OMTU Chapter Meeting - Bill Stiver (TWRA Bear Management Program)

Name: OMTU Chapter Meeting - Bill Stiver (TWRA Bear Management Program)
Start: 2026-05-19T18:00:00-04:00
Location: Food City

Schedule

Tue, 19 May, 2026 at 06:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Food City | Johnson City, TN

Bill Stiver - TWRA Bear Management Program
Bill Stiver brings a lifetime of wildlife experience and conservation leadership to our May meeting. Originally from Potterville, Michigan, Bill earned his B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University and his M.S. in Wildlife Sciences from University of Tennessee.
He spent 34 years with the National Park Service, including work in Shenandoah National Park and over three decades at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. His career focused on managing wild hogs, addressing human/bear conflicts, and monitoring elk and endangered bat populations.
After retiring in 2025, Bill now works part-time with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency supporting black bear management efforts.
Bill will discuss the importance of the BearWise program—an initiative focused on helping people live responsibly alongside black bears. He’ll also cover the Tennessee BearWise business recognition program and how cooperative efforts with TWRA can reduce human/bear conflicts in our communities.
Dinner and social time begins at 6:00, the presentation begins at 7:00. We will be providing buffalo wings and cookies for attendees. If you’d prefer something different, food and drinks can be purchased at the deli line downstairs in Food City. Please note that external food is not permitted.
We hope to see everyone there!
📅 Date: Tuesday, May 19
🕕 Time: 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Food City (920 N State of Franklin Rd, Johnson City)