My nephew sent me a couple pics yesterday morning asking if I knew what this spider was. Me being at work and not really looking immediately said "some sort of wolf spider". It was found in west Tennessee, close to the Mississippi border. He said it was about the size of a U.S. half dollar. Closest I can come is http://bugguide.net/node/view/4460/bgpage

I came across a statement that this could possibly be endangered?

Yup! Wandering, mature, male trapdoor. Be careful when handling it. They bite! Although, like tarantulas, the bite may be painful, it's not serious. You just learn a greater respect for trapdoor spiders. You may want to read So You Found A Tarantula! and contact Dr. Brent (contact info on that page). Maybe he can use it for scientific purposes? And yes, I know it's not a "tarantula" per se, but it's close enough for the girls we go with.

Enjoy your little, 8-legged, wandering, hormone packet!