Waterfowl & Migratory Birds
Quick Links
Licenses, Permits, Applications
Youths, ages 6–16, must be accompanied by an adult, 18 years of age or older, who must remain in a position to take immediate control of the hunting device except as otherwise noted.
Regulations
Where to Hunt
Wildlife Reports
Support Wildlife Resources
| SPECIES | SEASON DATES | DAILY BAG*
|
|---|---|---|
| Dove* | Sept. 1 - Sept. 28, 2025 Oct. 11 - Nov. 2, 2025 Dec. 8, 2025 - Jan. 15, 2026 |
15** |
| Woodcock* | Nov. 8 - 30, 2025 Jan. 10 - Jan. 31, 2026 |
3 |
| Gallinule and Moorhen* | Sept. 1 - Nov. 9, 2025 | 15 |
| Crow | June 11 - July 12, 2025*** Sept. 1 - Sept. 5, 2025 Sept. 12 - Dec. 20, 2025*** Jan. 1 - Feb. 28, 2026 |
No limit |
| Rails (Virginia and Sora)* | Sept. 1 - Nov. 9, 2025 | 25 |
| Snipe * | Nov. 14, 2025 - Feb. 28, 2026 | 8 |
* Tennessee Migratory Bird Permit required. ** No limit on Eurasian collared doves; however, any doves not readily identifiable as Eurasian collared doves will be considered mourning doves and count towards the mourning dove daily bag and possession limits. *** Hunting allowed on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only. **** The possession limit is three (3) times the daily limit for all migratory game birds, except opening day when it shall be the same as the daily bag limit, and the second day of the season when it shall be twice the daily bag limit, and except for crows which have no limit. |
||
STATEWIDE |
DAILY BAG LIMIT |
POSSESSION LIMIT |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Canada Goose |
Sept. 1 – 21, 2025 Oct. 11 – 22, 2025 Nov. 29 – 30, 2025 Dec. 5, 2025 – Feb. 14, 2026 |
5 in Sept, 3 in all other Phases |
The possession limit for Canada goose, white-fronted goose, and brant is three (3) times the daily bag limit, except on opening day and the second day of the season when the possession limit is one (1) and two (2) times the daily bag limit, respectively. |
White-Fronted Goose |
Nov. 29 – 30, 2025 Dec. 5, 2025 – Feb. 14, 2026 |
3 |
|
Brant |
Sept. 1–21, 2025 Oct. 11–22, 2025 Nov. 29–30, 2025 Dec. 5, 2025 – Feb. 14, 2026 |
1 |
|
Blue, Snow & Ross's Geese (Light Geese) |
Standard federal regulations apply (unplugged shotguns and electronic calls NOT allowed) Sept. 1–21, 2025 Oct. 11–22, 2025 Nov. 29–30, 2025 Dec. 5, 2025 – Feb. 14, 2025 |
20 |
There is no possession limit for blue, snow and Ross’s geese, except on opening day and the second day of the season when the possession limit is the daily bag limit and two (2) times the daily bag limit, respectively. |
Light Goose Conservation Season* (Blue, Snow & Ross's Geese) |
The following provisions apply during the Light Goose Conservation Season only: Unplugged shotguns, electronic calls, shooting from 30 minutes before official sunrise until 30 minutes after official sunset. Feb. 15 – Mar. 31, 2026 |
no limit |
There is no possession limit for blue, snow and Ross’s geese during the Light Goose Conservation Season. |
| *A free Light Goose Conservation Season Permit is required to hunt during the Conservation Season, available at GoOutdoorsTennessee.com. No Federal or state waterfowl stamps are required to hunt during the Conservation Season. Hunters must possess a Tennessee Light Goose Conservation Season Permit and have a valid hunting license, but the license may be from any state. A post-season survey is required. | |||
Early Application Dates: Sept. 24 – Oct. 14, 2025
|
Mid Application Dates: Oct. 22 – Nov. 12, 2025
|
Late Application Dates: Nov. 13 – Dec. 3, 2025
|
Season Long Application Dates: June 25 – July 16, 2025
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPECIES |
STATEWIDE |
DAILY BAG LIMIT |
POSSESSION LIMIT |
||
Wood Duck & Teal |
Sept. 13 –17, 2025 |
The daily bag limit of ducks is 6 and may include no more than 2 wood ducks. |
The possession limit is three (3) times the daily bag limit, except on opening day and the second day of the season when the possession limit is one (1) and two (2) times the daily bag limit, respectively. |
||
Ducks, Coot & Mergansers |
Nov. 29 – 30, 2025 Dec. 5, 2025 –Jan. 31, 2026 |
Coot: 15 Ducks: The daily bag limit of ducks is 6 birds/day which may include no more than 4 mallards (no more than 2 of which may be a female), 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails, and 1 mottled duck. The daily bag limit for scaup is 1 scaup from Nov. 29-30, 2025 & Dec. 5–17, 2025 then 2 scaup from Dec. 18, 2025 - Jan. 31, 2026. Mergansers: 5 (only 2 of which may be hooded mergansers) |
|||
| Youth Sportsman Waterfowl Hunting Season* | Feb. 7 and 14, 2026 |
Same as regular season daily bag limits. |
|
||
| Veterans and Active Military Personnel** | Feb. 1 and 8, 2026 |
Same as regular season daily bag limits. |
|
||
* Only youth hunters from ages 6–16 years may harvest coot, gallinule, moorhen, ducks, mergansers, and geese during the Youth Waterfowl hunt days. Youth aged 16 are still required to possess a valid Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Federal Duck Stamp). Non-hunting adults at least 21 years of age shall accompany the youth hunter(s) into the field during the youth waterfowl season and must remain in a position to take immediate control of the hunting device. Multiple youths may be accompanied by a single qualifying adult; however, adults and other persons accompanying youths shall not hunt during these youth waterfowl hunts. Adults not accompanied by youths 6–16 may still harvest geese during those dates. Geese, coot, gallinule, moorhen, and ducks may be taken by youths during the Youth Waterfowl Season. WMAs with special closing times are open all day, each day of the Youth Waterfowl Season. ** Veterans (as defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code) and members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserves on active duty (other than for training), may participate and harvest coot, gallinule, moorhen, ducks, mergansers, and geese. During the Veterans and Active Military Personnel waterfowl season, non-veteran or non-active duty personnel may be present; however, only veterans or active military persons may hunt. When other migratory gamebird seasons are open during the Veterans and Active Military Personnel waterfowl season, any properly licensed youth or adult not accompanied by veterans or active military may harvest legal game. |
|||||
Wheelchair-bound hunts, zones, or blinds are open to hunters who are totally and permanently confined to a wheelchair as certified by a physician.
Certain WMAs have special blind sites established for wheelchair-bound hunters which include: Camden, Cheatham Lake, North Chickamauga Creek, Old Hickory Unit !, Reelfoot, and West Sandy. See specific WMAs for regulations
On wheelchair-bound waterfowl hunts, each wheelchair-bound hunter must be accompanied by at least one, but not more than three assistants (at least one of whom must be age 16 years or older), who may also participate in the hunt.
Applications for wheelchair-bound hunts must be received by noon on the fourth Friday of October at the Region I Office (Camden), Reelfoot Office (Reelfoot), or Region II Office (Cheatham and Old Hickory)
- Camden Wheelchair Blind Application must be received at the Region I office, 731-423-5725 or Reelfoot office, 731-253-7343.
- Cheatham Wheelchair Blind Application must be received at the Region II office, 615-781-6622.
- Cordell Hull Region contact Region III office, 931-484-9571.
- North Chickamauga Creek (Varner Unit) Wheelchair Blind Application is available from the Region III office, 931-484-9571.
- Old Hickory Wheelchair Blind Application must be received at the Region II office, 615-781-6622.
- Reelfoot Wheelchair Blind Application can be turned in to the Region I office, 731-423-5725 or the Reelfoot office, 731-253-7343.
- West Sandy Wheelchair Hunts are first-come, first-served.
