Legal Hunting Equipment & Methods

All hunting seasons are closed unless opened by specific Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission proclamation.

Big Game Legal Hunting Equipment

Small Game Legal Hunting Equipment

Illegal Hunting Equipment & Methods

Prohibited Acts

1. Possession of ammunition except what is specifically authorized is prohibited while hunting. 
2. The use or possession and/or the accompanying of anyone using or possessing raccoon calls, squallers, weapons, ammunition, or climbers while training dogs is prohibited during training season, except raccoon calls may be used during authorized field trials.
3. 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.
4. Juveniles under the age of eighteen (18) are prohibited from using handguns for the purpose of hunting.
5. No person shall make use of bait to take wildlife unless the bait has been removed and any electronic feeder disabled at least 10 days prior to hunting.
6. Possession of firearms is prohibited while chasing coyote, fox, and bobcat with dogs from the first Saturday in November through the end of the deer season.  Chasing coyote and bobcat with dogs during the nighttime coyote and bobcat only season is prohibited.

The use of the following equipment is prohibited:

• Predator calls while night hunting except during the nighttime coyote and bobcat only season
• Pod arrows (any pod-type device for holding drugs or chemicals on an arrow) or any drugs or chemicals used in pod arrows while archery hunting.
• Explosive arrowheads and explosive broadheads are strictly prohibited.
• Firearms capable of fully automatic fire.
• Firearms or archery equipment with any device utilizing an artificial light capable of locating wildlife, except for shotguns during the nighttime coyote and bobcat only season.
• Any electronic light amplifying night vision scope, thermal imaging device, or other similar devices while in possession of a firearm or archery tackle between sunset and sunrise, except for shotguns during the nighttime coyote and bobcat only season (lights cannot be from or attached to a mechanized/ motorized vehicle or cast from a public road). Hunting with dogs is prohibited.
• Electronic calls or live decoys while hunting wild turkey, foxes, and waterfowl (except electronic calls are legal during the Conservation Season for Blue, Snow, and Ross' geese).
• Rifles or handguns with full metal jacketed ammunition.
• Rifles or handguns with centerfire ammunition between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise, except for shotguns during the nighttime coyote and bobcat only season.
• Any loose shot other than non-toxic (as approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) or any shotgun shell loaded with shot other than non-toxic while hunting waterfowl, sandhill cranes, coots, gallinules, Virginia rails, and sora rails.
• Tracer ammunition.
• Centerfire or muzzleloading rifles possessed by an individual 17 years of age or older for the purpose of hunting furbearers during the young sportsman deer and bear hunts.
• The use or possession of natural cervid urine while hunting is prohibited unless the product is clearly labeled bearing certification from the manufacturer that the urine was produced in a facility that: (i.) Complies with a federal or a federally approved chronic wasting disease herd certification program and any federal chronic wasting disease protocols and record requirements. (ii.) Does not allow the importation of live cervids. (iii.) Requires that all cervids exported from the facility be tested for chronic wasting disease upon death, and the results are reported to the facility. (iv.) Is inspected annually by an accredited veterinarian, including inspection of the herd and applicable Federal and State records. (v.) Maintains a fence at least 8 feet high around the facility and, if the facility is located within 30 miles of a confirmed positive occurrence of chronic wasting disease, is double-fenced to prevent direct contact between captive and wild cervids. (vi.) Requires an accredited veterinarian to conduct a 100% herd inspection at a minimum of every 3 years; and (vii.) Prior to distribution, tests each lot/ batch of cervid collected urine used in a scent product via the Real Time Quaking Induced Conversion (RT-QulC) assay for the presence of chronic wasting disease prions. 
• 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. Tail fans include those made of real or synthetic feathers or an image or likeness of a tail fan applied to any material. 
• During the nighttime coyote and bobcat only season, only shotguns can be used, and single projectile ammunition is prohibited.

Hunting From Motorized Vehicles or Vessels

Where hunting is allowed from vessels, it is legal to hunt from any vessel, so long as the vessel is not under forward motion from any influence of mechanical means or sail. On private property, it is legal to hunt from any motorized vehicle (to include ATVs, golf carts, etc.), provided the vehicle is stationary. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as authorizing hunting from a vessel, automobile or other motor vehicle while under power. Nothing in this subsection permits hunting from or across a public road or right-of-way.

Bag Limit

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 weapon. This person must also comply with all other legal requirements. Access for hunters accompanying may be limited on some WMAs. A bear hunter who has filled the daily or seasonal limit may continue to carry a firearm and take hogs where incidental taking is allowed.

Legal Hunting Hours

1. All big game and small game species (except bullfrogs, raccoons, opossums, the chasing of foxes and rabbits, and coyote and bobcat during the nighttime season) are daylight hours only (30 minutes before legal sunrise to 30 minutes after legal sunset) except turkey and migratory birds which ends at official sunset. Exceptions for migratory birds include sandhill cranes, which begin at sunrise and end at 3 p.m., as well as the opening day of dove season, which opens at noon. 
2. Hunting of bullfrogs, raccoons, opossums, the chasing of foxes and rabbits, and the trapping of furbearers is permitted day or night unless restricted by proclamation. No foxes or rabbits may be shot while chasing/training at night. 
3. Hunting of migratory birds is to comply with federal regulations for migratory birds, unless restricted by proclamation.

Migratory Bird Regulations

• Federal regulations relative to baiting, firearms, bag and possession limits, wanton waste, tagging, and methods of hunting are hereby adopted and will be applicable to hunting and/or taking of species listed.
• No person shall hunt migratory game birds, except crows, with a shotgun of any description capable of holding more than three (3) shells, unless it is plugged with a one-piece filler, incapable of removal without disassembling the gun, so its total capacity does not exceed three (3) shells.
• All persons who hunt migratory game birds are required to have in their possession a valid Tennessee Migratory Bird Permit (TMBP) in addition to other required Tennessee licenses and permits, with the following exceptions:
  • landowners hunting on their own land
  • residents of Tennessee under 13 years of age
  • Military personnel on leave or furlough
• Refer to federal regulations 50 CFR Ch. 1 (21.41 and 21.43) for conditions and restrictions applicable to the taking of crows in certain depredation or health hazard situations outside of the crow sport hunting season.
• Pursuant to federal regulations, during the Light Goose Conservation season, waterfowl hunters may use unplugged shotguns and electronic calls.

Miscellaneous

1.  Where hunting is allowed from vessels, it is legal to hunt from any vessel, so long as the vessel is not under forward motion from any influence of mechanical means or sail. On private property, it is legal to hunt from any motorized vehicle (to include ATVs, golf carts, etc.), provided the vehicle is stationary (engine may be running). Nothing in this subsection (1) shall be construed as authorizing hunting from a vessel, automobile, or other motor vehicle while under power. Nothing in this subsection permits hunting from or across a public road or right-of-way. 
2.  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 hunting device. This person must also comply with all other legal requirements. Access for hunters accompanying may be limited on some WMAs. A bear hunter who has filled the daily or seasonal limit may continue to carry a firearm and take hogs where incidental taking is allowed.
3.  Every game animal, wounded or unwounded by hunting and/or trapping and taken into possession by the hunter or trapper, shall be immediately slain and become part of the daily bag limit. No person shall, at any time, or by any means, possess or transport live animals taken under the authority of hunting season proclamations. 
4.  Gigs, angling equipment, archery, rimfire, and air firearms are legal for taking bullfrogs. 
5.  Archery equipment is permitted during the archery, muzzleloader, and gun seasons. Muzzleloader equipment is permitted during the muzzleloader and gun seasons. 
6.  In accordance with state and federal law, persons may possess handguns in addition to legal weapons used for hunting the entire year while on the premises of any TWRA refuge, public hunting area, state-owned wildlife management area, or, to the extent permitted by federal law, national forest land maintained by the state, and private land. For other federally managed properties, hunters should contact that specific facility or location. Nothing in this subsection shall authorize a person to use any handgun to hunt unless such person is in full compliance with all wildlife laws, rules, and regulations. 
7.  During a deer archery-only season, a fall turkey hunter may not be in possession of both archery equipment and shotguns and/or rifles. 
8.  During archery deer/bear seasons, a properly licensed big game hunter may use air guns .25 caliber or smaller to hunt small game while archery hunting for deer/bear. During the muzzleloader and gun deer/bear season, a legal deer or bear hunter may use rimfire or airguns .25 caliber or smaller to hunt small game. 
9.  During an archery-only or muzzleloader/archery-only deer, bear, or elk season, furbearers may not be taken with rifles and handguns using centerfire ammunition. During the gun/ muzzleloader/archery seasons, furbearers may be taken by legal big game hunters licensed for the hunting device they are using. 
10.  The use of suppressors/silencers is legal for persons possessing the required federal license from the United States Department of the Treasury. Hunters using these devices must have proof of such a license on their person. 
11.  A falconry permittee who is hunting raptors accidentally kills wildlife out of season, or the wrong species or sex, shall leave the dead wildlife where it lies; except that the raptor may feed upon the wildlife prior to leaving the site of the kill.