NASHVILLE ---- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is reminding hunters to remain vigilant and take appropriate precautions for possible cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) among wild birds, backyard domestic flocks, and commercial poultry flocks in the Southeast. HPAI is highly contagious among bird populations and is known to be deadly for domestic fowl.
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is now accepting entries for its 2026-27 photo contest for publication in the Tennessee Wildlife magazine annual calendar and license cards. All interested photographers are invited to submit up to 10 of their best photos of wildlife species native to the Volunteer State. Hunting, fishing, and boating photos may also be considered.
CHATTANOOGA --- The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission (TFWC) approved two rules, heard an update of bear management, received the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) fishing proposals for 2026-27, celebrated the presentation of the Fisheries Division’s annual awards, and recognized partner contributions during a busy two-day final 2025 meeting, which concluded Friday at the Tennessee Aquarium. Watch both meetings on TWRA’s YouTube Channel here.
CHATTANOOGA --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) recognized two partner contributions at the Tennessee Fish & Wildlife Commission (TFWC) meeting held at the Tennessee Aquarium Friday morning. The National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF) Tennessee State Chapter presented a $250,000 check to the agency, and the Agency recognized the Austin Knight Foundation (AKF) for several years of donations, both supporting critical habitat management projects.
NASHVILLE --- The second segment for Tennessee’s statewide 2025-26 waterfowl hunting season is open from Dec. 5 through Jan. 31, 2026. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until official sunset each day.
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has received a positive chronic wasting disease (CWD) test result in a hunter-harvested deer in Decatur County, the first positive CWD case for Decatur County. Since Decatur County is within the current CWD Management Zone, wildlife feeding and carcass transportation restrictions are already in place.
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission (TFWC) will hold its final meeting of 2025 at the Tennessee Aquarium (Lupton Room) in Chattanooga on Dec. 4-5. Committee meetings begin Thursday, Dec. 4 at 1 p.m., with full Commission proceedings continuing Friday, Dec. 5 at 9 a.m. To watch both meetings, visit our TWRA YouTube Channel.
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is releasing results from the 2025 Wild Turkey Summer Observational Survey, in which the public was invited to participate in the survey from June to August.
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has begun its 2025-26 winter rainbow trout stocking schedule, which provides numerous close-to-home trout fishing opportunities for anglers during the winter months. The TWRA will release more than 70,000 trout throughout the winter stocking program, including in selected tailwaters and reservoirs and other community locations.
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is now accepting orders for its annual collectible state waterfowl stamp, featuring the award-winning artwork from the 2025 Tennessee Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest. This year’s stamp showcases a great piece created by 16-year-old Glory Malone of Dover, whose talent earned her the Best of Show honor in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service competition. Proceeds from stamp sales support habitat improvement efforts across the state.
NASHVILLE --- Tennessee’s 2025-26 statewide gun hunting season for deer opens Saturday, Nov. 22, and continues through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in all six of Tennessee’s Deer Management Units (DMU).
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has announced the application period for the 2025-26 Late-Season, Youth, and Military Waterfowl Quota Hunts, open Nov. 13 through Dec. 3.
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), in partnership with The Nature Conservancy of Tennessee (TNC) and The Conservation Fund (TCF), is proud to announce the acquisition of the Hatchie Bottom property, a 7,457-acre expanse of ecologically rich bottomland hardwood forest along the Hatchie River.
JACKSON, Tenn. — Terry Sellers, a 53-year-old from Henning, recently pled guilty to two counts of illegal possession and one count of hunting without permission in the Lauderdale County General Sessions Court. As a result, he will lose his hunting privileges for six years and must pay $17,500 in restitution to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) will be operating chronic wasting disease (CWD) sampling stations across the state on the opening day of the 2025 muzzleloader season, Saturday, Nov. 8, to monitor the presence of CWD in white-tailed deer populations. Hunters play a crucial role in this monitoring effort by bringing harvested deer to designated sampling locations.