Tennessee Out-Of-Doors Winter 2014

Memphis student rallies Hunters for the Hungry club

Social media photos and feedback

Venison: It’s what’s for dinner$500 www.tnwf.org

Right ontargetTennessee shooters make noiseon an international stage

WINTER 2014

Eagle vision

Conservation starter

Brentwood Boy Scout surprises GOU with amazing gift

A look at TWF history with first Executive Director Tony Campbell

PLUS:

Tennessee Out-Of-Doors

Kendall McCarter, Executive EditorMark Johnson, Editor

Kate Hill, Graphic Artist

TWF friend and photographer Robin Conover captured this amazing sunrise photo of geese flying over Radnor Lake in Nashville.

SOUTHERN EXPOSURES

WINTER 2014

Memphis student organizes Hunters for the Hungry club

Social media photos and feedback

Venison/dry rub recipe$500 www.tnwf.org

Right ontargetTennessee shooters make noiseon an international stage

WINTER 2014

Eagle vision

Conservation starter

Brentwood Boy Scout surprises GOU

Tony Campbell put TWF on the map

PLUS:

Michael Butler, Chief Executive OfficerKendall McCarter, Chief Development Officer

Karen Vaughn, Director of Grants & Special ProjectsShayla Beebe, Senior Director, Programs

Mark Johnson, Director of CommunicationsJanet Henderson, Director of Finance

Sonya Wood Mahler, GOU Nashville ManagerKate Friedman, GOU Memphis Manager

Andrew Peercy, TNSCTP ManagerMatt Simcox, HFTH Manager

Cameron Mitchell, Development OfficerAngela Schmidt, Development Coordinator

Kate Hill, Communications CoordinatorAmy Colvin, GOU Program AssistantTony Lance, GOU Program Assistant

Katie Eadler, Executive Assistant/Office ManagerGreg Young, Legal Advisor, Stites & Harbison, PLC

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

Bruce Fox • Clinton

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

Anker Browder • Knoxville

Albert Buckley Jr. • Franklin

Jim Byford • Martin

Jim Candella • Brentwood

Charles Chitty • Chattanooga

Philip Claypool • Memphis

H.A. “Craig” Connors • Rossville

Bill Cox • Collierville

Nick Crafton • Memphis

Bill Dance • Collierville

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

Brian Sparks • Collierville

Brenda Valentine • Puryear

Susan Williams • Knoxville Photo by Mark Johnson

ABOUT THE COVER: SCTP trap champion Samantha Smith is finding international success. More on page 16.

TWF Staff


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Hutchison School senior Connell Erb is interviewed about Hunters for the Hungry’s “Hunger Challenge” at Mid-South Food bank in Memphis. See Page 24.

FEATURES

8 Eagle vision Brentwood Boy Scout Daniel Brawner makes GOU his own project

12 Conservation starter As the first executive director of the Tennessee Conservation League, Tony Campbell laid the groundwork for modern wildlife conservation in the state

16 Right on target Hannah Houston and Sam Smith are making noise on the international trap and skeet stage

PROGRAMS 23 TN Scholastic Clay Target Program New youth hunts take flight in Jackson and Cleveland

24 Hunters for the Hungry Hutchison School in Memphis grabs hold of Hunger Challenge

DEPARTMENTS

4 Chairman’s Corner5 From the CEO6 Development/Social Media25 Around the State27 Memorials /New Employees

WILD GAME RECIPE26 Venison roast with dry rub


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-Doors300 Orlando Avenue, Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37209

Tennessee Out-Of-DoorsTennessee Out-Of-Doors

CHAIRMAN’S CORNER

Hunters for the Hungry taps into the best of philanthropy

Dr. John O. GaydenChairman of the Board

As Chairman of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation board of directors, I

look at our programs like a loving parent of three children; It’s

impossible to choose which one I like best. That said, it would be difficult

for me to rank any above Hunters for the Hungry if I was asked to name

a near-perfect program.

The whole concept of HFTH is an inspiration. Simply put, the program addresses a problem as old as history itself — food insecurity — by connecting a free, renewable, organic protein source with those who need it most. I feel so strongly about it, in fact, that I started the HFTH “Hunger Challenge” last year to get teenagers involved. Read more about this on page 24.

There are lots of programs in our society that address hunger relief and all are to be commended. When our neighbors are in crisis, especially children, it’s time to put aside all politics, judgements, and preconceptions and get them a meal, no matter what the method. But there is just something inherently wonderful about our program.

Take a quick look at the HFTH process. A deer hunter brings his harvest to the local wild game processor. The hunter asks the processor if the meat can be donated to the Hunters for the Hungry program to feed Tennesseans in need. As a certified member of our program, the processor can butcher the deer for free or at a much-reduced cost to the hunter.

The work is completed, a local food bank comes and picks up the venison, and distributes it to individuals or soup kitchens. It may be served to a single mother struggling to feed her children or a family that lost everything to a house fire or a homeless veteran dealing with post traumatic stress syndrome.

There is nothing confusing about this program. The outcomes are immediate and clear: a neighbor in need

was able to have a hot, healthy meal and feel human again. That would be enough to justify the program alone, but it’s the other details of Hunters for the Hungry that make it sheer genius. The program allows hunters to have a clear objective beyond only the joy of being in Tennessee’s great outdoors, the thrill of the hunt, or the filling of their own freezers with healthy food. Rather, it combines all of the aforementioned benefits of hunting with man’s genetic propensity to serve his fellow man. The various “ingredients” that make up Hunters for the Hungry create an effort that is pleasing to just about anyone, even those who don’t hunt or eat venison or have a particular connection with the out-of-doors.

Hunters for the Hungry is an idea that took root in 1998 and has since provided more than 1 million pounds of venison to people who geniunely need it, but millions of more pounds are needed. I challenge you this Christmas season to consider making a donation to TWF so that together, we can make additional processing available to Tennessee’s wonderful philanthropic hunters, providing them the opportunity to continue to serve their brothers and sisters in need.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!


FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

The Three Pillars of Conservation

Michael ButlerCEO

Every once in a while, one of my friends or colleagues will stop and ask

me, “How does the Tennessee Wildlife Federation do conservation?”

Good question! My hope is that you will find the explanation provided

in this article useful, and might even pass it along to someone you

know who has an interest in wildlife conservation.

(See Butler, page 22)

First, let’s establish what “conservation” actually means. Webster defines it as:

1. the act of conserving; prevention of injury, decay, waste, or loss; preservation.

2. official supervision of rivers, forests, and other natural resources in order to preserve and protect them through prudent management.

3. a district, river, forest, etc., under such supervision

4. the careful utilization of a natural resource in order to prevent depletion.

There are some important things to point out about these definitions. First, “conservation” infers utilization of natural resources. This in turn implies human usage of natural resources. Also, you see that the term “conservation” links our natural resources to the theme of stewardship (i.e., the responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving). Lastly, these definitions point to sustainability or permanency of our natural resources, meaning that they be allowed to persist into the future. All work together to create a word rich in meaning and importance.

Essentially, we can boil down the components needed to effect conservation into three succinct pieces: people, programs, and places and things.

People are the most necessary component of conservation for several reasons. First, those of us who care about conservation see it as our duty to ensure that the wildlife, lands, water, rivers, and forests have a representative who speaks to their value in our society. As humans, we dominate the

landscape by the decisions we make, many of which compete directly against the needs of our natural resources or are unsustainable and incompatible with conservation. People are critical to our conservation effort, because without us, there is no movement to place value on our natural resources.

Programs are just a simple way we describe our collective efforts to effect conservation, and they can be very successful. From initiatives that raise funds to purchase public lands to policy efforts that inform decisions about wildlife management, programs are largely how conservation gets done.

Traditionally viewed as the cornerstone for conservation efforts, “places and things” provide us our connection and passion for conservation, as well as the critical resources to support wildlife, fish, and the myriad of plants, insects, and other flora and fauna of the wild. For many, the conservation movement means only conserving and protecting wildlife, land, and habitat. And while it is true that you can’t have conservation without conserving land, intact habitat, and wildlife, the conservation of places is impossible without people and programs to ensure that this happens.

The elements of ConservationSo how does your Tennessee Wildlife Federation

address these three areas to lead and be the most effective conservation organization in Tennessee?


New options for online giving available

TWF DEVELOPMENT

Tennessee Wildlife Federation is proud to announce

a new function on our website: You can now donate in

memory or honor of an individual with the simple

click of a mouse.

Over the years, TWF has had the privilege of

receiving mailed gifts made in honor or in memory of

loved ones. Development Coordinator Angela Schmidt

says that by adding this online function, TWF has

made the process easier for donors.

“You can now visit our website at www.tnwf.org , go

to the Donate page, and under ‘gift designation,’

select the options ‘in honor of’ or ‘in memory of,’”

says Schmidt. “When you choose either of those

options, you can then enter the name of the person

you want to honor.”

She adds that the honoree or family of a memorial

gift recipient can receive a notification of the

donation. Just email Schmidt at [email protected] or

call 615-353-1133 to provide contact information.

“We will be adding more developments soon to

make the donation experience even better, but we

couldn’t wait to share this news with you,” says

Schmidt. “Please consider giving the gift of

conservation this holiday season!”

TWF has recently added the donation options of “In memory of,” and “In honor of.” Visit www.tnwf.org and click the orange “Donate” button to access the function.

TWF lands 150 Days of Giving award on Day 149!Thanks to the help of TWF’s many social media

and email friends and supporters, the Federation landed a $5,000 prize offered by First Tennessee Foundation on the day before the contest’s Aug. 21 deadline.

For nearly five months, the bank conducted an online contest to promote its 150th anniversary. Each day for 150 days, people were encouraged to cast a vote at First Tennessee’s website for their favorite Tennessee non-profit organization out of hundreds of possibilities. The votes were counted cummulatively, and TWF won on Aug. 20.

TWF Chief Development Officer Kendall McCarter says the $5,000 “came at a great time.”

“It’s absolutely amazing how much attention this contest generated for us,” says McCarter. “We really appreciate everyone who voted!”

Presenting the $5K award to Kendall McCarter, center, are, from left: Doyle Rippee, chairman of First Tennessee in Middle Tennessee; Bryan Jordan, chairman and CEO of First Horizon National Corp.; Carol Yochem, president of First Tennessee in Middle Tennessee; and Charles Burkett, president of the First Tennessee Foundation.

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SOCIAL MEDIA

From our social media friendsSocial media is one of our favorite forms of

communication, so if you’re a Facebook user but

haven’t yet LIKED our page, be sure to do it and join

the more than 18,000 other friends and supporters of

Tennessee’s wildlife and great outdoors! Facebook

and Twitter are excellent tools for staying connected

with your fellow outdoor enthusiasts in our state and

for sharing photos, field

reports, and other types of pertinent

information.

Remember, you can find us on

Facebook at www.facebook.com/tnwildlife

and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/twfoutofdoors.

On Nov. 10, we posted this: Give us a one-sentence

response: What was your favorite thing about being

out-of-doors this past weekend? Here are a few of the

resulting comments.

Gregory Dale: Muzzleloader opened and I just love

sitting in the woods. David Tucker: Enjoying God’s creation.Deborah Dunnington Yeary: I started feeding the birds and get such simple pleasure watching them.L.A. McAllister: Challenging myself with a tough hike to celebrate a milestone.Chris Keele: We had a great meal cooked on the camp stoves while the fire offered up some heat.Rhianna Garrett: Letting the smokepole thunder.

Feedback

Photos

LEFT: Facebook friend Priscilla Morris posted this: Twice I saw this young barred owl in a spruce tree at Radnor Lake. It slept for a long time, and I took this photo during its rest. ABOVE: Jay Huron posted this shot of a northern flicker woodpecker on his property. RIGHT: Daniel Richardson captured an impressive trailcam pic of a nice 8-point buck.

RIGHT: Lou Shunk says of this waterfall pic, I was having breakfast of homemade blue-berry muffins and coffee with my better half at Greeter Falls on Saturday morning, alone together. BELOW: Michael King shared this pic with the caption, Kayaking the Cum-berland River with my son and other paddling enthusiasts.


Eagle visionBoy Scout Daniel Brawner makes Great Outdoors

University a project to rememberBy Mark Johnson

It’s Monday, Oct. 27, and the 17-year-old Brentwood native is surrounded by mounds of new and used camping, hiking, and fishing gear neatly sorted in the main room of “The Hut,” Boy Scout Troop 86’s small rustic cabin located in the side yard of East Brentwood Presbyterian Church, the troop’s charter organization.

There are 13 pairs of hiking boots, 10 tents, 20 backpacks, 400 LED flashlights, 20 sleeping bags, eight camp stoves, 20 brand-new fishing rod and reel combos with five fully stocked tackle boxes, 500 wooden name badges, 10 coolers, and an indeterminate number of woolen socks, clothes, and other various goodies.

“I think we’re ready, Dad,” Daniel says to his father, BSA Troop 86 Scoutmaster, Eddie Brawner. “Can’t believe we’re actually done.”

Since April, Daniel has conducted the “Got Gear?” marketing campaign in the Brentwood area to collect equipment for Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s Great Outdoors University, which provides outdoor experiences for underserved children from mostly low-income, urban areas. The Brawners created a logo, signs and banners, sent direct mailings, and launched a social media campaign soliciting donations. In a few minutes, Daniel will be presenting the gear to Sonya Wood-Mahler, the manager of GOU’s Nashville program.

But that’s not all.Hidden strategically behind The Hut is a gleaming

5-by-8-foot utility trailer wrapped in GOU and TWF graphics. Troop 86 is donating the trailer to GOU. Eddie says he and Daniel used a little “elbow grease” to bring the trailer, used sparingly by the troop, back to near-mint condition. A Franklin graphics company called 12pt Signworks contributed by printing and applying the full-sized vehicle wrap.

Sonya knows nothing about the trailer. She expects “a couple of sleeping bags and a few pairs of boots” to be awaiting her.

As he anxiously and repeatedly checks the parking lot for Sonya’s vehicle, Daniel explains why he chose such an ambitious Eagle Scout project.

“I was ready to give back,” says the Brentwood High School junior. “I’ve gotten up and spoken to several other scout troops about this project, and I always challenge them to think about how fortunate we are to have the life we have.”

Presenting his project to other troops didn’t come easy. As a child, Daniel was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and is challenged with a learning disability. For him, public speaking is even more of a nightmare than it is for most, but he faced the challenge head-on.

“I told them to think about all the amazing things we’ve seen and done as Scouts,” says Daniel,

(See Got gear?, page 10)

FEATURE — GREAT OUTDOORS UNIVERSITY


‘GOU gives guys like me a chance to make a

difference.’

Daniel Brawner is nervous, and he has every right to be.

In about 15 minutes, he will see his 10-year run as a Cub Scout/Boy Scout come to a head when he

reveals the fruits of the end-all-be-all, Mt. Everest of scouting — his Eagle Scout project.

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Brentwood Boy Scout Daniel Brawner arranges donated hiking boots, part of the large gift he made to Great Outdoors University Monday, Oct. 27.

enunciating clearly. “And think about that little boy who can’t even camp in his backyard because it isn’t safe enough or there’s nothing but pavement or he doesn’t have the opportunity because he doesn’t have access to equipment. GOU gives little boys and girls like that a chance to experience the stuff we Scouts take for granted. And it gives guys like me a chance to make a difference. I guess it hit home with [the other Scouts], because they all clapped when I finished!”

Indeed, the four other troops Daniel addressed — Troops 1 and 8 from Brentwood, and 135 and 137 from Franklin — responded by donating most of the equipment. More was collected from anonymous donations at The Hut’s drop-off bin in response to the social media campaign.

“The reaction from the community has been fantastic,” says Eddie, an avid outdoorsman and longtime TWF supporter. “Every morning, we’ve been excited to come over and see what was left in the bin overnight, or what kind of donation has arrived in the mail. I think we’ve collectively struck a great lick for these kids.”

Just then, Sonya arrives. Daniel hurries out to escort her to the porch of The Hut, where the hiking boots are lined up.

“Wow, this is great!” says Sonya, inspecting the boots. Daniel reveals the gear inside The Hut, giving Sonya a rapid-fire rundown of the items as Eddie watches with a huge grin.

“Unbelievable,” mutters the GOU manager. “Wow.”

Eddie winks and nods at his son as a signal.“Oh, and I’ve got something else to show you

outside!” says Daniel. He leads Sonya outside and around the corner of The Hut where the trailer sits. Sonya stops in her tracks, her eyes wide.

“What?!” she exclaims. “Are you serious?! Oh, my gosh!”

“It’s yours,” Daniel says as Eddie beams from several feet away. “We thought GOU could use it.”

Sonya is speechless.An hour later, Daniel and several other Troop 86

Scouts have packed both Sonya’s pickup truck and the trailer full with the donated gear. The atmosphere is festive as the boys high-five each other and congratulate Daniel. Sitting on the porch of The Hut, Sonya has had a few minutes to process the turn of events, and puts the gift into perspective.

“I wasn’t too sure what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t this,” she says. “It was very exciting to see some of the stuff that I knew we could use immediately. We literally would not have been able to do some of the things we’re going to do this weekend. Having this gear will allow us to reach more kids right off the bat.”

Sonya says that a simple thing like having enough day packs for each kid on a hike to use makes a big difference to that child’s experience.

“Oftentimes, one kid gets to wear a pack on the way out and another gets to have it on the way back,” she explains. “But when a child gets to wear his or her own pack for the entire trip, it gives them the feeling that they’re actually hiking, not just on a nature walk

(Continued from page 9)

got gear?

LEFT: Daniel and his father, Eddie, Scoutmaster of Troop 86, give Sonya a tour of the donated items at the organization’s facility in Brentwood. RIGHT: Sonya’s reaction to seeing the utility trailer for the first time brings a smile from Daniel and Eddie.


FEATURE — GREAT OUTDOORS UNIVERSITY

or walking around school with a regular backpack on. With Daniel’s gifts, each kid will be able to carry his or her own water shoes, water bottle, and personal items. It makes them feel independent. It will also prepare them for moving up to a big backpack for carrying all their gear on an overnight trip.”

And that’s not to mention the added capacity the program will now have for overnight trips with the additional tents, sleeping bags, and other gear, Sonya says.

“The sheer volume of the donation will allow GOU to reach exponentially more children,” she stresses. “This illustrates how one person — even a kid — can make a tremendous impact on an entire program. It’s an amazing lesson for all of us, and I’m truly grateful.”

Daniel says his biggest thrill related to the project is something he hopes will happen in the future.

“I like to think that one day, I’ll be out at a restaurant or something and a little boy or girl will come up to me and say, ‘Hey, aren’t you that guy who gave us all that gear? That made a big difference in my life!’”

To learn more about Great Outdoors University, visit us online at www.tnwf.org.


Eddie says he “couldn’t be more proud” of the way Daniel approached the project. “The guidelines of the Eagle project stipulate that the scout needs to complete the work to the best of his ability,” says Eddie. “That’s exactly what Daniel did. He gave it everything he had.”

HOW FAR CAN MY GOU GIFT GO?

$100provides 45 healthy

lunches for underservedchildren on a GOU day trip

45

can buy 10 sets of cavinghelmets and headlamps for asmall group to go wild caving

$1,00010

can purchase 25rod-and-reels forGOU fishing trips

$50025

copyright 2014 © www.tnwf.org

When you donate to Great Outdoors University, your gi� may go farther than you realize. Each dollar can have a direct impact on how an underserved child experiences Tennessee’s out-of-doors. Did you know that...

$25 can purchase pairs of water shoes for GOU stream strolls8

provides one child the opportunity

to go fishing withGOU for a day

$55

FEATURE — TWF HISTORY


And oddly enough, it could be argued that the success story of our wild things and places in Tennessee over the latter part of the 20th century was directly related to the mild climate of Las Cruces, N.M., the boy/girl ratio of the students at New Mexico State University (NMSU), and a simple coin flip.

“In 1962, I had just spent nearly five years in the U.S. Air Force stationed at a base on the northern tip of Maine, and I was ready to get out of there and go to college,” Tony, now 76, explains. “It would start snowing in September and the ice would finally melt in the lakes in May. I knew I wanted to go to school somewhere warm! That was my criteria. So I applied to schools in a crescent from Miami to Phoenix and investigated important stuff like the male-to-female

ratio. I narrowed it down to two schools, flipped a coin, and ended up at NMSU. I didn’t know a single soul in New Mexico.”

Raised in heavily wooded North Central Pennsylvania, Tony was an avid hunter, fisherman, and trapper, but had no idea what his college major might be.

“At freshman orientation, I learned that NMSU had a school of agriculture,” he recalls. “Well, I always kind of liked farming, so I checked it out and discovered there was a wildlife management curriculum. I liked to hunt and fish even more than farming, so it was an easy choice.”

By 1966, Tony had not only earned his degree in wildlife management, but also the notice of the New

Under Tony Campbell’s leadership, the Tennessee Conservation League became a force on behalf of wildlife and habitat

By Mark Johnson

As the Tennessee Conservation League’s first employee — and the executive director of the organization for 23 years — Tony Campbell set the groundwork for what would become the Tennessee Wildlife Federation.

As executive director of the Tennessee Conservation League for 23 of perhaps the most formative years

of wildlife conservation in the state’s history, Tony Campbell’s handprints can be found on everything

from wetlands acquisition to the structure of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) to even

the placement of our state’s roadways. He was TCL’s first staff person, a dogged trailblazer for the

interests of both wildlife and sportsmen on Capital Hill, and firmly placed the organization that would

become the Tennessee Wildlife Federation into the public consciousness.

Conservation

Starter

(See Campbell, page 14)

Mexico Department of Game and Fish. He was quickly hired as an Information and Education officer.

“It was kind of a unique set-up, because everybody there was a law enforcement officer,” he says. “There weren’t that many employees, so we all had to do everything. I can remember being with my good buddy, John Mechler, and chasing bad guys down gravel roads at night, high speed with no headlights. Crazy stuff! You could never do that sort of thing today.”

In addition to chasing “bad guys,” Tony was gaining valuable, real-world experience in wildlife management.

“I worked quite a while on a deer project that addressed poor fawn ratio,” he says. “For some reason, the majority of the fawns in southwest New Mexico were dying. Eventually, I determined that a lot of it had to do with fire control. Most of the forests had been allowed to grow up and there wasn’t any green feed, and it’s critical for deer fawns to have succulent young vegetation for vitamin A and E. If they don’t have access to it, they get something called white muscle disease. It was an interesting project, but I learned a valuable lesson: You have to have public support to get things accomplished, and we didn’t really have it. By the early ’70s, I was ready to try something else.”

As if on cue, fate took another turn for Tony when his friend, John Mechler, ended up in Tennessee.

“He got a job with the TVA [Tennessee Valley Authority] and moved away,” Tony says. “We talked on the phone every so often, and he called me out of the blue one day and said, ‘Campbell, I’ve got the perfect job for you! The Tennessee Conservation League is going to hire their first employee.’”

After a series of interviews, 33-year-old Tony found himself holding the keys to the future of wildlife conservation in Tennessee.


“I came here in May of 1972,” says Tony. “They paid me a great salary — $12,000 a year! I was in hog heaven and had no idea what I was doing!”

As a young man with only a few years experience in wildlife management and none at all in Tennessee, Tony would become the “point of the spear” for natural resource public policy and a legend among the movers and shakers of the conservation movement in the Volunteer State. Tennessee Out-Of-Doors recently visited with Tony in the tiny Nashville bedroom community of Kingston Springs, where he has served as mayor for the past 16 years.

OOD: When you started at TCL, you were still very young in your career. What was it like walking into a well-established, completely volunteer organization as a 33 year-old, a new Tennessean, and the only staffer?

TC: It was scary. I was just a young whippersnapper, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and I think I was just too ignorant to be overwhelmed. The TCL president at the time, Dr. Greer Ricketson, helped me get a small office down at the Mid-State Medical Center. There was a little bit of office equipment at the secretary’s house in Johnson City, but not much.

OOD: Did the TCL Board of Directors ease you into the position slowly or throw you in headfirst?

TC: They threw me in. I walked in there and the board of directors immediately tasked me with two projects: matching a $100,000 grant from the Meeman Foundation in Memphis over three years, and diversifying the organization by recruiting black members. Looking back on it, I really have no idea how I did either, but somehow I did. I had absolutely no experience in fundraising, so that really kept me up at nights. I had to develop my own relationships, too. We ended up working with the Nashville Sportsmen’s Club, which was a black group. Their president at the time, Mitchell Parks, is still a good friend of mine today.

‘I was in hog heaven and had no idea

what I was doing!’



you didn’t say no to that. When I got down there, there was a big argument going on between two legislators because one of them wanted to take the highway through Trenton. One of them turned to McWherter and said, “Tony’s not going to let them do it that way because it’s going to cross all the wetlands, and he’s going to sue us.” McWherter asked me if that was true. I said, “Yes, sir. It doesn’t need to go across all those wetlands.” He said, “Alright. We’ll take it down the ridge.” And that’s the way it went. From then on, I was often consulted on road construction. I think [the Tennessee Department of Transportation] hated to see me show up at their meetings, but we were able to change the attitude towards erosion control on these projects. Those were the days when they were building highways everywhere, and had a heck of a lot of impact on miles and miles of streams.

OOD: In what way?TC: They were crossing a lot of streams and wetlands,

especially in West Tennessee. If they didn’t elevate the road, it screwed things up. Years ago, if you flew over


Campbell

Tony lives in the Nashville bedroom community of Kingston Springs, where he’s been mayor for the past 16 years.

OOD: Did you find that you had some natural talents that surprised you?

TC: Yes, I think I was best at public policy and bringing people together. That’s how the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency came about, in large part. I hadn’t been at TCL very long when Ed Thaxton, Gov. Winfield Dunn’s environmental advisor, came to my office and told me there were problems with the Tennessee Game and Fish Commission and asked for my help. At that time, you had the Law Enforcement Division, the Fisheries Division, and the Wildlife Division, and they fought each other tooth and toenail. I recommended that we put together a panel of nationally known experts to come evaluate the agency, see how it could be more responsive to the public, etc. The governor thought that was a good idea and that’s what we did. The panel recommended changing the whole structure and requiring officers to have a college degree in wildlife and making them multipurpose by having them do wildlife management, fisheries, public relations, and the whole spectrum of things. I helped get the legislation

passed and that became TWRA.

OOD: What was the level of interest in conservation at the state capital in the 1970’s and ’80’s? Was it more difficult to get things done?

TC: I think it was, yes. There was an education process. [Former Gov. Lamar] Alexander and [former Gov. Ned] McWherter were supportive. The Blanton Administration wasn’t. We had good relations with Winfield Dunn. In my opinion, McWherter was far and away the most effective in terms of getting things accomplished, especially in relation to wetlands conservation. For example, there was an ongoing debate over the route of a new highway being built between Jackson and Dyersburg. McWherter’s secretary called me one day and said, “Tony, he wants you at a meeting at his legislative office this afternoon.” Well,

‘we can show that the species that

are consumed have much greater populations today’


West Tennessee and looked on the upstream side of most of those rivers, there’d be big stands of dead timber. That’s because those crossings weren’t wide enough, and the stream dropped all the silt off on the upstream side and killed the timber. You don’t see that as much anymore, largely due to our efforts.

OOD: How was “grassroots” conservation different in those days?

TC: There was a more broad-scale approach back then. I get a little frustrated now with all the species organizations because they take a very narrow view of [conservation] — turkey, trout, whitetail. I’m more comfortable with the old natural resource conservation groups that were out there advocating for everything from quail and rabbits to squirrels, raccoons, bears, and elk. Nearly every town had a sportsmen’s club; East Tennessee was covered with them. But now, society seems to have gone in a different direction. It’s not the “Home Economics Club” anymore. Now, it’s the “Frying Club” and “Crocheting Club” and so on.

OOD: What do you see as the biggest challenge

facing sportsmen and women today?TC: I think it’s the public’s perception of the

consumptive use of fish and wildlife, and it goes beyond just that. I think the forestry people are facing the same thing. People have been brainwashed into thinking they shouldn’t cut any trees, but pretty soon, you’re going to lose the red oak component and we won’t have any habitat for deer or turkey. It’s all part of managing.

As far as wildlife goes, we can show that the species that are consumed have much greater populations today than they did 30, 40…even 100 years ago. That’s because we’ve managed them.

OOD: What do you consider your greatest accomplishments over your 23 years with TCL?

TC: Definitely helping with the establishment of TWRA would be one. And I’m very proud of the Wetlands Acquisition Act, which has secured — and continues to secure — many thousands of acres of valuable habitat for waterfowl. That was probably the most significant thing we did in the 1980s.

I’m proud of our involvement in Project CENTS, which stood for Conservation Education Now for Tennessee Students. That was a curriculum that went into all the schools across the state to promote conservation. Hundreds of teachers were trained on it and I’d like to think that it’s still having an impact.

I would also mention our involvement in creating a long-standing group called the Resource Agency Coordinating Committee. This was composed of the heads of agencies like the U.S. Corps of Engineers, TWRA, TVA, and so on. They were constantly bickering, so I saw the need to go off to a state park for a couple days and just hash

it out. We actually had a constitution that stated that anything said in that meeting could go nowhere else, and guess what — we got a lot of nifty things done. We all got to know each other, sat down and broke bread, and just talked. We brought people together for the common good.

I would say that in my day, TCL played a big role in creating a professional approach to natural resources conservation from the standpoint of the state. I think the efforts we put forth then are paying dividends today, and for that, I’m proud and grateful.

‘We brought people together for the common good.’

Tony says conservation in the 1970s and ’80s was largely about developing relationships and educating legislators on the principals of stewardship.



Maury County’s Sam Smith and Hannah Houston are taking their trap and skeet skill to an international stageBy Mark Johnson

At the Maury County Gun Club near Santa Fe, Tenn., 18-year-old Samantha “Sam” Smith hasn’t hit a single target.“Pull!” she shouts. Bam! “Pull!” Bam!Two more misses.But rather than reacting with frustration, Sam is laughing.“I used to be able hit these things!” she says to her good friend, Hannah Houston, also 18. “This is crazy!”

RightON

(See Target, page 18)


Samantha Smith, left, and Hannah Houston, both 18 and from Maury County, have made the USA Shooting National Team in the disciplines of trap and skeet, respectively, and are winning medals in international competition at consistent pace. Their journeys began around four years ago with practice at this very trap house located at the Maury County Gun Club near Santa Fe.


FEATURE — TNSCTP

Hannah, standing just behind, helps Sam set up correctly for a shot at the next clay target.

“Well, I wouldn’t have a chance against you on a trap field anymore,” Hannah says as she slightly repositions Sam’s stance. “That’s your territory. This is mine.”

The girls are standing at one of the positions on a skeet range, and Hannah, a freshman at Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, is one of the most decorated youth shooters in that discipline in the state of Tennessee. Sam, a senior at Summit High School in Spring Hill, has made a name for herself as one of the state’s top trap shooters. Both girls have experience with trap and skeet, but chose to hone their focus on one discipline.

Though both are clay target-shooting sports, skeet and trap were originally designed to simulate game

Hannah Houston, a freshman at Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, recently nabbed a team gold medal in the International Shooting Sports Federation World Championships in Grenada, Spain.

birds flushing in different directions. In skeet, the targets are thrown in a crossing pattern. Trap targets are thrown outbound, or away from the shooter. In the American version of trap, targets are thrown from elevated “houses,” while in Olympic style, targets emerge from ground-level bunkers at higher speeds.

Though the disciplines are different, both girls learned their “trade” through the Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program (TNSCTP) and more recently, have set their sites on the Olympics through the Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s designation as a USA Shooting Certified Training Center (CTC).

‘A LITTLE SCARY’When they began competitive shooting some four

years ago, neither girl had aspirations beyond trying a sport that simply looked like fun.

“I never even knew that shooting was a sport until the eighth grade,” says Hannah, an Arkansas native who moved to Columbia with her family at age 3. “I heard an announcement one day at school that there


target

was going to be a trap meeting, and I thought it sounded interesting. I grew up hunting with my family, so shooting was something I was already fairly comfortable with.”

Hannah says her first team practice was “a little scary,” but she was determined not to be intimidated, having played softball and basketball for several years prior.

“I was one of the only girls, and I was in a dress because we had chapel that day,” she recalls with a laugh. “It was essentially a room full of guys. I thought, ‘Oh … what have I gotten myself into?’ But I actually hit some targets that day and felt pretty good. I remember that it was really cold that day, but the adrenaline rush of shooting warmed me up quickly and discovered that I really liked it. Every time I pulled the trigger, it was exciting!”

After shooting with the Zion Christian Academy trap team during the 2010 season, Hannah was practicing at the Maury County Gun Club one day when a friend suggested she try American skeet.

“So, I went over to Station 7 and shot a whole box of shells,” she recalls. “I hit almost all of the targets! I’ve shot skeet ever since and never went back to trap.”

Like Hannah, Sam, a Columbia native, was active in other athletics — like softball and soccer — and was introduced to competitive shooting in her eighth-grade year of school.

“The summer before, one of my cousins talked me into shooting clay targets in the backyard with one little pulley clay-target thrower,” Sam says. “Growing up with a bunch of boys, I was always up for doing crazy things and trying stuff even if I wasn’t good at it. I had never been bird-hunting before, so tracking a target was really weird, but I kept trying. I think we were out there for three hours.”

When Sam heard about a sign-up meeting for the school’s trap team the following fall, she responded with the boldness typical of her upbringing.

“I thought, ‘Ah, I did that this summer!’” she recalls. “So I talked my mom into letting me try it, and showed up to the first practice with my granddad’s old gun. I couldn’t even use it, so I shot with a school gun for the first year.”

Even so, by the season’s end, Sam was already competing at a high level.

“We ended up going to Nationals that year, and I got second place,” she says, referring to the Intermediate Entry Women’s Trap category. “I also got my first personal best, and I remember calling my uncle and saying, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I just did that!’ It was

really a big deal for me; I remember it well.”

THE ‘A-HA’ MOMENTEven with her successful first year, Sam says her

shooting goals were limited and the concept of competing on an international stage was unthinkable.

“I didn’t even know shooting was an Olympic sport!” she laughs. “When I started international shooting and going to big competitions like the Nationals in Colorado and even the Junior Olympics

(See Target, page 20)


Sam, left, tries her hand on the Maury County Gun Club skeet field while Hannah looks on and offers a tip or two. The athletes have become close friends during their overseas trips to compete internationally.

‘I heard an announcement at school one day... and I thought it sounded interesting.’

FEATURE — TNSCTP

here in Tennessee, I realized that if I kept getting better at this, maybe I could be like [Olympic skeet gold medalist] Vincent Hancock, who did a clinic with us at the Maury County Gun Club in 2012. That really motivated me.”

Sam’s motivation would lead to a string of titles she scarcely could’ve imagined in 2011. She captured the Junior silver medal in trap at the 2013 Spring Selection in Tucson, Ariz.; was named Junior Champion in trap at the 2014 Spring Selection in Kerrville, Texas; was the silver medalist at the 2014 USA Shooting National Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.; was named to the USA National Junior Trap Team and competed in Suhl, Germany, in June 2014; and competed in the International Shooting Sports Federation World Championships in Grenada, Spain, in September.

Like Sam, Hannah had an “a-ah moment” that changed her thinking about the sport.

“I decided to try shooting international skeet at the Tennessee Junior Olympics in May of 2011,” she recalls. “I had only practiced international for maybe two weeks before the competition, but I still won a silver medal, and it made me realize, ‘Hey, I can do


this!’ That’s kind of when I opened my eyes to the idea that I could actually go further in the sport.”

Emboldened by her win, Hannah threw herself into training, and the results spoke for themselves. She was the Junior silver medalist in skeet at the 2013 Spring Selection in Tucson, Ariz.; the Junior Skeet champion at the 2014 Spring Selection in Kerrville, Texas; the

Junior silver medalist in skeet at the 2014 USA Shooting National Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.; is a two-time member of both the USA Shooting Junior National Skeet Team and the USA Junior World Team; competed in the World Championships in Lima, Peru, in 2013 and in Suhl, Germany, in 2014 where she won the Team gold medal; and competed in the ISSF World Championships in Grenada, Spain, in September of this year where she won the Junior Team gold medal and was part of a world record team score.

SITES SET ON BRAZILChad Whittenburg, Tennessee CTC and Martin

Methodist College Trap and Skeet Team head coach, says the girls’ list of titles is largely a testament to their work ethic and determination.

“Honestly, I think everybody is a potential Olympic athlete; it’s just a matter of unlocking their potential,” says Chad. “It’s a choice, and Sam and Hannah have made the decision to make it happen. I think the support system of their families, coaches, friends, and the infrastructure provided by TNSCTP and the CTC program — all within the umbrella of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation — has allowed that potential to be tapped.”

He also points to positive attitude as a major contributor in the girls’ success.

FEATURE — TNSCTP

At the ISSF Championships in Spain last September, Sam, second from left, had a strong showing with her fellow trap team, in the blue vests. The athletes in the red vests comprised one of USA’s skeet teams.


TARGET

After nine years of furthering the cause of wildlife conservation and youth engagement for the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, Chad Whittenburg has accepted a position as head coach of the Martin Methodist College Trap and Skeet Team.

Chad came to TWF in 2005 after serving eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps and earning a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Tennessee Technical University in Cookeville. In his years at the Federation, Chad managed both the Hunters for the Hungry program and the Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program at different times. Since 2011, he served as manager of the Tennessee Mitigation Fund and Wildlife Ecological Services, both TWF programs.

In 2013, Chad was named head coach of Tennessee’s USA Shooting Certified Training Center, essentially an instructional portal to the Olympics for serious shotgun athletes in the state. He has since led several CTC Tennessee clinics and has been instrumental in guiding Maury County’s Hannah Houston and Samantha Smith onto the U.S. National team.

TWF CEO Mike Butler says Chad will be sorely missed at the organization.

“It’s always hard to lose a long-time employee, especially one that has had such a significant role in the positive growth of the Federation over the past 9 years,” says Mike. “But Chad was presented with a great opportunity to pursue a passion of his, and something that he is quite good at — coaching young people and young adults to be great shooting sports athletes. We wish him the very best in this exciting new role.”


Whittenburg accepts head coach position

“Those young ladies exhibit an amazing positive attitude everywhere they go,” he says. “It works for them both on the field and off. I can’t overstate the significance of this.”

Hannah adds that shooting has improved her people skills and mental toughness.

“Knowing how to take care of yourself by being in an independent sport is really big,” she says. “The pressure is all on you and you have to deal with it. It’s a great life skill.”

But these are lessons and skills that anyone can learn, says Hannah, who along with Sam, has her sites set on the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. She encourages any young person with an interest to give it a try, and that emphasizes that with the advantages of TNSCTP and the CTC program, national — and even international — success is available for anyone willing to put in the time and effort.

“If you want it, you can have it,” she says. “It’s so attainable. I know that, especially for girls, this sport can be intimidating, but you’ve got to put that out of your mind. Don’t worry about anybody else. It’s between you and the target. But there are so many people and programs available to help you reach your goals. Sam and I are living examples of that!”

Hannah nails a target on the skeet range at the Maury County Gun Club, where she still practices on a regular basis.

Former TWF employee Chad Whittenburg has taken a position as head coach of the Martin Methodist College Trap and Skeet Team. Whittenburg was with TWF for more than nine years.



butlerPROGRAMS — TNSCTP

The Federation sees the conservation needs of Tennessee as a three legged stool, where each leg is dependent upon the other two to insure the stool will remain upright, strong, and productive.

Youth Engagement - As previously mentioned, people are the critical component to conservation. Therefore it goes without saying that we must be vigilant in our efforts to instruct and raise up each generation of young people to understand conservation and value our great outdoors, because they will replace us at some point in the future as decision makers, elected officials, businessmen and women. They will hold the future of our wildlife, lands, and waters in their own hands.

To ensure that this important pipeline is well maintained and productive, TWF develops the next generation of conservationists primarily through our Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program and Great Outdoors University program. Both of these programs reach thousands of Tennessee’s youth each year and have been shown to increase a young person’s understanding, appreciation, and interest in Tennessee’s great outdoors.

Public Policy – As these generations of young people assume their careers and live their lives, they engage in moving our government forward through their right to vote and engage in the governance processes of our cities, states, and country. This means that sound, science-based public policies must be developed, defended, and maintained to ensure that wildlife and natural resource management are properly governed by our public institutions charged with these duties. In addition to being proactive in this area of conservation, we must also be prepared to stop ill-conceived and bad policies that seek to erode our public conservation infrastructure. Stopping the “bad” bills and efforts is sometimes as important, if not more, than passing the “good” ones.

We engage people to carry the banner for conservation. The Federation actively communicates and informs the public regarding the challenges and

needs of conservation through our public policy program. These efforts have produced historic successes like the Wetlands and State Parks Acquisition Funds, the Right to Hunt and Fish Constitutional Amendment, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s board resolution halting the sales of public lands, the restoration of wild elk, and the establishment of Tennessee’s version of the clean water act.

Stewardship – It requires sound public policies and well-informed conservationists to effect meaningful and large-scale wildlife, land, and water stewardship and restoration.

Specifically, for TWF this means focusing on habitat establishment and restoration. Our Tennessee Mitigation Fund works to restore wetlands, the most highly impacted habitat type in our state. We also engage those people and companies interested in establishing high quality wildlife habitats and wildlife plans to promote these resources on their own properties.

Lastly, we leverage our work in public policy with these efforts to impact conservation practices at a larger economy of scale. Collectively these efforts work to protect and

create outstanding lands, waters, and wildlife that the public can use and enjoy.

Take some time to visit our website at www.tnwf.org and find where your interests are as they relate to conservation and the Federation’s work. Let us be vigilant in remembering that the wildlife and natural resource bounties we enjoy today did not happen by accident. They are the results of the focused efforts of the visionaries who came before us and made certain that their conservation dreams were realized. As we continue down this path, together we can make certain that the future of Tennessee’s great outdoors is secure.

Thanks for your support!


PROGRAMS — TNSCTP

TWF adds new dove hunts to schedule

In addition to its popular annual hunt in Rogersville, TWF helped conduct two new dove hunts this September in Jackson and Cleveland and attracted some 90 youth hunters. In cooperation with TWRA, TWF staff provided memorable days for the young hunters, many of whom had never been in the field before.

“We are excited about the growth of our youth hunts,” says Kendall McCarter, TWF chief development officer. “This is a wonderful way to engage kids in our great outdoors. TWF will be placing even more focus on youth hunts in 2015 and beyond.”

Participants fire at birds at TWF’s Sept. 1 Youth Dove Hunt in Jackson on the farm of TWF friend Joe Wright.

Jackson hunt organizers included, from left, Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program manager Andrew Peercy, TWRA’s Jerry Strom, landowner Joe Wright, and TWF Chief Development Officer Kendall McCarter. According to McCarter, TWF will place additional emphasis on youth hunts in the coming months.

The groups paused for photos at, from top, the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Cleveland, the Joe Wright farm in Jackson, and the Terry Whitson farm in Rogersville.

A coach helps youth participants spot fast-flying doves at the Sept. 6 hunt in Rogersville.


PROGRAMS — HUNTERS FOR THE HUNGRY


Hutchison student drives Hunger Challenge

Some 48 juniors and seniors at Hutchison School in Memphis are creating a buzz in Memphis this fall and winter with their Hunters for their Hungry (HFTH) Club, part of TWF’s “Hunger Challenge” developed last year by Board Chair Dr. Jack Gayden.

“We’re really excited about it,” says club chairperson Connell Erb, 18. “I’ve never been involved in anything that has such a dramatic, direct impact. I love it.”

Connell says last year, Dr. Gayden, a family friend, brought the idea to her of starting a friendly competition between Hutchison School and Memphis University School to raise funds and community awareness for HFTH. This year, the Challenge also includes St. George’s, St. Benedict’s, Collierville, and St. Agnes high schools.

“The club was smaller last year, but we managed to raise a good deal of money and won the contest,” says Connell, whose club raised more than $7,000 last year. “This year, TWF introduced a point system with more activities. There are four additional schools in the competition, so it’s even more fun.”

She adds that many of her friends now have a different perspective on hunting.

“People tended to be skeptical at first, but after I explained it, they got it,” she says. “It’s such a cool program, I think it’s impossible not to get behind it.”

Some of the 48 members of the Hutchison School HFTH Club display last year’s Hunger Challenge first-place trophy during an October visit to the Memphis Mid-South Food Bank, one of the state’s largest beneficiaries of the program.

TWF program intern Michael Folk speaks to the Hutchison club members about the signficance of their efforts on behalf of hunger relief.

LEFT: Mid-South representative Andrew Bell conducts a tour of the facilitites for the Hutchison group as HFTH manager Matt Simcox, left, looks on. Challenge founder Dr. Jack Gayden credits Simcox and Folk for making the project a reality. RIGHT: Hutchison School senior Connell Erb says the Hunger Challenge has been “my favorite community service project out of a bunch that I’ve done.”


SHELBY COUNTYHFTH visits with 5th graders.

Hunters for the Hungry took part in

a Nov. 6 Ag Day with 5th graders at

the Memphis Agri-Center. Several

hundred youth attended

presentations by HFTH staff.

ANDERSON COUNTYNRA coachs’ class scheduled.

TNSCTP will conduct NRA Level I

training classes for all coaches and

assistant coaches Dec. 12-14 in Oak

Ridge.

DYER COUNTYDavis P. Rice Memorial Youth Hunt takes flight Jan. 30-31.

TNSCTP athletes will take part in

the 7th annual hunt, the largest

event of its kind in the U.S.

CAMPBELL COUNTYLewis tags elk at Hatfield Knob.

TWF board member Terry Lewis joined state

biologists and volunteers to tag a bull elk at

the Hatfield Knob Viewing Area Oct. 28 for

data collection.

MARSHALL COUNTYPark hosts HFTH Triathlon.

Around 40 athletes participated in the

HFTH Triathlon Sept. 13 at the Step Back in

Time Festival at Henry Horton State Park.

After a nine-mile run/bike/kayak, Cody

West took first place.

DAVIDSON COUNTYTWF sponsors hummingbird banding.

TWF CEO Mike Butler attended Warner

Nature Center’s annual hummingbird

banding event Sept. 9. TWF has been a

sponsor of the event for several years.

Shelby

Davidson

Marshall

PROGRAMS — HUNTERS FOR THE HUNGRY TWF AROUND THE STATE


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.

Dyer

Campbell

Anderson


WILD GAME RECIPE

Venison roastwith dry rub

Deer meat, or venison, is one of our most readily

available food sources and we are all the luckier for it.

Given just a little bit of attention and seasoning,

venison loses any gaminess and becomes an

incredibly healthy and flat-out delicious cut of meat.

It’s a healthier choice than beef, as well.

OutdoorLife.com says three ounces of venison contain

134 calories and only 3 grams of total fat compared to

247 and 15 respectively in the same amount of beef.

This roast recipe from food blogger Meredith Steele is

a straightforward but flavorful take on our favorite

protein.

What you need• 2 Tbs chili powder

• 1 1/2 Tbs brown sugar

• 1 Tbs garlic powder

• 1 Tbs onion powder

• 1/2 Tbs cayenne

• 1/2 Tbs paprika

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• venison roast (A 5.5-pound hind quarter or similar.)

• 1 Tbs olive oil

• 1 cup beef stock

• 1 cup of dry red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon,

Bordeaux, Merlot, or Cotes Du Rohne)

DirectionsFirst, let the venison sit in room temperature for an

hour. Preheat the oven to 350°.For the spice rub: In a bowl mix the first seven

ingredients until blended.Cover and pat the rub onto the entire surface of the

roast.In a very large skillet or large roasting pot, heat the

oil over medium – high heat. (Note: If you don’t have a roasting pan large enough to use on the stove and in

the oven, try a large skillet and transfer to a oven-safe roasting pan.)

Once the pan is hot, place the roast in the pan. Sear each side for two to three minutes until they’ve formed a dark brown crust. Due to the sugar in the rub, this will happen fast.

If using a skillet, remove the roast and place in an oven-safe dish or roasting pan. Add wine and beef stock. Cover with foil or if using a roasting pot, cover with the lid. Place the roast in the oven.

After 30 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 300° and continue roasting for three to four hours or until the meat is separating from the bone and is tender. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the roast.

Remove and set on carving board to rest for 10 minutes.

While the roast is resting, place the remaining cooking liquid in a sauce pan and simmer over medium heat until it has reduced by half. Serve over meat.

Carve and serve. This goes very well with rosemary mashed potatoes. Basically, use your regular mashed potatoes recipe with two tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary.


This amazing venison roast with dry rub recipe and photograph was provided by food blogger Meredith Steele (www.insockmonkeyslip-pers.com). Venison contains fewer calories and fat than beef.


In Memory of Mr. John (Jay) Burke IIIMs. Judy Moore of Nashville Mr. George Siemens of Louisville, KYMs. Norma Jean Suiter of Nashville Mr. John Sweeney of Brentwood Woodhaven on the Lake Homeowner’s Association of Gallatin

In Memory of Mr. Neely Coble, Jr.Mr. Lee Steinhouse of Nashville

In Memory of Mr. Payne ShanafeltBNSF Logistics of Flower Mound, TXMr. Jimmy White of Brentwood Mr. Doug Morris of Brentwood Mr. James Ramia of Leeds, ALKathy, Megan and James Morris of Brentwood Ms. Dana Osbarn of Oxford, MSMr. Robert McCain of Brentwood

TWF’s staff continues to grow with the hiring of

three new employees since August — Kate Hill,

Angela Schmidt, and Janet Henderson.

Hill, TWF’s new Communications Coordinator, is a

native of Jackson, Tenn., and graduated in 2013 from

Mississippi State University with a bachelor of fine

arts degree in graphic design. Prior to TWF, Hill

worked as an intern for the iconic Hatch Show Print

shop in Nashville, where she currently resides. Her

primary responsibilities at TWF are print and web

design and general communications.

Schmidt was hired as Development Coordinator.

A native of Hermitage, she previously worked as a

major donor associate at the New York office of

Oceana, an international conservation group based in

Washington D.C. She now lives in Nashville.

In her new role with TWF, Schmidt’s primary

responsibilities include annual giving, special events,

grant research, and gift acknowledgements.

Henderson is TWF’s new Director of Finance.

Memorials and Honorariums

She comes to the Federation after nearly 10 years as

chief financial officer of The Land Trust of Tennessee.

Prior to that position, Henderson served in the same

post for Emerald Entertainment Group, the largest

recording and broadcast company in the Southeast

U.S. She earned a degree in accounting from the

University of Missouri and has written accounting

software that has been used by seven states and the

federal government. Henderson lives in Nashville

with her husband, Mike, a musician.

Mr. and Mrs. Tod and Linda Hirsch of Brentwood Ms. Veronique Sawyer of Brentwood Mr. Nick Ricke and Family of NolensvilleMr. and Mrs. Dale and Janice Williams of FranklinChristian Faith and Life Sunday School Class of Antioch Ms. Stephanie Everett of Brentwood Mr. Garry C. Collins of Franklin Mr. Michael Humnicky of Murfreesboro Ms. Dorothy McReynolds of Dothan, AL Mr. and Mrs. Mitch and Lyn Hixon of Brentwood Mr. and Mrs. Mark and Connie Bond of Franklin Mr. and Mrs. R. Martin and Julia McGirt of Franklin

In Honor of Peter SchuttMr. and Mrs. John and Mary Leslie Olson of Tallahassee, FLThe Little Garden Club of Memphis

To make a gift in memory or honor of an individual, visit www.tnwf.org/donate.

New staff members are, left to right, Communications Coordinator Kate Hill, Development Coordinator Angela Schmidt, and Director of Finance, Janet Henderson.

NEW TWF STAFF

Tennessee Wildlife Federation300 Orlando Ave., Suite 200Nashville, TN 37209

Documents

Tennessee Out-Of-Doors Winter 2014