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Tennessee deer hunting is about to begin. The 2009 archery deer season opens statewide on Saturday. All the big game units, A and L and B, have the same dates this year. The first segment closes on Oct. 30; the second segment is Nov. 2-6; the third is Dec. 7-18.

The archery season bag limits do vary. For our Unit B it is three bucks and two does; for Unit A the limit is three bucks and four does; for Unit L it is three bucks (per year) and three does per day.

The 11th annual Smoky Mountains Trout Tournament will take place on the weekend of Sept. 26-27 on the Little Pigeon River in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. At least 10,000 trout are stocked immediately prior to the event. The top prizes will be $500 for the largest trout and $500 for the smallest trout. Other prizes will include trophies for the top three anglers in four divisions, cash awards, fishing equipment, and gift certificates to restaurants, hotels, and amusement parks.
The entry fees are $25 for one day or $40 for both days. Cash prizes will go to the four divisions of adults and youths, both locals and tourists. The beneficiary of the tournament is the Smoky Mountains Boys and Girls Club. Register at www.smokymountaintrouttournament.com. For more information call Greg Ward at Rocky Top Outfitters at 865-661-3474 or e-mail at rockytopoutfit@aol.com.

n Here comes some more professional bass angling to our area. The 2010 FLW Tour schedule has been changed. The fourth qualifying tournament was to be on April 15-18 at Chattanooga on Lake Chickamauga. The change puts it on April 22-25 in Knoxville on Fort Loudoun/Tellico lakes.
FLW Outdoors is moving its fourth tournament to create some separation between it and a Bassmaster Elite Series tournament held in the same month.

April in Knoxville seems to be a favorite with pro bass tournaments. Here are two more for 2010. The National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship will be held on April 10-12 on Fort Loudoun/Tellico lakes. This contest pits the best collegiate teams competing for $100,000 and a chance to compete in the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup.

The Bass Federation (TBF) 2010 National Championship presented by the National Guard will take place on April 22-24 in conjunction with the above FLW Tour event in Knoxville. The fishery for the TBF National Championship will be announced later. For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call 270-252-1000.

Hunting opportunities on private property are disappearing at an alarming rate as rural landowners sell out to commercial and residential developers. More and more Tennesseans are resorting to leased lands for some quality and successful hunting.

Although hunting is an extremely safe sport, any time you go hiking in the woods, climb trees, ride off-road vehicles, use chainsaws, operate tractors, travel slippery roads, hunt with firearms and bows and arrows, and field dress game with knives, accidents will occur eventually.

Landowners and members of hunting clubs should be aware of possible joint liability for the accidents of others on their property. Quality Deer Management Association has a solution.
Of all the helpful services that QDMA can do for game management, the Hunting Club Liability Insurance Program is one of the best. It is specifically designed for individual clubs leasing property for hunting and fishing. It protects the club member, the hunting club and the landowner from any liability claims that may be incurred 365 days a year on the property.

For more information call QDMA at 800-209-3337, or visit www.qdma.com, and click on Hunt Club Insurance.

A hunter education class for Blount County will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 (M-Tu-Th-F) at Townsend’s Church of the Cove. Students should be at least nine years old, should bring a pencil and know their Social Security number.

Tom Wiest welcomes news, questions and comments from readers. Contact him at wiest.tom@gmail.com.