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The 2010 Winter Olympics begins on Feb. 12 in Vancouver, British Columbia. While the figure skating events normally draw the most viewers in North America, the biathlon – my favorite – will have some special excitement this year for the United States. The U.S. has never won a medal in biathlon, but this may be the year.

Biathlon is the combination of cross-country skiing and rifle marksmanship. Biathletes alternate hard skiing and quick stops for shooting while under the pressure of the clock. Course speed, range speed and accuracy are crucial. There is a penalty for each missed shot.

All targets are at 50 meters distance and athletes shoot five shots at five black bulls. When shooting prone the bull is less than two inches in diameter; when standing the bull is about 4.5 inches wide. When hit, the black target turns white showing everyone the shot scored – or missed.

The U.S. biathlete to watch is Tim Burke. Burke placed second in the World Cup race in Sweden last month, the best finish by an American in 17 years. In other World Cup races last year, teammate Jeremy Teela took a third and the men's relay team took a fifth place.

Men's and women's biathlon events will take place on Feb. 14, 16, 18, 21, and 26. The 2010 Winter Olympics will be televised on NBC.

Young hunt

The Young Sportsman's Deer Hunt last weekend ended the 2009-2010 deer season and the total harvest can now be calculated. Going into the youth hunt the number was 158,790 bucks and does taken; the young hunters added 1,938 on their two-day hunt, bringing the season total to a dismal 160,728.

This is a couple thousand lower than recent harvests. Last year saw 163,289 deer taken and in 2007-2008, the year of the great die-off from epizootic hemorrhagic disease, it was 162,582. The 2006-2007 harvest was a more normal 182,023.

Applications for the 2010 spring turkey quota hunts must be filed by Feb. 10. Sign-ups must be done online or at any license agency; they cannot be mailed. The turkey quota hunt instruction sheet is also available at license agencies or online at www.tnwildlife.org.

The results of the drawings will be available online a few days after Feb. 10. The 2010 regular season will run April 3 – May 16. The Statewide Youth-only Hunt (ages 6-16) will be March 27-28. The bag limit for the regular hunts is one bearded bird per day, not to exceed four per season. Turkeys taken on wildlife management area hunts are bonus birds.

Turkey show

Don't miss this giant hunting sports show as you get ready for the spring turkey season. The National Wild Turkey Federation's 34th annual National Convention and Sport Show is returning to Nashville for the seventh time in ten years. It will be at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center on Feb. 18-21.

The festivities have attractions for the entire hunting family: Outdoor television personalities, country music celebrities, clinics and seminars with top turkey callers, renown outdoorsmen and hunters. More than 545 manufacturers and vendors will have the latest in turkey and deer hunting equipment and other outdoor gear.
In addition to excellent entertainment, the convention offers everyone fun through 10 calling contests, speakers, and autograph sessions. The exhibit hall is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 19, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Feb. 20, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 21.

Festivities begin on Thursday night with the Welcome Party, hosted by Brenda Valentine (“First Lady of Hunting”) and Michael Waddell (“Realtree Roadtrips”).

On Friday afternoon enjoy the Grand National Hunt Auction & Luncheon, good food, many activities, and a big auction including outdoor merchandise, custom guns, plus turkey, dove and big game hunts in five countries.
Friday evening there is the Wild Turkey Bourbon Bash with bluegrass music, followed by the Grand National Celebrity Auction & Dinner. Participants can bid on African safaris, hunts across North America, hunting and outdoors equipment, jewelry, and original art.

Comedian Jeff Foxworthy leads the entertainment for the Awards Banquet Ceremony on Saturday. To pre-purchase tickets, to register for each event, and see a complete list of items available at each auction, visit the NWTF Website at www.nwtf.org, or call 800-THE-NWTF to learn more.

Elk Banquet

Tennessee held its first elk hunt three months ago – a great conservation achievement. Let's keep the momentum going. The East Tennessee Chapter of Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will have its 22nd annual banquet fundraiser on Jan. 30 at the Smoky Mountains Convention Center in Pigeon Forge. The doors open at 5 p.m. for a social hour including games, silent auction and display of the variety of outdoors equipment, guns and art for the live auction.

This banquet costs $35 for dinner and $35 for an annual membership and it will benefit the reintroduction of elk to this area. For tickets call John Mechler at 865-609-8202, or contact Cory Felts at 865-932-8055 or cdfelts@comcast.net.

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