NASHVILLE — Tennessee’s 2025-26 statewide gun hunting season for deer opens Saturday, Nov. 22, and continues through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in all six of Tennessee’s Deer Management Units (DMU). The season traditionally opens each year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.

During gun season, sportsmen may also use muzzleloaders or archery equipment. The statewide bag limit for antlered bucks is two. No more than one antlered deer may be taken per day, not to exceed two for the season. In DMUs 1, 2, and 3, there is an antlerless bag limit of three per day, and in DMUs 4, 5, and 6, there is a limit of two antlerless for this season. The bag limit may only be exceeded as part of the Earn-A-Buck program or as a replacement buck in a CWD-positive county.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency recommends all hunters obtain a 2025-26 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide. The guide lists license requirements, the counties, and bag limits for each of the six DMUs. The guide is available on the TWRA website, the TWRA On The Go Mobile App, and at locations where hunting and fishing licenses are sold.

Anyone born on or after January 1, 1969, is required to carry proof of completion of a hunter education class or have the Apprentice Hunter Education Permit (along with other required licenses) while hunting any species in Tennessee. Hunter education can be completed online for free, along with in-person options offered by TWRA.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is responsible for protecting, managing, and conserving fish and wildlife species for the benefit of Tennesseans and visitors. The Agency also maintains public safety through law enforcement and safety education on waterways.

Madison Myatt, Carthage Junction Depot Art Crawl prize winner

Congratulations go out to Madison Myatt, the lucky winner of the Carthage Junction Depot Art Crawl prize basket from last Saturday’s festive event.

This year’s Art Crawl brought together 12 local businesses and 20 talented artists and craftsmen, each setting up booths filled with handmade goods and holiday shopping favorites. Visitors earned a chance to win the grand prize by stopping at least 10 locations along the Crawl — but Madison went above and beyond, visiting every single stop. Her entry was drawn, earning her the overflowing prize basket packed with contributions from each participating business and artist.

The Carthage Junction Depot continues to celebrate creativity all year long with monthly art events for the community. Up next, on December 13, Santa will make a special stop at the Depot to take photos and hear everyone’s Christmas wishes. While families wait for their turn with Santa, they can enjoy a display of Gingerbread House Competition entries, adding even more holiday cheer to the day.

For updates on upcoming events, visit the Carthage Junction Depot’s Facebook page

Junior 4-H Member Group Picture – 4th & 5th Grades

4-H News Submitted by Rachel Petty, Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development

Smith County 4-H was proud to host its 8th Annual 4-H Awards Banquet at the Smith County Ag Center on the evening of Thursday, November 6, 2025. Each year, our banquet brings together 4-H’ers and family members, volunteers, donors, community supporters, Extension staff, and friends that make our local 4-H program possible.

We had the pleasure of recognizing 53 of our most active and involved 4-H’ers from the past year. These 4-H’ers were recognized for their outstanding club and project work, contest participation, and community involvement.

We also enjoyed a delicious meal together, which was catered by Stroud’s BBQ from Cookeville, Tennessee, and generously sponsored by Smith County Farm Bureau.

Junior High 4-H Member Group Picture – 6th, 7th, & 8th Grade Girls

The program for the evening was led by 4-H’ers Easton Bibbings, Evy Quijano, Oakley Lawrence, Emmy Bibbings, Owen Meeks, Turner Harville, and Tana Harville. The awards ceremony was conducted by 4-H Agent Rachel Petty and 4-H Program Assistant Emily Webb.

Smith County Mayor Jeff Mason was our guest speaker, and he shared an inspiring message about “the power of doing” with our local youth.

Special awards for the night went to

· Scarlett Hicks – Outstanding Junior 4-H Member

· Aubrey Hicks – Outstanding Junior High 4-H Member

· Emmy Bibbings – Outstanding Senior High 4-H Member

We also honored graduating senior Easton Bibbings with a set of green and white cords to wear at graduation and a small gift to commemorate his time in Smith County 4-H.

Junior High 4-H Member Group Picture – 6th, 7th, & 8th Grade Boys

Our Smith County “Friend of 4-H Award” went to 4-H volunteer Lisa Harville for her years of dedication to the Smith County 4-H Program. Earlier this year, Lisa received the Tennessee 4-H Volunteer of the Year Award, and the whole Harville family received the “Master 4-H Family” distinction.

Here is a complete list of the best-of-the-best Smith County 4-H’ers who were honored at our 2025 4-H Awards Banquet:

· Junior 4-H Members – 4th & 5th Grades: Peter Chartier, Christina Wilson, Katherine Bass, Chloe Beechboard, Walker Crawford, Gracie Driver, Mattie Grisham, Colton

Hackett, Sophie Hale, Ainsley Hassler, Daniel Johnson, Willow Lawrence, William Limeburner, Ava Martin, Tristan McCarter, Jake Myers, Lizzy Taylor

· Junior High 4-H Members – 6th, 7th, & 8th Grades: Titus Chartier, Colleen Dula, Isaac Ferrell, Scarlett Hamann, Josie Harville, Scarlett Hicks, Amelia Hodges, Jax Mason, Katie Wilson, Kylee Allmon, Katie Belle Butler, Daisy Chambers, Charlotte Driver, Clay Driver, Jude Gurdon, Aubrey Hicks, Katelyn Kooken, Oakley Lawrence, Marshall Taylor, Everett West, Evie Wilson, Kyler Yerge, Luke Chartier, Jay Driver, Chance Maxwell, Kolt Ortiz Schulz

· Senior High 4-H Members – 9th – 12th Grades: Keaton Crawford, Tana Harville, Makenna Hassler, Turner Harville, Evy Quijano, Emmy Bibbings, Levi Ferrell, Owen Meeks, Bradley Yerge, Easton Bibbings

By participating in 4-H, youth develop life skills like critical thinking, teamwork, communication, citizenship, and creativity that equip them to be the leaders of the future.

Our Smith County 4-H Awards Banquet continues to grow year after year, and we love seeing all of these young people succeed and come together to celebrate their accomplishments.

We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Smith County 4-H and all of these bright and hardworking young people!

The 4-H Youth Development Program delivers programs through cooperative efforts of the University of Tennessee, Tennessee State University, and public and private sector volunteers. 4-H educational programs are offered to all youth, grades 4-12, on an age-appropriate basis, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. For further information concerning the many opportunities that 4-H has to offer the youth in Smith County, call 615-735-2900.

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has announced the application period for the 2025-26 Late-Season, Youth, and Military Waterfowl Quota Hunts, open Nov. 13 through Dec. 3.

            Applications can be submitted online at gooutdoorstennessee.com, through the TWRA On The Go mobile app, at TWRA regional offices, or at any TWRA license agent.  Applicants must be at least 16 years old for the Late Season WMA Hunt. The Youth Hunt is for ages 6-15, and only veterans and active-duty military can participate in the Military Hunt.

            Detailed application instructions, WMA locations, and general waterfowl quota hunt information are available on the TWRA Quota Hunts webpage. The deadline for submitting applications is Dec. 3 at 11:59 p.m. (CST).

A $12 application fee and a vendor fee that varies by method of submission are assessed to each application. Hunters possessing a valid Annual, Lifetime, or Senior Sportsman License are exempt from application fees. There is no application fee for the Youth or Military Waterfowl Quota Hunt.

A successful applicant may bring up to seven additional hunters (guests) of their choice, each day of the hunt. The number of adults in a blind or pool may not exceed eight, one of whom must be a permit holder. No additional party members can be added after the drawing and permits are nontransferable.

Successful applicants will receive an email with instructions to claim their permit before 11:59 p.m. (CST) on Dec. 15. Each party member must claim their own permit. Individuals in the party who fail to claim their permit forfeit their individual permit but may still hunt with a permit holder in attendance at the blind. If the entire party fails to claim their permits, the site location will be forfeited.

The leftover drawings will be held on Monday, Dec. 29, at 6 p.m. local time. The drawing locations are listed on page 85 of the 2025-26 Tennessee Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Guide.

           The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is responsible for protecting, managing, and conserving fish and wildlife species for the benefit of Tennesseans and visitors. The Agency also maintains public safety through law enforcement and safety education on waterways.

WASHINGTON, DC—Ahead of the passage of H.R. 5371, a funding bill to reopen the federal government, U.S. Representative John Rose (TN-06) introduced the Repealing Enrichment for Senators Exploited by Targeting Act (RESET Act), legislation which would undo a provision of the bill which enables eight U.S. Senators to seek $500,000 (per occurrence) in compensation following subpoenas of their phone data executed by the FBI under former President Joe Biden.

Sam Gray — Carthage City Mayor

Carthage Vice Mayor Sam Gray was sworn in this week as the town’s newest mayor, marking the third time the position has changed hands this year and likely a first in the town’s history.

The latest change comes after Mayor Anthony Hackett announced at the end of Thursday night’s city council meeting that he was stepping down. Hackett, a Carthage native who works as an insurance agent in Lafayette, said he resigned at the request of his employer.

Hackett has had a busy year in city government. He was elected to the council last year and was serving as vice mayor when former Mayor Steve Babcock took medical leave earlier in the year. Hackett filled in during Babcock’s absence and was later appointed mayor over the summer when Babcock officially resigned. Babcock’s term was set to run through November of next year.

Following Hackett’s appointment to mayor, Gray was selected by the council to serve as vice mayor. Gray will now assume the role of mayor as the town navigates yet another leadership change in a year marked by unusual turnover.

Smith County Schools has officially released its academic calendar for the 2026–2027 school year, outlining key dates for students, families, and staff. The upcoming school year will begin on Monday, August 10, 2026, marking the first full day of classes for students.

The calendar includes important breaks, administrative days, and parent engagement opportunities. Families can expect traditional holidays and scheduled pauses throughout the year, including:

• Labor Day on September 7

• Fall Break from October 12–16

• Thanksgiving Break November 23–27

• Christmas Break beginning December 21, with students returning January 5

• Spring Break March 22–29

Several administrative and in-service days are built into the schedule, giving teachers time for planning and development. Notable administrative days include August 3–7, January 4, and May 27, during which students will not attend school.

The calendar also highlights parent–teacher conferences on October 22 and report card dates spread across the school year: October 6, January 7, March 16, and May 28.

Students will wrap up the year on May 26, 2027, which is scheduled as the last full day of school, followed by a half day on May 28.

In total, the school year accounts for 179 student days, along with holidays, in-service days, and professional development time for teachers.

The full calendar—including color-coded indicators for holidays, half days, administrative days, and school closures—is available through Smith County Schools and can be viewed on their website at smithcoedu.net. Families are encouraged to review the schedule early to plan ahead for the upcoming school year.

The Smith County Amateur Radio Club will hold its next meeting on Monday, November 17 at 6 p.m. at the Smith County Chamber of Commerce, located at 939 Upper Ferry Road.

Members and guests are invited to attend as the club discusses plans for its upcoming Go Kit Challenge, set for Saturday, December 6 at 10 a.m. The friendly competition focuses on emergency communication preparedness, encouraging participants to assemble and demonstrate portable “go kits” used for radio operation during disasters or field events.

The event offers local amateur radio enthusiasts a chance to test their readiness, share ideas, and learn more about efficient emergency setups.

For more details about the meeting or the Go Kit Challenge, visit the club’s website at www.smithcountyamateurradio.com

NASHVILLE— The 2025 statewide muzzleloader/archery season for deer opens in Tennessee on Saturday, Nov. 8, and continues through Friday, Nov. 21, in all six of Tennessee’s Deer Management Units (DMU). 

The statewide bag limit for antlered deer is two. In Units 1, 2, and 3, there is an antlerless deer bag limit of three per day, and a limit of two antlerless in Units 4, 5, and 6. The bag limit may only be exceeded as part of the Earn-A-Buck program or as a replacement buck in a CWD-positive county.

            The statewide gun season opens Saturday, Nov. 22, and will continue until Jan. 4, 2026. The second young sportsman deer hunt is Jan. 10-11, 2026.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency recommends all hunters obtain a 2025-26 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide. The guide lists license requirements, the counties, and bag limits for each of the six DMUs. The guide is available on the TWRA website, the TWRA App, and at locations where hunting and fishing licenses are sold.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is responsible for protecting, managing, and conserving fish and wildlife species for the benefit of Tennesseans and visitors. The Agency also maintains public safety through law enforcement and safety education on waterways.

—TWRA—