2020 Muzzleloader Season for Deer set to open

November 2, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

The 2020 statewide muzzleloader/archery season for deer opens in Tennessee on Saturday, Nov. 7 and continues through Friday, Nov. 20 in all of Tennessee’s deer hunting units, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The opening of muzzleloader season in the state has a permanent opening date of the third Saturday before Thanksgiving.

For Unit CWD only, in addition to muzzleloader, gun season will open on Nov. 7. Unit CWD, in the western portion of the state, is now comprised of 11 counties and was established after the confirmation of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in December 2018.

Muzzleloader firearms are defined as those firearms which are incapable of being loaded from the breech. Muzzleloading firearms of .36 caliber minimum, plus long bows, compound bows and crossbows are legal hunting equipment for this season. Hunters are also reminded that they must meet the blaze orange requirements while hunting.

The statewide bag limit for antlered bucks is two. No more than one antlered deer may be taken per day. Hunters are allowed the following antlerless bag limits: Unit L-3 per day, Unit A and B-2 total, and Unit C and D-1 total.

In Unit CWD, there is a limit of three antlerless deer per day with no season limit and the statewide bag limit of two antlered deer.

For the exact boundaries of the different deer units, hunters can refer to the 2020-21 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide, available where hunting and fishing licenses are sold and at all TWRA offices. In addition, regulations and other information for Unit CWD are included on pages 26-33 of the guide.

A list of the state’s permanent annual opening hunting dates is on page 11 of the guide. The guide can also be viewed at TWRA’s website at www.tnwildlife.org.

Resident hunters, ages 16 through 64 must possess in addition to other appropriate licenses, an annual big game license for the equipment used. Lifetime Sportsman license, Junior Hunt/Trap/Fish, Adult Sportsman license and Permanent Senior Citizens license holders are not required to purchase supplemental big game licenses.

In addition to private lands, including public hunting areas, several wildlife management areas (WMAs) will be open to hunters during this muzzleloader season. Hunters need to refer to the 2020-21 Hunting and Trapping Guide for a listing of these WMAs or go to TWRA’s website.

Tennessee’s gun season for deer opens in units A, B, C, D, and L on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This year’s date is Nov. 21. The season for gun/muzzleloader/archery will then continue through Jan. 3, 2021. Archery equipment is legal during muzzleloader and gun seasons. Muzzleloaders are legal during gun season.

November 2, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Law enforcement pursuits especially from outside the county often find their way through Smithville and that has become a concern of Police Chief Mark Collins.

In July, after a man led Warren County authorities on a pursuit into DeKalb County on McMinnville Highway before being forced off the road at the edge of the Smithville City limits, Chief Collins decided it was time to act in the interest of public safety so he requested and got authorization from the city to purchase Stop Sticks for the department. Now each city patrol car has them.

A Stop Stick is a tire deflation strip for high speed pursuits.

“Now if we hear of a pursuit that is coming in we are going to try to get them stopped with these Stop Sticks before they get inside the city limits. This is where everybody is. The more people the more danger and the greater risk you have of getting somebody hurt,” said Chief Collins.

Last month, Smithville Police officers got a chance to use their new Stop Sticks for the first time. It occurred during another Warren County pursuit into DeKalb County and ironically involved the same man, 54 year old Marty Tallent, who led Smithville Police on a pursuit in August 2019 that ended at Silver Point with two wrecked city patrol cars but fortunately no injuries.

“On October 13 Warren County deputies were coming into our city during a pursuit and when they got close two of our officers deployed stop sticks right outside the city on McMinnville Highway and got him (Tallent) stopped without incident,” said Chief Collins.

“I believe Stop Sticks are a valuable tool. It’s a way to safely stop a vehicle. It keeps others from getting hurt and patrol cars and possibly other automobiles from being wrecked,” said Chief Collins.

October 31, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Disappointment has turned to delight for DCHS Tiger football coaches, players, and fans as the team has been cleared to compete in the first round of the TSSAA play-offs next Friday night, November 6 at home against Spring Hill.

The announcement came Friday.

“The Board of Education is allowing us to contact trace within the football program the same way that contact tracing is done within the school and now we are cleared to start back practice on Monday, November 2,” said Tiger Coach Steve Trapp.

Earlier in the week, the Tigers learned that the season would have to prematurely end due to a COVID-19 case within the program.

The game against Cumberland County Friday night, which would have been senior night, had to be canceled due to the earlier decision.

While Coach Trapp is happy to be able to resume play, he is stressing that the safety of everyone is of utmost importance. “If everybody had not been comfortable with everybody being safe then we would not be doing this,” he said.

As the Region 3 champs from Class 4A, the Tigers (6-3, 3-0) will play host to Spring Hill (3-7, 2-3), the 4th place team in Region 4. Kick-off will be at 7 p.m. and WJLE plans LIVE coverage