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Species · 2026-27
Tennessee Hunting by Species
Season dates, bag limits, best counties and public land for every game animal hunted in Tennessee.
Photo: P. Hughes (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Tennessee bag limits 2026-27
- deer (antlered)2 per season statewide, 1 per day; may be exceeded only as a WMA bonus deer, Earn-A-Buck in a CWD-positive county, or replacement buck.
- deer (antlerless), Units 1-33 per day in Young Sportsman, archery, muzzleloader, straight-wall rifle and gun seasons. None in August hunt.
- deer (antlerless), Units 4-6Young Sportsman 2 total (four days combined); archery 4; muzzleloader + straight-wall week 2; gun 2. None in August hunt. Moving counties within a unit does not add to the limit.
- turkey (spring)1 male/day, 2/season, only one may be a jake.
- turkey (fall)1 male turkey.
- bear1 per license year, either sex. No cubs (75 lb or less) or females with cubs.
- elk1 antlered elk per quota permit. Incidental take: 1 elk (either sex) per year by legal deer hunter outside Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan, Scott counties; report same day at (800) 831-1174.
- ducks6/day: max 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails, 1 mottled duck; scaup 1/day Nov 28-29 and Dec 5-17, 2/day Dec 18-Jan 31. September season: 6/day, max 2 wood ducks. Possession 3x daily.
- coot15/day
- mergansers5/day, max 2 hooded
- canada goose5/day Sept 1-20; 3/day thereafter
- white-fronted goose3/day
- brant1/day
- light geese20/day regular season, no possession limit; no limit in conservation order
- dove15/day; no limit on Eurasian collared doves
- woodcock3/day
- snipe8/day
- rails25/day
- gallinule and moorhen15/day
- crowNo limit
- sandhill craneSet by number of tags awarded; each tag = 1 crane
- squirrel10/day
- rabbit5/day
- quail6/day
- grouse3/day
- raccoon4 per person per night
- opossum4 per person per night
- bobcat1/day (1/night in night season)
- coyoteNo limit
- feral hogNo limit on private land
- small game possessionTwice the daily bag, except migratory birds and opening day. Migratory birds: 3x daily (1x opening day, 2x second day).
From the 2026-27 TWRA guide, checked October 9, 2026.
Species questions
What animals can you hunt in Tennessee?
Deer, turkey, bear, elk by quota, ducks and geese, dove and other migratory birds, squirrel, rabbit, quail, grouse, raccoon, coyote and bobcat. Feral hogs are a destructive species, not game.
What is the most popular hunt in Tennessee?
Deer: 153,336 were reported in 2025-26.
Is there an elk season?
Yes, by quota permit only, on North Cumberland WMA and private land in five counties.
Can you hunt bear in Tennessee?
Yes, in the East Tennessee and Plateau bear zones.
Is there a limit on coyotes?
No, and daytime coyote hunting is open year-round.
Are hogs a game animal?
No. They are a destructive species with no season.
Which species need a check-in?
Deer, turkey, bear and elk, by midnight on the day of harvest.
Where do these dates come from?
The 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide.