Prior to 1949, when the Tennessee Game and Fish Commission was established, wildlife law enforcement efforts were piecemeal and largely left to local sheriffs and police.

In the years leading up to its establishment, there was only one wildlife officer in the state, and in all but the most egregious circumstances, laws and hunting seasons were generally ignored.

Districts are headed by Law Enforcement Captains Each county in the state is assigned at least one uniformed TWRA officer.

[5] Today, TWRA officers are tasked with enforcing state and federal game and non-game wildlife regulations, including hunting, fishing and trapping.

The TWRA maintains a modern forensics laboratory at the University of Tennessee, Martin that includes state of the art DNA analysis equipment.

TWRA officers are often called to provide assistance in search and rescue operations, due to their extensive experience working in woodland environments.

TWRA officers were sent to the Gulf Coast to provide assistance to local law enforcement and rescue teams in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

In 2014, the TWRA formed a chaplaincy program to support the spiritual needs of its commissioned law enforcement officers and promote resiliency among those placed in high-stress situations.

It is designed as a voluntary, peer-supported program to provide trained chaplains to respond to traumatic incidents and assist in next-of-kin notification.

Reintroduction programs conducted by the TWRA and its predecessor agencies include for white tailed deer, wild turkey, and elk.

This program is designed to provide elementary- to college-aged students in Tennessee with opportunities to compete in clay target shooting sports with their peers across the state.

Published quarterly, the magazine focuses on seasonal content with subjects relating to wildlife management and conservation, hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation.