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Tennessee Hunting Records
State record deer from the Tennessee Deer Registry and Boone and Crockett, plus harvest totals by year.
| Species | Category | Score | Hunter | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitetail deer | Non-typical (muzzleloader) – Tennessee Deer Registry #1 overall | 315 1/8 | Stephen Tucker | Sumner | 2016 |
| Whitetail deer | Non-typical – Boone and Crockett Tennessee state record | 315 1/8 | Stephen L. Tucker | Sumner | 2016 |
| Whitetail deer | Typical – Boone and Crockett Tennessee state record | 186 1/8 | W.A. Foster | Roane | 1959 |
| Whitetail deer | Typical (gun) – Tennessee Deer Registry | 186 1/8 | William A. (Sonny) Foster | Cumberland | 1959 |
| Whitetail deer | Typical (bow) – Tennessee Deer Registry | 177 2/8 | Anthony Bledsoe | Williamson | 2015 |
| Whitetail deer | Typical (muzzleloader) – Tennessee Deer Registry | 176 6/8 | John Monhollen | Morgan | 2023 |
| Whitetail deer | Non-typical (gun) – Tennessee Deer Registry | 232 7/8 | Justin Samples | Haywood | 2001 |
| Whitetail deer | Non-typical (bow) – Tennessee Deer Registry | 192 6/8 | Charles Strickland | Davidson | 2022 |
| Whitetail deer | Non-typical (muzzleloader) – Tennessee Deer Registry, previous state record | 244 3/8 | David K. Wachtel | Sumner | 2000 |
| Black bear | Annual harvest record (statewide season total) | 2011 | |||
| Elk | Most elk harvested in one season (TWRA annual elk harvest table) | 2024 and 2025 |
Sources: TWRA Tennessee Deer Registry and Boone and Crockett state listings. The 1959 Foster typical is listed in Cumberland County by the Deer Registry and Roane County by other listings. No verified state record turkey or bear is published.
Tennessee harvest by year
Records questions
What is the Tennessee state record buck?
The non-typical record is the 2016 Stephen Tucker buck from Sumner County at 315 1/8; the typical record is the 1959 W.A. Foster buck at 186 1/8.
What is the Tennessee Deer Registry?
TWRA’s record book for deer scored in Tennessee, searchable online.
Is there a state record turkey?
No verified state record turkey is published by TWRA or NWTF.
How many deer are killed in Tennessee each year?
153,336 in 2025-26; between about 153,000 and 168,000 a season over the last decade.
How do I enter a deer in the registry?
Have it scored by an official measurer and submit through TWRA.
What is the biggest bow buck?
The Deer Registry’s top typical bow buck scores 177 2/8, taken in Williamson County in 2015.
Where are the record bucks from?
Middle Tennessee counties appear most often near the top of the registry.
Are elk records kept?
Elk harvest is small, about a dozen a year; TWRA publishes harvest totals rather than a record list.