Happy 40th Birthday to the Elk Man, John Baird

TOP PHOTO:  John Baird of La Follette lands the bull elk of a lifetime.

LAFOLLETTE, TN. (WLAF) – Few people get to have a once in a lifetime experience. Even fewer have the chance to set a state record when they do, but John Baird was lucky enough to do both this month.

Baird, an avid hunter, took down an 800 pound bull elk when he was one of 15 hunters across the state to win the opportunity to hunt the animals.

Each year, the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) has a lottery to select 15 hunters who will be allowed to hunt elk across the state.

“He was one of the lucky ones,” TWRA Officer Brenden Marlowe said of Baird from LaFollette. Once his name was selected, Baird was assigned to hunt in the 22,000 acres known as the Ed Carter unit in Claiborne County.

He and a group of friends, along with Marlowe, were allowed to scout the area in the days leading up to the hunt set for Sept. 26 through Oct. 2. Three days a week, the group made the drive to Claiborne County to scope out potential elk and their patterns.

“Once the actual hunt started the men waited, watched and even passed on a few shots,” Baird said.

“I hunt for the meat so I was starting to worry,” he said. “There were days we didn’t see nothing.”

On the sixth afternoon, Baird, Tim Malicoat and Travis Malicoat, saw the 800 pound creature.

For a brief time when they saw the elk, the trio watched the bull elk move around them, nearly run over Tim Malicoat, because he was hidden, and ran off another bull.  As they watched the elk, Baird’s “perfect shot” came open.  It was a 22 yard shot with a compound bow that took the elk down.

“I have never taken an elk in my life,” Baird said the excitement still ringing in his voice almost a week after the hunt.

“We just hung in there every day,” Baird said. “I could not have done without my friends and Brenden.” The support of his wife Abby was also key. Between the scouting and the hunt, Baird was away from home for many hours that turned into days. “She has also been supportive of my hunting,” he said of his wife.

The elk’s estimated weight was 800 pounds and was “seven by seven,” according to Marlow.

“This has the potential to be a new state record for a compound bow,” Marlow said. “This (elk) is trophy level.”

However, that trophy will not hang on Baird’s wall for a simple reason- it is too heavy.

Baird is having the 168 pound head mounted on a floor pedestal instead where it will be displayed in his home along with his other trophies and those of his daughters, Julie, 11, and Carlie,7, who also hunt. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED- 10/09/2020-6AM)