Tennessee Hunting Regulations

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Archery — Hunting arrows and bolts must be equipped with sharpened broadheads.
• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) .36 caliber or larger are legal.This does not apply to turkey.
• Rifle — Rifles and handguns using centerfire ammunition (full metal jacketed ammunition prohibited). Air guns .35 caliber or larger are legal. Must use a pre-charged pneumatic firing mechanism and be equipped with a built-in manometer (air pressure gauge).This does not apply to turkey.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with a single solid ball or slugs is legal.This does not apply to turkey.

📋 General Regulations

• Carcass Importation: Only approved parts (i.e., deboned meat, clean skulls, skull plates and teeth, antlers, finished taxidermy, hides, and tanned products) from deer, elk, moose, and caribou may be brought into Tennessee from out of state.
• Use of Dogs Prohibited: The use of dogs in taking or attempting to take deer or elk is prohibited. Taking or attempting to take deer being pursued by a dog or dogs is prohibited.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Archery — Hunting arrows and bolts must be equipped with sharpened broadheads.
• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) .36 caliber or larger are legal.This does not apply to turkey.
• Rifle — Rifles and handguns using centerfire ammunition (full metal jacketed ammunition prohibited). Air guns .35 caliber or larger are legal. Must use a pre-charged pneumatic firing mechanism and be equipped with a built-in manometer (air pressure gauge).This does not apply to turkey.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with a single solid ball or slugs is legal.This does not apply to turkey.

📋 General Regulations

• Dog Training Season: Bear dog training seasons are established in BHZ1, BHZ2, BHZ3, and Cherokee WMA. No bears may be taken or attempted to be taken, and no bait may be utilized during training seasons.
• Mandatory Tooth Submission: A tooth must be submitted to TWRA from each harvested bear by February 15th after the harvest of the bear.post_season
• Prohibited Take: Cubs or female bears with cubs at the side may not be taken at any time. A cub is defined as a bear weighing 75 pounds or less.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📋 General Regulations

• CITES Tagging for Export: Bobcat pelts must be tagged with Tennessee U.S. CITES tags before being exported from the U. S. Contact your regional TWRA office for instructions.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Shotgun — Shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than three (3) shells.This rule does not apply to crows. During the Light Goose Conservation Season, unplugged shotguns are allowed.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number 4 or smaller shot size is legal.This does not apply to waterfowl and sandhill cranes, which may use up to T shot.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Archery — Hunting arrows and bolts must be equipped with sharpened broadheads.
• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) .36 caliber or larger are legal.This does not apply to turkey.
• Rifle — Rifles and handguns using centerfire ammunition (full metal jacketed ammunition prohibited). Air guns .35 caliber or larger are legal. Must use a pre-charged pneumatic firing mechanism and be equipped with a built-in manometer (air pressure gauge).This does not apply to turkey.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with a single solid ball or slugs is legal.This does not apply to turkey.
• Shotgun — Ammunition must be Number Four (4) or smaller shot. There is no restriction on the number of rounds in the magazine.

📋 General Regulations

• Fanning/Reaping Prohibited on WMAs: On WMA lands, the practice of fanning or reaping is prohibited. Fanning/reaping is defined as hunting or stalking wild turkeys while holding or using for hunter concealment any of the following items: a tail fan, a partial or full decoy with a tail fan, or a tail fan mounted to a firearm.
• Field Dressing: Turkeys must remain intact while afield until tagged and checked in.
• Harvest of Hens: All hens (including bearded hens) are illegal to harvest during the spring season.
• Legal Hunting Hours: Spring Turkey shooting hours are thirty (30) minutes before legal sunrise to sunset. Fall turkey hours are 30 minutes before legal sunrise to legal sunset.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Shotgun — Shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than three (3) shells.This rule does not apply to crows. During the Light Goose Conservation Season, unplugged shotguns are allowed.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number 4 or smaller shot size is legal.This does not apply to waterfowl and sandhill cranes, which may use up to T shot.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Shotgun — Shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than three (3) shells.This rule does not apply to crows. During the Light Goose Conservation Season, unplugged shotguns are allowed.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number 4 or smaller shot size is legal.This does not apply to waterfowl and sandhill cranes, which may use up to T shot.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Shotgun — Shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than three (3) shells.This rule does not apply to crows. During the Light Goose Conservation Season, unplugged shotguns are allowed.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number 4 or smaller shot size is legal.This does not apply to waterfowl and sandhill cranes, which may use up to T shot.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Shotgun — Shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than three (3) shells.This rule does not apply to crows. During the Light Goose Conservation Season, unplugged shotguns are allowed.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number 4 or smaller shot size is legal.This does not apply to waterfowl and sandhill cranes, which may use up to T shot.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Shotgun — Shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than three (3) shells.This rule does not apply to crows. During the Light Goose Conservation Season, unplugged shotguns are allowed.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number 4 or smaller shot size is legal.This does not apply to waterfowl and sandhill cranes, which may use up to T shot.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Archery — Hunting arrows and bolts must be equipped with sharpened broadheads.
• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) .36 caliber or larger are legal.This does not apply to turkey.
• Rifle — Rifles and handguns using centerfire ammunition (full metal jacketed ammunition prohibited). Air guns .35 caliber or larger are legal. Must use a pre-charged pneumatic firing mechanism and be equipped with a built-in manometer (air pressure gauge).This does not apply to turkey.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with a single solid ball or slugs is legal.This does not apply to turkey.

📋 General Regulations

• Carcass Importation: Only approved parts (i.e., deboned meat, clean skulls, skull plates and teeth, antlers, finished taxidermy, hides, and tanned products) from deer, elk, moose, and caribou may be brought into Tennessee from out of state.
• Incidental Take of Elk: A legal deer hunter may harvest one elk (either sex) per year incidental to deer hunting on private and public lands open to deer hunting, except for lands in Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Scott, and Morgan counties and certain federal lands. Elk harvested via incidental take must be reported to the TWRA on the day of harvest by calling 1-800-831-1174.
• Use of Dogs Prohibited: The use of dogs in taking or attempting to take deer or elk is prohibited. Taking or attempting to take deer being pursued by a dog or dogs is prohibited.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📋 General Regulations

• Dog Training: Raccoon dog training is permitted year-round except where regulated by Private Acts.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Shotgun — Shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than three (3) shells.This rule does not apply to crows. During the Light Goose Conservation Season, unplugged shotguns are allowed.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number 4 or smaller shot size is legal.This does not apply to waterfowl and sandhill cranes, which may use up to T shot.
• Shotgun — Possession or use of any shot other than federally approved non-toxic shot is prohibited.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📋 General Regulations

• Dog Training: Training of squirrel dogs is permitted year-round on private lands, during daylight hours only.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Shotgun — Shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than three (3) shells.This rule does not apply to crows. During the Light Goose Conservation Season, unplugged shotguns are allowed.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number 4 or smaller shot size is legal.This does not apply to waterfowl and sandhill cranes, which may use up to T shot.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Shotgun — Shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than three (3) shells.This rule does not apply to crows. During the Light Goose Conservation Season, unplugged shotguns are allowed.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number 4 or smaller shot size is legal.This does not apply to waterfowl and sandhill cranes, which may use up to T shot.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📋 General Regulations

• Dog Training: The chasing of foxes with hounds is permitted year-round, day and night.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📅 Hunting Seasons

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📋 General Regulations

• CITES Tagging: All river otters harvested must be tagged with Tennessee U. S. CITES tags. Contact your regional TWRA office for instructions.

📅 Hunting Seasons

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📋 General Regulations

• Dog Training: Training of rabbit dogs is permitted year-round on private lands day and night.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Shotgun — Shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than three (3) shells.This rule does not apply to crows. During the Light Goose Conservation Season, unplugged shotguns are allowed.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number 4 or smaller shot size is legal.This does not apply to waterfowl and sandhill cranes, which may use up to T shot.

📅 Hunting Seasons

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) of any caliber are legal.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number Four (4) or smaller shot is legal.
• Shotgun — During the nighttime coyote and bobcat-only season, only shotguns may be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Shotgun — Shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than three (3) shells.This rule does not apply to crows. During the Light Goose Conservation Season, unplugged shotguns are allowed.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with Number 4 or smaller shot size is legal.This does not apply to waterfowl and sandhill cranes, which may use up to T shot.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with T shot (0.20-inch diameter) or smaller is legal.
• Shotgun — Possession or use of any shot other than federally approved non-toxic shot is prohibited.

🪪 Licenses & Tags

🎯 Weapon & Equipment Rules

• Archery — Hunting arrows and bolts must be equipped with sharpened broadheads.
• Muzzleloader — Muzzleloading firearms (rifles and handguns) .36 caliber or larger are legal.This does not apply to turkey.
• Rifle — Rifles and handguns using centerfire ammunition (full metal jacketed ammunition prohibited). Air guns .35 caliber or larger are legal. Must use a pre-charged pneumatic firing mechanism and be equipped with a built-in manometer (air pressure gauge).This does not apply to turkey.
• Shotgun — Ammunition loaded with a single solid ball or slugs is legal.This does not apply to turkey.

📋 General Regulations

• Albino Deer Protection: Hunting, trapping, or possession of albino deer is prohibited. An albino deer is a deer with a lack, or significant deficiency, of pigment in the skin and hair, and has pink eyes.
• Carcass Importation: Only approved parts (i.e., deboned meat, clean skulls, skull plates and teeth, antlers, finished taxidermy, hides, and tanned products) from deer, elk, moose, and caribou may be brought into Tennessee from out of state.
• CWD Management Zone Carcass Transport: Deer carcass transportation restrictions apply to the CWD Management Zone (Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Madison, McNairy, Lake, Lauderdale, Obion, Shelby, Tipton, and Weakley Counties). There are restrictions on moving unapproved parts (i.e., whole or undressed carcasses) from county-to-county depending on whether the county resides in the CWD Management Zone.
• Use of Dogs Prohibited: The use of dogs in taking or attempting to take deer or elk is prohibited. Taking or attempting to take deer being pursued by a dog or dogs is prohibited.

📋 General Regulations

• Assisting Hunters: Hunters who have filled their seasonal or daily bag limit for any species may continue to accompany other hunters provided they are not in possession of any ammunition or any firearm or archery equipment.
• General Baiting Prohibition: No person shall make use of bait to hunt wildlife unless the bait has been removed and any electronic feeder disabled at least 10 days prior to hunting.
• Hunter Education Requirement: Anyone 10 years of age or older must have a Hunter Education Certificate to hunt.
• Hunting from a Stationary Vehicle: On private property, it is legal to hunt from any motorized vehicle (including ATVs, golf carts, etc.), provided the vehicle is stationary. This does not authorize hunting from a vessel, automobile or other motor vehicle while under power, nor does it permit hunting from or across a public road or right-of-way.
• Possession of Live Animals: No person shall, at any time or by any means, possess or transport live animals taken under the authority of the hunting and trapping season proclamations. No native species may be taken out of the wild and kept as pets.
• Private Land Access: Hunters and trappers are required to obtain permission from landowners to hunt or trap on private property. It is advisable to get written permission to hunt and it is required to trap.
• Protected Species: The taking, killing and/or illegal possession of hawks, owls, songbirds, endangered species or any other species (i.e. snakes) for which a season is not set is prohibited. Alligators and cougars are protected by state laws in Tennessee and may not be taken until a hunting season is proclaimed.
• Roadkill Possession: Wild game animals, except for non-game and federally protected wildlife species, accidentally killed by a motor vehicle may be possessed for personal use and consumption. Possession of a deer requires notifying the TWRA or law enforcement within 48 hours. Possession of a bear requires a possession tag issued by a TWRA enforcement officer.
• Use of Drones (UAVs): UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), commonly referred to as drones, cannot be used to hunt any wildlife.

📋 General Regulations

• Big Game Check-In: All harvested big game must be checked in by midnight on the day of harvest and before being gifted to another person or leaving the state. The harvest confirmation number must be available for inspection by TWRA personnel until the time of final processing and must accompany an animal taken to a taxidermist or meat processor.day_of_harvest
• Field Dressing and Evidence of Sex/Species: Evidence of species or sex of big game animals and antlered status (if applicable) must not be destroyed and remain with the animal while afield and until checked in. Normal field dressing, quartering, and icing down of the meat are permitted.
• Fluorescent Orange/Pink Requirement: Hunters must wear on the upper portion of their body and head a minimum of 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange (blaze orange) or pink, visible front and back while hunting big game. This does not apply to archery-only and turkey hunts. A hat and vest fulfill the requirements. In those areas where the archery-only deer season dates overlap with another big game gun season (i.e., bear) archers are required to wear 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange/pink.
• Legal Hunting Hours: All big game species (except turkey) may be hunted from 30 minutes before legal sunrise to 30 minutes after legal sunset.
• Tag Before You Drag: Before moving a harvested big game animal, you must either check it in on your smartphone or physically attach a temporary transportation tag to the animal.before_moving

📋 General Regulations

• Trap Inspection: Lethal sets such as instant kill traps and water-set (“drowning”) traps must be inspected every seventy-two (72) hours. All other traps must be inspected every thirty-six (36) hours and any wildlife caught in the traps shall be removed.
• Trap Marking: Trappers shall mark all traps and snares with their name or TWRA ID number.

📋 General Regulations

• Baiting Prohibition for Migratory Birds: It is illegal to take migratory game birds by the aid of baiting (placing feed such as corn, wheat, salt, or other feed to constitute a lure or enticement), or on or over any baited areas. A baited area is considered to be baited for 10 days after the complete removal of the bait.
• Field Dressing and Transport: No person shall completely field dress any migratory game bird (except doves and band-tailed pigeons) and then transport the birds from the field. The head or one fully feathered wing must remain attached to all such birds while being transported from the field to one’s home or to a migratory bird preservation facility.
• Legal Hunting Hours: Hunting of migratory birds ends at official sunset. Exceptions: sandhill cranes end at 3 p.m., and the opening day of dove season opens at noon.
• Tagging for Transfer: No person shall give, put, or leave any migratory game birds at any place or in the custody of another person unless the birds are tagged by the hunter with the following information: The hunter’s signature, address, the total number of birds involved by species and the dates such birds were killed.
• Wanton Waste: All migratory game birds killed or crippled shall be retrieved, if possible, and retained in the custody of the hunter in the field.

📋 General Regulations

• Legal Hunting Hours: All small game species (except bullfrogs, raccoons, opossums, and coyote and bobcat during the night-time season) are daylight hours only (30 minutes before legal sunrise to 30 minutes after legal sunset).