When is deer hunting season in Tennessee? Everything to know

Hunting season in Tennessee starts soon and these are the dates you should keep in mind.

With the end of October comes the start of the hunting season for most major games. While there are some animals that can be hunted year-round, animals with limited hunting seasons begin in the fall or winter.

Deer hunting season, which is among the most popular, begins in early November and depends on what part of Tennessee you live in.

Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming deer season in Tennessee and when other game and bird hunting seasons are in the Volunteer State.

Hunting units from Tennessee

There are six hunting units spread across Tennessee. The units are used to divide the deer hunting season into different parts.

Unit 1: Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lauderdale, Lake, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Shelby, Tipton and Weakley counties.
Unit 2: Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Giles, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lawrence, Lincoln, Lewis, Marshall, Maury, Montgomery, Perry, Robertson, Stewart, Sumner, Wayne and Williamson counties.
Unit 3: Bedford, Cannon, Clay, Coffee, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Macon, Moore, Overton, Putnam, Rutherford, Smith, Trousdale, Van Buren, Warren, White and Wilson counties.
Unit 4: Anderson, Bledsoe, Campbell, Claiborne, Cumberland, Fentress, Grainger, Grundy, Hancock, Morgan, Pickett, Scott, Sequatchie and Union counties.
Unit 5: Bradley, Hamilton, Loudon, Knox, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Rhea and Roane counties.
Unit 6: Blount, Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Monroe, Polk, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties.

Tennessee has that too bear hunting zones for the eastern part of the state. There are five zones covering parts of the region and splitting some provinces into different zones.

Tennessee Deer Hunting Season 2024-2025

Units 1, 2 and 3 allow three antlerless deer per day. Units 4, 5 and 6 vary. During archery season, four antlerless deer are allowed, and two are allowed in the other three.

Young Sportsman: October 26-27 and January 11-12, 2025
Archery: September 28 to November 8
Muzzleloader/Archery: November 9-22
Rifle/Muzzleloader/Archery: November 23, 2024 to January 5, 2025

Tennessee Gamebird Hunting Season 2024-2025

Bags are limited to three grouse and six quail.

Grouse: October 12 to February 28, 2025
Quail: November 2 to February 28, 2025

Tennessee Migratory Bird Hunting Season 2024-2025

Bag limits are unlimited for Crows, 15 per day for Doves, 15 per day for Gallinule and Moorhen, 25 per day for Rails, 8 per day for Snipe and three per day for Woodcock.

Crow: September 13 to December 20 and January 1 to February 28, 2025
Pigeon: October 13 to November 3 and December 8 to January 15
Gallinule and Moorhen: September 1 to November 9
Rails: September 1 to November 9
Snipe: November 14 to February 8
Woodcock: November 9 to December 1 and January 10 to 31

Small Game and Furbearer Hunting Season in Tennessee 2024-2025

There are no bag limits for armadillos, beavers, coyotes, foxes, marmots, weasels, minks, muskrats, otters and striped skunks. The bag limit is 10 for squirrels and 20 for bullfrogs. Bobcats are limited to one per bag. The bag limits for rabbits are five. During picking season, opossums and raccoons are limited to four. On private properties, opossums and raccoons are limited to two per bag.

Armadillo: All year round
Beaver: All year round
Bobcat: Private areas are from September 28 to November 21. The regular hunt is from November 22 to February 28, 2025.
Bullfrog: Year-round, except at state lakes.
Coyote: All year round
Fox: November 22 to February 28, 2025
Groundhog: All year round
Least Weasel: November 22 to February 28, 2025
Mink: November 22 to February 28, 2025
Muskrat: November 22 to February 28, 2025
Opossum: Private lands are from July 1 to September 20. The shooting season is from September 20 to March 15.
Otter: November 22 to February 28, 2025
Rabbit: November 2 to February 28, 2025
Raccoon: Private land is from July 1 to September 20. The season is from September 20 to March 15.
Squirrel: August 24 to March 15, 2025
Striped Skunk: all year round

Tennessee Spring Turkey Hunting Season 2024-2025

One male turkey is allowed per day in bags, with a maximum of two per season. No bearded chickens are allowed.

Young Sportsman: April 5-6
Shotgun/archy: April 12 to May 25

Tennessee trapping season 2024-2025

There is no bag limit for catching in Tennessee.

Beaver: All year round
Bobcat: November 22 to February 28
Coyote: All year round
Fox: November 22 to February 28
Groundhog: All year round
Least Weasel: November 22 to February 28
Mink: November 22 to February 28
Muskrat: November 22 to February 28
Opossum: All year round
Otter: November 22 to February 28
Raccoon: all year round
Striped Skunk: All year round