Hunting Regulations in Tennessee

Combination hunting/fishing license available. Big game license required as add-on. Archery supplement ($15) and muzzleloader supplement ($15) required separately. Trapping supplemental license: $33 resident. Federal Duck Stamp ($27) and HIP required for waterfowl. Elk hunting requires permit from controlled quota hunt. WMA permit may be required for some areas.

Source: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (tn.gov/twra). Last updated: 2026-03-05. Regulations may have changed — always verify with the official agency.

Tennessee offers some of the most diverse hunting terrain in the southeastern United States. The state spans from the Mississippi River bottomlands in the west – famous for trophy whitetail bucks and exceptional duck hunting – through the rolling farmlands and hardwood ridges of Middle Tennessee, to the rugged mountains of the Cherokee National Forest and Great Smoky Mountains in the east. Six management units allow TWRA to tailor seasons to regional deer population dynamics.

The Volunteer State's elk restoration program in the northeastern corner of the state has been a remarkable success, with a growing herd in Claiborne and surrounding counties now supporting limited quota hunt opportunities. Bear hunting in and around the Cherokee National Forest represents one of the best opportunities east of the Rockies to pursue black bears in challenging mountain terrain.

Wild turkey populations are excellent statewide, and spring gobbler season draws enthusiasts to ridge systems across the state. The combination of quality deer hunting, outstanding spring turkey, and productive west Tennessee waterfowl marshes makes Tennessee a genuine four-season hunting destination.

Best Times to Hunt in Tennessee

🎯 Expert Hunting Tips for Tennessee

• Deer hunters should focus on the Caney Fork River bottomlands in Smith County during November – the rolling agriculture and river corridor timber holds mature bucks that rarely appear during daylight until the rut.
• Spring turkey hunters find exceptional success in the mountains of Cherokee National Forest's Tellico Unit in Monroe County, where birds work open ridges and burned timber sections for strutting areas.
• Duck hunters should scout the West Tennessee WMA system near Reelfoot Lake in Lake County, where backwater sloughs and flooded timber create prime habitat for mallards and wood ducks all season long.
• Bear hunters applying for Cherokee National Forest quota hunts in Unicoi and Carter counties should target the regenerating clear-cuts along the Iron Mountain range, where thick cover concentrates bears in fall mast crops.