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BY DANNY BLEVINS

STAR CORRESPONDENT

The days are getting shorter, and the weather is beginning to resemble more like winter than fall, but there is still a beautiful natural world out there to explore.
Dress in layers and get out this week and participate in your favorite outdoor activity. Life is too short to just watch sit on the couch and watch it go by.
Hunter/Hiker Safety

A few years ago, a young lady I know was hiking on the Appalachian Trail when she became separated from her hiking companion.

Once she realized she was lost, she did the smartest thing she could do. She stopped walking and sat down.

She knew that if she kept walking, with nightfall at hand, she would probably get even more lost or worse, injure herself in the dark.

She stopped walking, made camp and used what few provisions she had with her to survive a cold, scary night.

The next morning a rescue party found her. She was cold, scared, hungry and tired, but very much alive. She had done the most important thing. She had found a way to survive.

Every year hundreds of hunters and hikers become lost in the mountains. Unfortunately, many of these cases end up in tragedy when the hunters or hikers do not survive their ordeal.

There are a few things you can do to prevent a tragedy. First, tell someone where you are going and when you will return. Next, wear clothes for the weather including something to keep your head and face warm. Don’t forget to dress in layers.

Next, keep an eye on the weather and have a way to start a fire should you become lost and bad weather sets in. Finally, use common sense. If you have no idea where you are, and it is getting dark, stop and wait for rescuers to find you.

Winter can be a tragic time for outdoorsmen and women, but it doesn’t have to be.

Deer Hunting Season

The whitetail deer gun season officially opens Saturday, November 21, 2020. The season will last until January 3, 2021.

Pick up a copy of this season’s Hunting and Trapping Guide to update yourself on changing rules and regulations of deer hunting. You can get a copy of this at any business that sells hunting and fishing licenses. You can also go to twra.gov and download the hunting information.
Trout Stocking

Every year the TWRA schedules a winter stocking program for trout. Watauga Lake and South Holston Lakes will be stocked as the weather turns colder, and anglers will have the opportunity to catch a limit for the frying pan.

Both lakes will be stocked with brown, rainbow, and lake trout. The limit is seven fish per day, and there is no length limit. However, only two fish can be lake trout.

Cold weather brings up the monster trout. Take the time to fish for these monsters by using natural baits, large spinners or large spoons such as those made by Little Cleo.

Have a safe week and God bless.