1ST BUCK-Twelve-year-old Brandon Heinzman harvested his first buck on opening day of rifle season last Saturday while hunting here with his grandfather Billy Blythe. Rifle season remains open through January 5, 2014. (photo submitted)

CLAY COUNTY-Sportsmen here and all across Tennessee ventured to the woods for one of the state’s traditions with the annual opening of gun season for deer last Saturday and, for the third straight year, sportsmen will find one continuous season that will continue through January 5, 2014.

The continuous season replaced the previously two segmented hunting seasons that were in place prior to 2011.

Hunters may harvest one antlered buck per day until the statewide bag limit of three is reached, including those deer harvested during archery and muzzleloader seasons. An antlered buck is a buck with an antler at least three inches long.

Archery, muzzleloader, and the first youth hunt have already been held earlier this fall and the second young sportsman hunt will be held the weekend of January 11-12, 2014.

Anyone born on or after January 1, 1969 is required to carry proof of satisfactory completion of a hunter education class or be in possession of the Apprentice Hunting License (along with other required licenses) while hunting any species in Tennessee.

For more information about Tennessee’s 2013-14 deer hunting seasons, refer to the 2013 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide available at all license agents, TWRA regional offices in Jackson, Nashville, Crossville, and Morristown or on the TWRA website at www.tnwildlife.org.

Send us your deer pictures

The HORIZON is requesting readers send pictures of their trophies to the newspaper for publication this season and editor Thomas Weaver said it would be easy for them to do so.

“If readers will e-mail their deer photos to [email protected]–the easiest way to contact us, then we will be glad to publish them when we have the available space in each week’s paper,” he said.  “Whether it be your first, your biggest, or just one you want everybody to see, we want them and will print as many as we can during the season.”