Frank Crawford Is Passing On The Hunting Tradition

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Frank Crawford recently took a walk up Bays Mountain with his nine-year-old daughter.

The experienced and popular sportsman from Surgoinsville, Tenn., intended to check on a tree stand.

He encountered something far more interesting.

Halfway up the Sullivan Gardens side of the mountain, about noon and at a distance of approximately 80 yards, Crawford spotted a creature. A big creature that was furry, wild and menacing.

“I knew there were quite a few bear in that area,” Crawford said, referring to his adventure on Nov. 29. “In fact, I had to rescue a hunter two or three weeks before.
“I didn’t expect to see a bear on that particular day, though.”

Just to be safe, the savvy Crawford had brought along his trusty 243 Remington rifle.

“I had put a tree stand in the middle of a 40-acre clear-cut, and I was just checking to see if was not destroyed or not,” Crawford said. “I hadn’t planned on hunting at all, but there was this bear weighing around 250 pounds just sitting there.”

Emalee, Crawford’s daughter, had never seen a bear before. At least not in person.

“She was excited,” Crawford said.

The 42-year-old Crawford, who leases hundreds of acres in the Kingsport area, remained calm.
He grabbed his gun and made a clean shot on the black female bear. He plans to mount the bear.

Like several other hunters in Northeast Tennessee, Crawford has experienced an odd hunting season.

“I’ve seen more bear than deer this season,” Crawford said.

He has a theory for that scarcity.

“Deer prefer peaceful surroundings, and all the bears are running them off,” Crawford said.

From the rolling hills of Tennessee to the woods of Texas, Crawford has seen much as a guide, hunter, conservationist, and instructor. The encounter with the wayward bear in Kingsport is just the latest chapter of an adventure-filled life.

“I didn’t started hunting until I was 16 when I went with my dad,” Crawford said. “It was six or seven years before I killed my first dear. After that experience, it was on.’”

Crawford was hunted in five states, harvesting more than100 deer of all shapes and sizes.

“The area where I guided in Alabama covered 35,000 acres near the Mississippi border,” Crawford said.
“I’ve had a lot of fun in the outdoors, and it’s just gotten better the last few years. What I really enjoy doing now is passing what I’ve learned on to young people.”

Emalee and 10-year-old Maekayla Crawford are skilled sportsmen who have harvested their own deer.

“My wife loved to turkey hunt, but this is the first year she has gotten involved in deer hunting with my daughters,” Crawford said. “It’s been fun to watch my girls express interest in the outdoors.
“They girls experience the whole package – from wildlife being born and watching bucks grow older to growing their own food plots.”

Crawford is a supporter of many conservation and educational groups, including Hunters Helping Kids, Ducks Unlimited and the Quality Deer Management Association.

“Becoming active in outdoor activities is much more healthier for kids than sitting at home, eating cake and drinking pop,” Crawford said. “There are so many things to do and see in nature.”

Five youngsters recently harvested a deer on Crawford’s land during a youth hunt.

“I really concerns me that our young people are not following the traditions of our ancestors,” Crawford said. “My girls drive the tractor and just get satisfaction from doing something on their own.”

Crawford has spoken to scouting and youth groups of a range of topics. The importance of conservation is a central theme.

“It’s important that our kids learn the basics of land management. That’s our future we’re dealing with,” Crawford said.

As for the anti-hunting crowd, Crawford prefers to follow his own path.

“I stay out of their way and they stay out of mine,” Crawford said.
“I like to hunt and manage food plots, and I’m going to pass on those traditions the best way I can.”

agregory@bristolnews.com|(276) 645-2544