It's not over until it's over, deer hunters. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) reminds all the second segment of the gun/muzzleloader/archery deer hunting season in Unit B (East Tennessee) will run from December 20 through January 7, 2009.

The bag limit for both segments combined of gun/muzzleloader/archery season is two antlered deer. Keep in mind, if a hunter has already harvested two antlered deer in Unit B he may not hunt antlered deer during this segment. No more than two antlered deer may be taken in Unit B for all seasons combined.

However, a hunter who has taken his bag limit of 2 antlered bucks in Unit B, may go to another unit (A or L) and harvest one more antlered deer. The statewide buck bag limit is three antlered deer. An antlered deer is a buck with antlers at least 3 inches long.

For more information on deer hunting, check out the 2008 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide on the TWRA web site www.tnwildlife.org, or call the nearest TWRA Regional Office.

The TWRA also said several East Tennessee counties have special season antlerless deer hunts set for this month. The best news is for the first time, East Tennessee has some special season antlerless deer hunts that are non-quota. Hawkins, Knox and Loudon (West of I-75) counties are open December 20-28 for this non-quota hunt. A Type 94 Permit or a license that covers this permit is required to harvest antlerless deer in these counties.

Several other East Tennessee counties have quota hunts during this time period. The permits for the quota hunts were issued by computer drawing earlier this fall. Counties with this special hunt are: Anderson (east of Hwy. 330 and east of Briceville Hwy. only), Blount (west of Hwy. 411 and east of Hwy. 129 only), Carter (excluding Cherokee WMA), Claiborne, Grainger, Greene (excluding Cherokee WMA), Hamblen, Hancock, Jefferson, Johnson (excluding Cherokee WMA), Loudon (East of I-75), Sevier (North of Hwy. 411) and Sullivan (excluding Cherokee WMA).

Qualified landowners may hunt on their own land in these counties without the special permit. The Agency said the landowner, hunting without a license or permit, should complete and carry the landowner exemption form found on page 73 of the hunting guide.

For more information on this special hunt, check out page 21 of the 2008 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide, or go to the TWRA web site at www.tnwildlife.org.

The TWRA said Tennessee's third segment of mourning dove hunting season opens at thirty minutes before sunrise on Friday, December 19, and continues until sunset on January 15, 2009. The daily bag limit for doves is fifteen (15).

Although little used by hunters, this last segment can be very productive. Folks, this can be a very good wingshooting experience late in the year. The Agency said late harvested grain fields attract large flocks of northern doves as they migrate south. That's right, the big Yankee birds are in town. They can provide some excellent and challenging shooting for those who are willing to withstand the winter weather.

Hunters should remember that in addition to their licenses, the Migratory Bird Permit (Type 006 or 007) is required for hunting doves (for exceptions, see page 9 of the 2008 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide). Also, remember shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than three shells when hunting migratory birds.

With cold and snowy weather in the forecast, it's time to think about spring and future turkey hunts. The TWRA said hunters have from December 17 until February 11, 2009, to apply for the 2009 spring quota turkey hunts.

Remember, there will be no mail-in quota hunt applications; you must apply online or at a license agent.

A complete list of available spring turkey quota hunts is available at licenses agents and online. Wildlife Management Areas with spring turkey quota hunts are: Chuck Swan, Meeman Shelby, Natchez Trace, Oak Ridge, Wolf River and Yuchi Refuge. There are a total of 25 hunts listed. A hunter may list 12 choices but will be drawn for only one.

Also, hunters may walk into any license agent (including TWRA Regional Offices) and apply. You will need your TWRA ID number and required fees, if any. Annual Sportsman and Lifetime Sportsman license holders and seniors with a type 167 permit are not required to pay a permit fee.

Using the 2009 Spring Turkey Quota Hunt instruction sheet, select the hunt choices for the areas you wish to apply. After applying, the license agent will give the applicant a receipt listing name, address, hunt choices and fees. Be sure to verify all information (including address) on the application receipt to ensure you will receive quota hunt information after the drawing.

Hunters with Internet access may go to and apply (beginning Dec. 17) for a spring quota turkey hunt. Click on On-Line Licensing. Once you have accessed the Internet site, follow the on-screen directions. All applicants (except sportsman license holders and seniors with a Type 167 permit) pay a $20 permit fee, 50-cent drawing fee, and a $2 access fee for applying on-line. The $2 usage fee is collected by the company that maintains the Internet site. Here are a few tips when applying.

*You may apply alone. Once you apply alone, you may not create or join a party.

*If you wish to create a party, you must indicate this when you first apply. The party leader decides the hunt choices. You may allow other applicants to join your party by giving them your party number.

*You may join a party created by another applicant. To do this you must have the party number when applying. A party may not exceed 5 members.

The Agency said going into this year's drawing, there are 11,826 hunters with 1-year priority, 2,718 with 2-year priority, 567 with 3-year priority, and 33 with 5-year priority.

Ducks have been a little scarce so far, but there have been some successful hunts occurring in the region. With the 2008-09 Tennessee duck and goose season underway, the TWRA urges waterfowl hunters to report leg and neck band numbers they find on ducks and geese to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

If you've duck hunted very long, you already know how vital this information is to biologists and planners. The TWRA said the recovery of waterfowl band numbers reveals scientifically valuable information necessary to monitor migration patterns and manage North America's ducks and geese. Banding data from game birds is analyzed yearly and determining hunting regulation development as well as for learning changes in population sizes.

Data from banding can be used to evaluate hunting pressure, estimate productivity and survival and determine how vulnerable different ages and sexes are to hunting pressure. All of these are key components to managing game birds for sustainable harvest.

The USFWS has implemented a toll-free number for hunters to report band numbers. The toll free number is 1-800-327-BAND (2263). The information to report is the band number, the date of harvest, and the county or area of harvest. Remember, bands do not need to be sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -- they're your trophies to keep and display on your lanyard.

Toxey Haas has been named one of Outdoor Life's top 25 influential conservationists and leaders in the outdoor industry by the editors of the magazine. If you hunt, you know he's the mastermind behind Mossy Oak Camo.

"I can't think of a person more deserving of this honor than Toxey," said Kevin Howard, President of Howard Communications, Inc.

Howard said when an outdoorsman thinks of Mossy Oak, the first thing that comes to their mind is the line up of Mossy Oak camouflage patterns that have dominated the outdoor clothing and accessory lines for a number of years. The Mossy Oak patterns are available on thousands of products from clothes and other soft goods to hard goods like bows and guns.