Tennessee Hunting Seasons Summary
Please refer to the 2019-20 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide for detailed hunting dates, bag limits, zones, units, and required licenses and/or permits.
G = Gun • M = Muzzleloader • A = Archery • S = Shotgun
DEER
Statewide bag limit: 2 antlered deer. No more than 1 per day. See the 2019-20 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide for deer units, county listings, and the new definition of antlered deer.
A Aug. 23-25: Private land, antlered deer only | Sep. 28 - Oct. 25, Oct. 28 - Nov. 8: Antlerless bag | Units A, B, C, D=4; Unit L=3/day, no season limit.
G/M/A Young Sportsman (ages 6-16) | Oct. 26-27, Jan. 11-12, 2020: Antlerless bag: Units A, B, C, D=2; Unit L=3/day
M/A Nov. 9-22: Antlerless bag. Units A, B=2; Units C, D=1; Unit L=3/day
G/M/A Nov. 23 - Jan. 5, 2020 Antlerless bag: Unit A=2; Unit B=1; Unit L=3/day; Unit C=1 (Nov. 23 - Dec. 8 only); Unit D=1 (Nov. 23-29 only)
G/M/A Unit L - private lands - Jan. 6-10, 2020: Antlerless only: 3/day, no antlered deer
ELK (QUOTA HUNT)
A Sep. 28 - Oct. 4: 7 permits, 1 antlered elk/permit
G/M/A Young Sportsman (resident only, ages 13-16) Oct. 5-11: 1 permit for 1 antlered elk
G/M/A Oct. 12-18: 7 permits, 1 antlered elk/permit
BLACK BEAR
Bag limit: 1 per license year. Cubs under 75 lbs. are prohibited.
A No dogs: Sep. 28 - Oct. 25, 2019; Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, Transitional
G/M/A Dogs allowed: Oct. 12-18 Zone 2
G/M/A Dogs allowed: Oct. 5-13 Zone 3
G/M/A Dogs allowed: Oct. 5-7, 12-13 Zone 1
G/M/A No dogs, Young Sportsman (ages 6-16): Oct. 26-27 Zones 1, 2, 3
G/M/A Dogs allowed: Oct. 28 - Nov. 1 Zones 1, 2, 3
G/M/A No dogs: Nov. 23-26 Zones 1, 2, 3
G/M/A Dogs allowed: Dec. 2-15 Zone 3
G/M/A Dogs allowed: Dec. 2-21 Zone 1
G/M/A Dogs allowed: Dec. 2-26 Zone 2
G/M/A Dogs allowed: Dec. 26-29 Zone 3
FALL TURKEY
Bag Limit: 1 bearded turkey, per county, only in counties open to fall turkey hunting.
A Sep. 28 - Oct. 25 | Oct. 28 - Nov. 8
S Oct. 12-25
SPRING TURKEY
S/A Young Sportsman (ages 6-16): Mar. 28-29, 2020 Daily bag: 1 bearded bird per day. Counts toward spring season bag of four (4).
S/A April 4 - May 17, 2020: Bag limit: 4 bearded birds. No more than 1 per day.
GAME BIRDS
Grouse Oct. 12 - Feb. 29, 2020: Daily bag 3
Quail Nov. 2 - Feb. 29, 2020: Daily bag 6
MIGRATORY BIRDS
Mourning Dove Sep. 1-28: Daily bag 15 | Oct. 12 - Nov. 3: Daily bag 15 | Dec. 8 - Jan. 15, 2019: Daily bag 15
Woodcock Nov. 9 - Dec. 1: Daily bag 3 | Jan. 10 - Jan. 31: Daily bag 3
Snipe Nov. 14 - Feb. 28, 2020: Daily bag 8
Canada Goose Sep. 1-22: Daily bag 5
Wood Duck/Teal Sep. 14-18: Daily bag 6, not to exceed 2 wood ducks/day
Teal-only Sep. 19-22: Daily bag 6
Ducks, Coots, and Mergansers - Bag limit is 6 ducks per day. Reelfoot Zone Nov. 9-10 | Dec. 5 - Jan. 31, 2020
Statewide Zone Nov. 29- Dec. 2 | Dec. 7 - Jan. 31, 2020
Young Sportsman Feb. 1 and Feb. 8, 2020: All zones, ages 15 and under
See the 2019-20 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide for more information on these seasons, as well as sandhill crane and other goose seasons.
SMALL GAME
Squirrel Aug. 24 - Feb. 29: Daily bag 10 | May 9 - Jun. 14: Daily bag 10
Rabbit Nov. 2 - Feb. 29: Daily bag 5
Private Land Season: Sunset July 1 - Sunset Sep. 18: Nightly bag 1. Closed in Scott, Morgan, Roane, Rhea, Hamilton, and all other counties east of those counties.
Statewide Season: Sunrise Sep. 19 - Sunrise Feb. 29, 2020: Nightly bag: 2
Training Season: Year-round, except where prohibited by local ordinances. No take permitted.