Skip to Main Content

Find COVID-19 Information and Resources
TWRA Updates and Closures due to COVID-19

Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Seasons Dates

Please refer to the 2019-20 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide for the latest detailed hunting dates, bag limits, zones, units, and required licenses and/or permits.   Check out our Google calendar for season dates that you can add to your personal calendar. Below you will find a season summary for the 2020-21 season so you can start planning next season’s hunting trips.  The new 2020-21 Hunting and Trapping Guide will be available soon.

G = Gun • M = Muzzleloader • A = Archery • S = Shotgun

DEER

Statewide bag limit: 2 antlered deer. No more than 1 per day. See the Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide for deer units, county listings, and the new definition of -antlered deer.

A                  Aug. 28 - 30: Private land, antlered deer only | Sep. 26 - Oct. 30, Nov. 2 - 6: Antlerless bag | Units A, B, C, D=4; Unit L=3/day, no season limit.

G/M/A        Young Sportsman (ages 6-16) | Oct. 31 - Nov. 1,  Jan. 9 -10, 2021: Antlerless bag: Units A, B, C, D=2; Units L, CWD=3/day

M/A             Nov. 7 - 20: Antlerless bag. Units A, B=2; Units C, D=1; Unit L=3/day

G/M/A        Nov. 7- Jan. 3, 2021 Unit CWD Antlerless bag: 3/day; Nov. 21 - Jan. 3, 2021 Unit A=2; Unit B=1; Unit L=3/day; Unit C=1 (Nov. 21 - Dec. 6 only);  Unit D=1 (Nov. 21 - 27 only)

G/M/A        Unit L - private lands - Jan. 4 - 8, 2021: Antlerless bag: 3/day. No antlered deer in Unit L; Antlered deer may be harvested in Unit CWD (statewide limit applies).

Unit CWD Deer

Season Type Season Dates Equipment Antlered Bag Limit Antlerless Bag Limit
AugustA Aug. 28 – 30 Rifle, Muzzleloader, Archery Statewide limit of 2 0
Young Sportsman Oct. 31 -  Nov. 1 Gun, Muzzleloader, Archery 3/Day (no season limit)
Jan. 9 - 10
Archery Sept. 26 – Oct. 30 Archery
MuzzleloaderB Nov 7 - 20
 Muzzleloader, Archery
GunC Nov. 7 – Jan. 3 Gun, Muzzleloader, Archery
Unit CWD Private Lands Hunt Jan. 4 - 8 Gun, Muzzleloader, Archery

A.  Private lands and the following public lands may be hunted during the August season:

  1.  Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park and State Natural Area;
  2.  Eagle Lake Refuge;
  3.  Wolf River Wildlife Management Area and Ghost River State Natural Area;
  4.  Chickasaw State Forest Wildlife Management Area;
  5.  Gray’s Creek Wildlife Management Area;
  6.  Oak Dain Portion of Whiteville Lake State Fishing Area;
  7.  Big Hill Pond State Park
  8.  Tull Bottom Wildlife Management Area;
  9.  South Fork Refuge;
  10.  Spring Creek Wildlife Management Area;
  11.  Colonel Forest V Durand Wildlife Management Area;
  12.  Fort Ridge Wildlife Management Area; and
  13. Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge (the portion lying within Tipton County).

B Any deer taken in Chester, Haywood, Madison, McNairy, Shelby, or Tipton County on the first weekend of the Muzzleloader season must be checked in at a physical check station. Locations found at CWDinTN.com.

C Any deer taken in Chester, Haywood, Madison, McNairy, Shelby, or Tipton County on the opening weekend of the Gun season must be checked in at a physical check station. Locations found at CWDinTN.com.

D The statewide bag limit of two (2) antlered deer may be exceeded within Unit CWD if:

  1.  Taken under the Earn-A-Buck Program; or
  2.  Taken under the Replacement Buck Program.

 

ELK   (QUOTA HUNT)

A                  Sep. 26 - Oct. 2; 7 permits, 1 antlered elk/permit

G/M/A        Young Sportsman (resident only, ages 13-16) Oct. 3 - 9; 1 permit for 1 antlered elk

G/M/A        Oct. 10-  17; 7 permits, 1 antlered elk/permit

BLACK BEAR

Bag limit: 1 per license year. Cubs under 75 lbs. are prohibited.

A                  No dogs: Sep. 26 - Oct. 23, 2020; Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, Transitional

G/M/A        Dogs allowed: Oct. 10-13, 16-18 Zone 2

G/M/A        Dogs allowed: Oct. 3-4, 10-16 Zone 3

G/M/A        Dogs allowed: Oct. 3-5,10-11 Zone 1

G/M/A        No dogs, Young Sportsman (ages 6-16): Oct. 31- Nov. 1 Zones 1, 2, 3

G/M/A        Dogs allowed: Nov. 2-6 Zones  2, 3: Nov. 9-16 Zones 1

G/M/A        No dogs: Nov. 21-24 Zones 1, 2, 3

G/M/A        Dogs allowed: Nov. 30 - Dec. 13 Zone 3

G/M/A        Dogs allowed: Nov. 30 - Dec. 16 Zone 1

G/M/A        Dogs allowed: Nov. 30 - Dec. 24 Zone 2

G/M/A        Dogs allowed: Dec. 31 - Jan 3 Zone 3

FALL TURKEY

Bag Limit: 1 bearded turkey, per county, only in counties open to fall turkey hunting.  

A            Sep. 26 - Oct. 30, Nov. 2 - Nov. 6

S            Oct. 17-30

SPRING TURKEY

S/A                Young Sportsman (ages 6-16): Mar. 27-28, 2021* Daily bag: 1 bearded bird per day. Counts toward spring season bag of three (3).

S/A                April 3 - May 16, 2021*: Bag limit: 3 bearded birds. No more than 1 per day.

*Some west and southern middle Tennessee counties have shortened seasons and reduced bag limits. See the Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide for more information.

GAME BIRDS

Grouse            Oct. 10 - Feb. 28, 2021: Daily bag 3

Quail                Nov. 7 - Feb. 28, 2021: Daily bag 6

MIGRATORY BIRDS

Mourning Dove                Sep. 1-28: Daily bag 15 | Oct. 10 - Nov. 1: Daily bag 15 | Dec. 8 - Jan. 15, 2021: Daily bag 15

Woodcock                          Nov. 14 - Dec. 6: Daily bag 3 | Jan. 10 - Jan. 31: Daily bag 3

Snipe                                    Nov. 14 - Feb. 28, 2021: Daily bag 8

Canada Goose                  Sep. 1-20: Daily bag 5

Wood Duck/Teal              Sep. 12-16: Daily bag 6, not to exceed 2 wood ducks/day

Teal-only                            Sep. 17-20: Daily bag 6

Ducks, Coots, and Mergansers - Bag limit is 6 ducks per day.

Reelfoot Zone                   Nov. 14-15, Dec. 5 - Jan. 31, 2021

Statewide Zone               Nov. 28-29, Dec. 5 - Jan. 31, 2021

Young Sportsman          Feb. 6 and Feb. 13, 2021: All zones, ages 16 and under

See the Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide for more information on these seasons, as well as sandhill crane and other goose seasons.

SMALL GAME

Squirrel                 Feb. 6 and Feb. 13, 2021: All zones, ages 16 and under

Spring Squirrel  May 8 - June 13, 2021: Daily bag 10

Rabbit                   Nov. 7 - Feb. 28: Daily bag 5

Bullfrog                 Year around (except on TWRA Managed Lakes June 1-30) 20 per person per night

RACOON

Private Land                Sunset July 1 - Sunrise Sep. 18: Nightly Season bag 1.  Closed in Scott, Morgan, Roane, Rhea, Hamilton, and all other counties east of those counties.

Statewide Season      Sunset Sep. 18 - Sunrise Feb. 28, 2021: Nightly bag: 2

Training Season         Year-round, except where prohibited by local ordinances. No, take permitted.

 

Download a PDF copy of the Hunting Season Summary