter! But by the mid-1980s, Tennessee’s once copious duck-
many as 2.8 million acres of original wetlands had dwindled to barely
hunting opportunities were suffering the same fate as its waterfowl
800,000.” Canadian droughts in the late ’70s had also contributed to
habitat.
an alarming decline in mallard breeding populations, which added to
Both were drying up.
already dismal waterfowl harvests early in the next decade as
The demands of production agriculture and development began
compared to that of the years prior to the WTTFCP.
catching up with fragile wetlands during the 1940s-’50s. Tennessee Tennessee Out-Of-Doors Tennessee Out-Of-Doors
(See Wetlands, page 14)
Photo by Steve Oehlenschlager
BY 1981, ‘AS MANY AS HALF OF ALL WETLANDS IN THE U.S. HAD BEEN DREDGED, FILLED, DRAINED, OR OTHERWISE DESTROYED.’
WINTER 2013 l www.tnwf.org l 3 WINTER 2013 l www.tnwf.org l 13
wetlands (Continued from page 9) Simply put, there were fewer ducks and less waterfowl habitat.
Campbell with a chuckle. “It was probably as significant as the
Around this time, TCL’s Tony Campbell and Chuck Cook,
[1977] Water Quality Control Act, which was no small thing. It took
then-president of The Nature Conservancy, began discussing an idea to fund wetland restoration in Tennessee. “We knew that something had to be done,” says Campbell, who retired from TCL in 1995 after 23 years of groundbreaking service. “It wasn’t only waterfowl habitat we were losing; it was affecting all kinds of wildlife. It was time to take action.” After a year or so of investigation, a legislative task force introduced a wetlands acquisition bill on Cook’s recommendation that was based on model he had seen in Florida. There, a
up a lot of our time.” On April 9, 1986, the U.A. Moore Wetlands Acquisition Act, drafted largely by Campbell and Cook and roughly following the Florida model, passed after nearly two years of effort. Exactly 12 months later and under the leadership of its chief at the time, Gary Myers, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) made its first purchase of wetlands — 1,298 acres in Lauderdale County. The purchase set into motion 27 years of wetlands acquisitions
percentage of the statewide real estate transfer tax went into a fund
and management that have put West Tennessee waterfowl back on
for buying wetlands. There was considerable opposition to the plan
solid footing. In 1992 and in recent years, additions to the bill
from groups like the Tennessee Association of Realtors, and
allowed for funding for specific uplands purchases and municipal
Campbell spent months convincing lawmakers that the wetland
greenways and state park improvements as well. Dr. Gray
ecology of West Tennessee was, indeed, at risk if the bill failed.
Anderson, TWRA’s assistant chief of wildlife, says the funding
“Oh, it was a tough thing to get through the legislature,” says
provided by the bill has become an “essential component of wetlands renovation.” “We take those monies and purchase WMAs [wildlife management areas], refuges, or add on to existing WMAs,” says Anderson. “In some cases, we create linkages or corridors from one WMA or refuge to another. This has been critical in making sure we have habitat that is secured for the future.” TWRA Chief of Land Acquisitions Tim Churchill adds that conservation partnerships with groups like TWF, The Nature Conservancy, Wolf River Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation, Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation, and others have been critical in helping the agency make the most of the Wetlands Act monies. “By partnering with these organizations, we’ve been able to acquire a substantial amount of matching funds through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act,” says Churchill. “This has equated to us being able to purchase a lot more acres of wetlands per dollar than we might have otherwise. We’ve done pretty well through the years getting different groups involved in our wetlands acquisition program. It’s been a real cooperative effort.” In addition to land acquisitions, Anderson points out that there is a heavy management component to TWRA’s responsibilities as well. “A percentage of these funds are earmarked for habitat improvement in existing WMAs,” he explains. “We can look at a property and ask ourselves, ‘How can we upgrade this WMA from good to stellar?’ This often involves not only adding more acres to the WMA, but also planting trees and other native plants and doing a variety of on-the-ground manipulations of those habitats.” The success of the bill is hard to dispute. Anderson says that since 1986, TWRA has purchased some 75,000 acres of prime wetlands, mostly in West Tennessee. These carefully managed refuges and WMAs have attracted a substantially increased number
The difference between the duck band report from 1980-1984 (top) and 2004-2008 show a substantial increase in harvest numbers. Each dot represents an approximate longitude/latitude intersection where a duck was harvested and checked in. (Graphics courtesy of TWRA) Tennessee Out-Of-Doors
of mallard ducks, as evidenced by duck band returns. “Ducks are tagged with leg bands in Canada during the summer and then allowed to migrate freely,” he explains. “When they arrive in West Tennessee and are harvested, those bands are checked in WINTER 2013 l www.tnwf.org l 14
DID YOU KNOW? The Tennessee Conservation League was instrumental in the creation of the Tennessee WIldlife Resources Agency, established in 1974.
by hunters, which gives us a good idea of population increases or decreases.” Anderson points out that while it’s difficult to estimate the actual
“I guess it saved some pretty critical wetlands that would’ve either been drained or gone otherwise and added a lot more,” says Campbell. “And I’ll tell you what else: It just goes to show you
population of a migrating species, the band returns provide solid
what an organization like the Tennessee Wildlife Federation can do
proof that many more ducks are being harvested now than in the
when we set our minds to it!”
early- to mid-1980s. “The data shows that the harvest didn’t shift from the historic areas of high waterfowl activity to the new areas,” Anderson says. “Rather, we see a very dramatic increase in waterfowl harvests in the drainages where focused wetland purchases have been made in Photo courtesy of Chad Whittenburg
addition to increases in the Reelfoot and Kentucky Lake areas.” Mike Butler, chief executive officer of TWF, says the Wetlands Acquisition Act represents a “huge cooperative success” and credits Campbell, Cook, Myers, and the legislative task force with reviving Tennessee’s longstanding tradition of duck hunting and waterfowl conservation. “Clearly, the declines of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s have slowed,” says Butler. “Those of us who value our state’s rich heritage of waterfowl hunting and want to see this tradition passed on to future generations have people like Tony Campbell to thank for much of our duck habitat today.” Campbell says he certainly derives satisfaction from the success of the program.
TWF Director of Wildlife Ecological Services Chad Whittenburg duck hunts with his late Labrador retriever, Abby, on Old Hickory Lake. Even in Middle and East Tennessee, hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities have been improved by the Wetlands Acquisition Act.
WINTER 2013 l www.tnwf.org l 3
TWF PROGRAMS
Wonders of water GOU kids take the plunge
By GOU Manager Sonya Wood Mahler
“I
didn’t know there even were waterfalls and now they’re my favorite things in nature,” says Kelvin from a Metro Parks community center. The particular waterfall he’s referring to is Burgess Falls, one of 25 Middle Tennessee destinations that Great
Outdoors University (GOU) uses to help underserved kids explore the outdoors. The final drop Photo by Tony Lance
of Burgess Falls is 136 feet to the bottom of a steep gorge, and our groups hike from the top to the bottom and all the way back up again. Especially in Middle Tennessee, GOU is all about water. In addition to Burgess Falls State Park, our field trips take us to David Crockett State Park, Fall Creek Falls State Park, and Cummins Falls, one of Tennessee’s newest state parks. We program a “Waterfalls Weekend” that includes hikes to two falls with a campout in between. Cummins Falls State Park, with its large, deep pool just below the spectacular falls, was rated one of the top 10 natural swimming pools in the nation. The kids we take there have an opportunity to swim, climb up rocks, and even crawl behind some of the thundering waterfalls. David Crockett State Park has perfect pint-sized waterfalls that stretch from one side of the river to the other. Kids often hold hands to make a chain as they work their way across to the other side. Some slide down the falls and some just sit in the shallow, churning water and relax.
GOU participants navigate a short waterfall at Cummins Falls State Park during a trip in August 2013. Excursions to waterfall and stream are a vital component of GOU’s programming, especially in Middle Tennessee.
Waterfalls do seem to have all the ingredients of a perfect GOU field trip. Take fast-moving, clear, cool water, add about 16 kids on a hot summer’s day, and mix well. You can easily hear the laughter over the sounds of the rushing water. We often spend three or four hours swimming, climbing, sliding, and floating in the streams, and it’s often tough to get everybody out of the water. We’ve found that the best lures are watermelons, blackberries, or some other seasonal fruits served with lemonade and set out on a big, flat rock. Works every time! These are definitely destination hikes. It’s easier to keep kids motivated on a hike when they can hear the amazing roar of a waterfall just around the next bend. The falls are often so big, loud, and different from anything they’ve ever seen, they offer kids a chance to forget the concerns of their young lives for a few hours. As one child from Youth Villages said after a day trip to Cummins Falls State Park, “I just seem to have more fun when I’m outside.”
Youth Outdoor Leadership Program launched The Youth Outdoor Leadership Program (YOLP), launched in September, is a natural next step for GOU in providing in-depth, outdoor opportunities to youth, and Memphis’ Plough Foundation has provided the funding to get the program going. The goal is to take participants who have distinguished themselves in the GOU program and give them the chance to engage at a deeper level. Eleven young men from the ScoutReach program of the Boy Scout’s Chickasaw Council were initially selected through an application and interview process. These are kids who have been participants in
nine-month program, teaching and training them in environmental interpretation, leadership, presentation, and outdoor skills. “Graduates” of YOLP will then assist as paid leaders on GOU trips, serving as naturalists and peer mentors to younger GOU participants. Training consists of monthly trips, each with an in-depth focus on one topic, such as identification of trees, birds, mammals, etc. Several of the monthly trips will be weekend overnight excursions with a focus on outdoor skills such as camping, hiking, fishing, campfires, and more. GOU Memphis manager Kate Friedman says she expects YOLP
the GOU program for four years or more, and through this new
participants to be ready to assist with outings beginning with summer
program, dedicated staff are leading them through an intensive
camp trips in June 2014. To learn more, visit www.tnwf.org.
Tennessee Out-Of-Doors
TWF PROGRAMS
TNSCTP takes control at national championships; TWF named USA Shooting CTC The Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program (TNSCTP) returned
The CTC program provides Olympic-caliber athletes with trained and
from the July SCTP National Championships in Sparta, Ill., with 13
certified coaches who are qualified to prepare the shooters for
titles for 2013. With that total, TNSCTP has become one of the most
high-level competition in skeet, sporting clays, and trap shooting, says
decorated scholastic shooting organizations in the country.
Michael Theimer, USA Shooting manager of youth programs and
Three Tennessee teams and 10 individuals -- from the Rookie class through the Collegiate division -- won first-place titles, with
athlete development. “Our CTCs are a major contributor to the Olympic athlete pipeline,”
dozens of others finishing between second and fourth. The girls
says Theimer. “They mentor not only athletes, but coaches who are
from the Spring Hill squad won more individual trap titles than any
interested in advancing
other team in the country, winning first place in the Rookie,
their own knowledge and
Intermediate Entry, and Intermediate Advanced divisions.
skill to help their local
“These athletes train relentlessly all year to compete on such a
club’s emerging talent.”
high level, and that hard work paid off,” said Andrew Peercy, TWF’s
TWF staff member
statewide TNSCTP program manager. “They’re shooting for a
Chad Whittenburg, who
chance to earn a college scholarship, or perhaps a spot on an
will serve as the program’s CTC coach and director, says the
Olympic development team. There are some real opportunities to
certification “ramps up” TNSCTP’s ability to serve the state’s growing
leverage these impressive talents on a national or even international
community of potential Olympic shooters.
stage.” The options for these athletes to hone their skills have never been
“I am very excited about the opportunity to serve USA Shooting as the CTC coach in the recruitment of athletes to their Olympic
better, says Peercy. In June, USA Shooting, the national governing body
pipeline,” says Whittenburg. “TWF becoming a CTC is huge for our
for the Olympic Shooting Sports, designated the Tennessee Wildlife
young shooters. Being able to offer athletes proper training and,
Federation as a USA Shooting Certified Training Center (CTC), one of
most importantly, providing the opportunity close to home is crucial in
only 16 in the country.
their development as they pursue their Olympic dreams.”
Elizabethton’s Unaka High School becomes Hunters for the Hungry processor Tennessee’s agricultural roots run deep, and programs like Future
About 30 students, mostly upperclassmen, enroll each
Farmers of America (FFA) help ensure that high-school students
semester in the meat-processing class introduced in 1982 at
have an opportunity to learn critical skills related to animal
the high school. The course is focused on training students to
husbandry.
butcher domestic products like beef, pork, and chicken, and it was
At Unaka High School in Elizabethton, FFA students in a meatprocessing class have established their own Department of
a “perfect marriage” with Hunters for the Hungry, says the teacher. “The students have a chance to learn how to properly process a
Agriculture-certified Hunters for the Hungry deer processing
deer under close supervision, and many of them are hunters
location.
anyway,” Armentrout says. “If we can help hungry people have
“The students came up with the idea, and when we put it to a vote with the FFA chapter, virtually everyone was for it,” says Joshua Armentrout, the teacher who has led the development of
healthy meat to eat while teaching the students an important skill, than this is a win-win situation.” With the ever-growing need for hunger relief in Tennessee, the
the program at Unaka. “The first few years we primarily just
only limitation for Hunters for the Hungry is resources. If you’re
processed the deer that students and their families had taken, but I
interested in supporting the Hunters for the Hungry program in your
really feel like this season is going to be a big one. It’s a great
community, please visit our website at www.tnwf.org or call Matt
opportunity for our program to help others.”
Simcox, the program’s coordinator, at 615-353-1133.
WINTER WINTER2013 2013 l l www.tnwf.org www.tnwf.org l l 17 3
T W F A R O U N D T H E S TAT E
The Tennessee Wildlife Federation is active across the state, from Mountain City to Memphis. Here are some quick looks at things going on in the world of TWF’s youth engagement and wildlife conservation across Tennessee.
Davidson
Putnam
Greene
Henderson
Shelby
Giles
SHELBY COUNTY
GILES COUNTY
Memphis University School and Hutchison School launch “Hunger Bowl” competition.
Payton Hamlett, 17, of the Richland Trap and Sporting Clays, won the “Rudy Cup” at the SCTP National Championships. The Rudy Cup
Designed to raise awareness about hunger in the community and benefit Hunters for the Hungry, the contest, launched in December, pits the two schools head-to-head in a fundraising competition.
is awarded to the top trap shooter from Tennessee. Payton won in a shoot-off after tying with Houston Carson and Shelby Simmons, both of Tipton County.
GREENE COUNTY
PUTNAM COUNTY
TWF’s Wildlife Ecological Services is working with Austin Powder U.S. Nitrogen to maximize the 500-acre Greeneville property for wildlife management. Staff spent time in
Mustard Seed Ranch Children’s Home in Cookeville is receiving venison donated through Hunters for the Hungry.
November eradicating fescue turf to re-establish native warm season grasses and improve wildlife habitat.
Through the special program which began last year, residents of the home who deer hunt also get their harvest processed for free at Sircy’s Deer Processing.
DAVIDSON COUNTY
HENDERSON COUNTY
In November, GOU joined with Girl Scouts and volunteers from Tennessee State Universty and Lipscomb University to plant trees along Richland Creek in Nashville. More
GOU Kids speak at the Tennessee Environmental Education Association annual conference in Wildersville Saturday, Sept. 28.
than 170 trees were planted as part of an ongoing stream restoration project overseen by members of the Richland Creek Watershed Alliance.
Troyce Griffin, Jalisa Buchanan, and Xavier Starnes, all from Franktown Open Hearts in Franklin, spoke to the conference about their GOU experiences and future life plans. Huge thanks and congrats to these kids!
Let us know what’s happening in your county. Email us at: info@tnwf.org Tennessee Tennessee Out-Of-Doors Out-Of-Doors
S T E WA R D S H I P
Burning to renew at North Cumberland WMA
Photos courtesy of Terry Lewis
TWF’s Terry Lewis drives program to create wildlife openings By Mark Johnson
I
t was a mundane tractor drive on a non-descript day near his 800-acre LaFollette farm in 2008 that gave TWF board member and Knoxville businessman Terry Lewis an idea: Create a prescribed
burning program at North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area. “You know, sometimes when you’re driving a tractor, you’ve got nothing to do but think,” laughs Lewis, who spearheaded Tennessee’s elk re-introduction program and Hatfield Knob Viewing Area construction a few years earlier. “There was a tremendous effort underway in 2008 to create wildlife openings in the area using bulldozers and other physical means. “I got to thinking, ‘We could use prescribed burns to create a lot more wildlife openings for very
TWF board member Terry Lewis tends to the fire line during a prescribed burn at North Cumberland WMA in 2009. Lewis says the group burned areas that had been clear-cut for timber. They plan to re-burn these areas after 3-4 years of regenerative growth.
little money.’” Lewis says he called TWF CEO Mike Butler and the two began discussing the possibilities. Soon after, Lewis, a lifelong outdoorsman, met with representatives from Fountains Forestry, Inc., the company that had purchased the timber rights in the area, to talk over the idea. “I asked them, ‘Would there be any heartburn with you guys if we burned all the underbrush and regeneration growth in certain areas,’ and they said, ‘No, not at all. In fact, we’ll work these areas that you specify into our rotational cutting schedule.’ That really got the ball rolling, because we could be site-specific and strategic about where we wanted the openings.” Lewis explains that prescribed burning removes old, dead thatch and allows sunlight to reach the soil and energize the seedbed, a lesson learned from native American Indians who used the tactic to manage oak savannahs for grazing herds of bison and elk back when those species ruled what is now Tennessee. The resulting new growth provides an abundant food source not only for elk, but for many other species of wildlife. But for all its benefits, organizing a large-scale controlled burn is a logistical challenge at best. “It took a lot of doing to get it off the ground,” says Lewis, who received TWF’s 2013 Chairman’s Award in June. “It was a real
TWRA and TWF staff and a group of volunteers listen to a safety briefing and other instructions prior to the 2009 burn. Lewis credits the 46 volunteers for making the project possible. “We literally couldn’t have done it without them,” he says.
cooperative effort between TWF, TWRA, the Tennessee Department
staff from TWRA and, of course, the Federation. We burned some
of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry, the Campbell Outdoor Recreation
800 acres and created some really nice wildlife habitat.”
Association, and others. But we pulled it together and completed our first burn in February 2009 with equipment provided mainly by TWF along with funding support via a generous grant from the E.B. and Mildred C. Edwards Trust. We had 46 volunteers on hand along with
Lewis says that although weather has hampered several subsequent burns, the group plans to try again early in 2014. “This is the type of thing I love doing as I get older,” he says. “It’s about giving back to the resource that I love.” WINTER 2013 l www.tnwf.org l 19
B OA R D M E M B E R S P OT L I G H T: P E T E R S C H U T T
Off the pavement, into the woods Peter Schutt blazes a trail of life-changing experiences By Jay Sheridan
G
rowing up in Memphis, Peter Schutt was fortunate to have grandparents who introduced him to the outdoors through trips to the kind of hunting and fishing destinations that
have become legend – places like Beaver Dam outside of Tunica, Miss., and the Hatchie Coon Club just across the river in northeast Arkansas. He remembers meeting the late Tennessee sportsman and author Nash Buckingham as a kindergartner, and bass fishing with an old Pfleuger metal baitcasting reel with braided line. Schutt’s grandfather was the general manager at the Peabody Hotel for 25 years, the man responsible for starting the now world-famous tradition of marching mallard ducks in each day to swim in the fountain. Those early experiences became a part of his life, igniting a passion for wildlife and the outdoors that he passed on to his own three sons and to thousands of other Tennessee children through TWF’s Great Outdoors University (GOU) program. “When I first approached the board with the idea for GOU, I was a bit skeptical that they would accept a shift in their view of what TWF’s mission was,” says Schutt. “Operating a program for mostly minority kids was to be something completely new. I am so grateful that the board embraced the program, and I know it will continue to thrive because it is so unique. It changes lives. “Most youth who live at or below the poverty line cannot imagine a world of beauty, because they never see it,” he says. “Everyone can enjoy and grow from being in nature, regardless of their wealth or lack thereof.” Boys and girls who may have never had the experience otherwise
TWF board member Peter Schutt hikes in the Washington Cascades with a GOU participant during an October 2013 trip. (Photo by Sonya Wood Mahler)
are learning to fish, to cook over a fire, and to identify flora and
young men from the Boy Scouts’ Memphis ScoutReach program –
fauna. They splash in creeks and learn about agriculture – all the
a week-long camping, hiking, and mountaineering trip in the
while overcoming fears, learning life lessons, and sparking interests
Cascades Mountains of Washington State from a base camp at
they will carry into adulthood.
Schutt’s remote ranch there.
Since 2005, GOU has been helping inner-city kids understand the
“My first job out of college was with a mental health facility in
world that exists beyond the pavement. What started in Memphis
Bellingham, Washington, and I fell in love with the North Cascades,”
soon expanded to Nashville, and opportunities for growth into east
Schutt says. “Raising three sons to be hunters and anglers
Tennessee are currently being explored. The program has even been
reinforced to me what a difference it makes in a young person’s
“franchised” to the Charlotte, N.C. community as a result of its
character and worldview. Having grown up in a city faced with
success, a concept so simple but so incredibly impactful.
ever-increasing poverty and urbanization, with little regard for nature
While dozens of day and weekend trips take place from spring to
as a part of these people’s lives, I realized that someone needed to
fall on private farms and in parks across the state, the last three
figure out how to reverse the paradigm of trapping kids inside a
years have included something even more memorable for eight
concrete and asphalt prison.”
Tennessee Out-Of-Doors
B OA R D M E M B E R S P OT L I G H T Schutt’s family has been in the publishing business since the late 1800s, when his great-grandfather launched the Memphis Daily News. Peter changed careers a few times early on, working in
talents, and resources to cultivate and enhance programs that make a difference. In 2012, Schutt led the effort to craft a multi-year strategic plan
restaurant management after returning to Memphis in the early ‘80s.
focused on reaching more Tennesseans, and the results are showing.
Long, late hours didn’t match well with a young family. He joined his
He cites people like former University of Tennessee football coach
father at the Daily News and eventually bought the company, which
Phillip Fulmer in Knoxville who are helping build excitement in the
included a network of community newspapers and specialty
community.
publications. One of those was the Mid-South Hunting and Fishing News, where
“In addition to our education and outreach efforts, TWF speaks for all Tennesseans when it comes to any issue related to and connected
Schutt was introduced to the then-Tennessee Conservation League
with the beauty of nature and the protection of our right to enjoy
and its work with the effort to stop the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’
nature,” he says. “Our longstanding work in the state legislature, for
plan to channelize the Obion River in West Tennessee. He was asked
instance, has brought us respect among the majority of public
to serve on the League’s board, helping guide the organization
policymakers in the state. Witness the overwhelming support of our
through the change to the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, and its
work in assuring the passage of the constitutional amendment
increased focus on initiatives like the Tennessee Scholastic Clay
guaranteeing the right to hunt and fish.”
Target Program and Hunters for the Hungry – programs designed to serve a critical purpose while connecting people with wildlife. Having served on numerous boards over the years, Schutt says
Schutt says he plans to stay closely involved with TWF and GOU for the long term. Thank you, Peter, for your leadership in broadening horizons, and
he’s continually amazed by the passion – to the person – that TWF’s
for your endless cultivation of a program that helps children
board and advisory board members bring to the table. Men and
understand that a whole new world exists beyond where the
women united by their love of the outdoors dedicate their time,
sidewalk ends.
T W F S TA F F N E W S TWF adds three new staff positions and board/advisory members TWF is proud to announce the addition of three staff positions: senior program director, finance director, and executive assistant. In May, Katie Eadler was brought on board to serve as executive
Albert Menefee of Brentwood is president of Beech Creek Farm & Land Management, LLC, in Franklin. He and his wife, Theresa, are known for their significant support for organizations including the
assistant at the Nashville headquarters. Eadler previously worked as
Iroquois Steeplechase, Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, the Boy
office manager of Nashville’s Center for Non-Profit Management
Scouts of America, and others.
and Hands On Nashville. Senior Program Director Shayla Beebe, hired in July, is a Texas
A lifelong Memphian, Ric Wolbrecht is a financial advisor and a vice president in the Private Client Group at Raymond James in Memphis.
native who has worked in non-profit management and public policy
He currently serves as board chair of the Germantown Athletic Club
for the past 15 years. Beebe has a bachelor’s degree and an M.B.A.
and president of the Steeplegate Homeowners Association.
from the University of Arkansas. Michael Gray came to TWF in August after more than 30 years
Colin Reed of Nashville is president, CEO, and chairman of the board of Ryman Hospitality Properties (formerly Gaylord Entertainment
experience in various areas of finance and financial analysis. He has
Company). Reed has successfully led the company’s strategic
worked in many capacities in banking, healthcare, manufacturing,
reorganization as a hospitality and entertainment corporation through
and service industries, and now serves as finance director for TWF.
the Gaylord Hotels and Grand Ole Opry brands.
The Federation has also added three respected leaders in
“Much of our success is attributable to the efforts of a strong board
business and conservation to its board of directors and advisory
of directors and advisory board,” says Mike Butler, TWF chief executive
board, respectively. Albert Menefee of Brentwood and William F.
officer. “These three have a passion for wildlife and conservation, and
“Ric” Wolbrecht IV were elected to TWF’s board of directors, and
we’re looking forward to engaging them in our strategic growth and
Colin Reed of Nashville, to its advisory board.
development.”
WINTER WINTER2013 2013 l l www.tnwf.org www.tnwf.org l l 21 3
WILD GAME RECIPE
BY C A M E R O N M I T C H E L L
Sweet Thai Chili Grilled Dove with hickory-smoked bacon and wild rice Grilled dove is one of life’s great culinary pleasures, and with just a little extra effort and a twist on the normal methods of seasoning, you can give your bird a little unexpected “kick.” And, of course, we all know that everything’s better with bacon! Cleaning dove • Separate each wing at the shoulder and remove. • Separate the breast from remainder of the bird and discard all but the breast and breastbone. • Wash and rinse breast in cold water to remove any blood or feathers. Ingredients for wild rice mixture • 2 cups wild rice • 3½ cups water
Photo by Cameron Mitchell
• 2 ounces chicken base • 4 ounces diced yellow onions • 1 ounce minced garlic • 3 ounces dried Ocean Spray® Cranraisins or similar product • 2 ounces whole butter • 2 ounces chopped green onions In a medium sauce pan, dice and sauté yellow onion until translucent. Add garlic, chicken base, and water. Allow to boil. Add water to wild rice blend. Turn to low heat, cook covered for 45 minutes or follow box directions. When completely cooked, remove from heat, add butter, Cranraisins, green onions, and fold all together. Leave lid on pan until ready to serve. Salt and pepper to taste. Ingredients for dove • 1 large bowl • 3 dove breasts per person • 12 ounces Kikkoman® Sweet Thai Chili Sauce or similar product (Use 2 ounces per breast) • Stainless steel or bamboo skewers (Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for one hour prior to grilling) • 1 pound Benton’s Hickory Smoked Country Bacon (Madisonville, Tenn.) or similar product Preheat gas or charcoal grill to 400˚. Place cleaned dove breasts in a large bowl. Add to the bowl one tablespoon per breast of sweet Thai chili sauce. Toss until each breast is generously covered and refrigerate. Cut bacon slices in half, one slice per breast and approximately 5-6 inches long. Wrap breast with the ends of bacon slice, one on either side. Wrap all three breasts and skewer them together (traveling across) along with the bacon. Place them all together in center of skewer, but not tightly against one another. (You should be able to see between each breast.) When the wild rice is nearly cooked, place the dove skewers on the center of the grill with the breastbone facing up and close the lid. Every four minutes, rotate the breasts from one side to another facing down, being careful not to burn the bacon. At a total of 12 minutes, the rotation should return to the breasts facing up. At this point, turn the grill off and leave the breasts on the grill while you prepare your plates. Place wild rice and grilled breasts on plate with leftover sweet Thai chili sauce on the side. Tennessee Out-Of-Doors
2013 Memorials and Honorariums In Memory of Mr. Carthel C. Alcorn
In Memory of Mr. Charles C. “Buddy” Vaughn, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Sidney McAlister, Brentwood, TN
Ms. Annie Barrett, Murfreesboro, TN Brentwood Hills Church of Christ, Nashville, TN
In Memory of Mr. Robert “Bobby” Day
Ms. Lona Dunn, Beechgrove, TN
Mark & Sue Utley, Jackson, TN
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas & Patricia Eiselstein, Hixson, TN Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Farrar, Milton, TN
In Memory of Mr. Ron R. McDonald
Mr. & Mrs. Walter Farrer, Murfreesboro, TN
Mr. & Mrs. Jacob and Katie Arthur, Nashville, TN
Ms. Sue Fox, Hermitage, TN
Georgia Cancer Specialists, Atlanta, GA
Mr. James Jarman, Murfreesboro, TN
Mr. & Mrs. David & Beverly Johnson, Pulaski, TN
Mr. & Mrs. Greg & Ann Mather, Christiana, TN
Mrs. Stephanie Swann Mendez, Little Rock, AR
Mr. & Mrs. Ron R. McDonald, Cotter, AR
Mrs. Karen L. Vaughn, Bell Buckle, TN
Nashville Sheet Metal, LLC, Nashville, TN
Mrs. Katherine Vaughn, Murfreesboro, TN
Mr. & Mrs. Robin Rackoff, Savannah, GA Mrs. Barbara Tyler, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
In Memory of Mr. Edgar F. “Rags” Ragsdale
Mrs. Katherine Vaughn, Murfreesboro, TN
Mr. Robert P. Alexander, Sr., Nashville, TN
Mr. & Mrs. R.D. & Cheryl Warren, Murfreesboro, TN
Mr. & Mrs. Mernice Alkire, Mesa, AZ Mr. John E. Cain, Nashville, TN
In Honor of Frank Duff
Enterprise Electric, LLC, Nashville, TN
Mr. William B. Oehmig, Chattanooga, TN
Gamaliel Shooting Supply, Gamaliel, KY Mr. Nat Harris, Brentwood, TN
In Honor of Clayton McWhorter & Gordon Inman
Mr. Isaac Hulme, Brentwood, TN
Mr. & Mrs. David & Beverly Johnson, Pulaski, TN
Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Kirby, Columbia, SC
Mr. & Mrs. Rudy & Anne Ruark, Nashville, TN
Mr. & Mrs. Colon Miles, Chapin, SC Mr. & Mrs. Joe Palmer, Nashville, TN
In Honor of Peter Schutt
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Thomas, Saint Louis, MO
Mr. & Mrs. John and Mary Leslie Olson, Tallahassee, FL WINTER 2013 l www.tnwf.org l 23
Tennessee Wildlife Federation 300 Orlando Ave., Suite 200 Nashville, TN 37209