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Species guide · 2026-27
Tennessee Ducks and Geese Hunting
Season dates, bag limits, the best counties by harvest and the public land open to waterfowl hunting in Tennessee.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain)
Tennessee waterfowl season dates 2026-27
| Season | Dates | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks: Wood duck & teal (September) | Sep 12 to Sep 16, 2026 | statewide | 6/day, no more than 2 wood ducks. |
| Ducks: Ducks, coot & mergansers (segment 1) | Nov 28 to Nov 29, 2026 | statewide | No separate Reelfoot zone is listed for 2026-27; season is statewide. |
| Ducks: Ducks, coot & mergansers (segment 2) | Dec 5, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027 | statewide | |
| Waterfowl: Youth waterfowl days | Feb 6, 2027 | statewide | Ages 6-16. Ducks, geese, coot, gallinule, moorhen, mergansers. Second day Feb 13. |
| Waterfowl: Youth waterfowl days | Feb 13, 2027 | statewide | |
| Waterfowl: Veterans and active military days | Feb 7, 2027 | statewide | Second day Feb 14. |
| Waterfowl: Veterans and active military days | Feb 14, 2027 | statewide | |
| Canada Goose: September | Sep 1 to Sep 20, 2026 | statewide | 5/day. |
| Canada Goose: October | Oct 10 to Oct 22, 2026 | statewide | 3/day. |
| Canada Goose: Regular (segment 1) | Nov 28 to Nov 29, 2026 | statewide | 3/day. |
| Canada Goose: Regular (segment 2) | Dec 5, 2026 to Feb 14, 2027 | statewide | 3/day. |
| White-Fronted Goose: Regular | Nov 28 to Nov 29, 2026 | statewide | 3/day. |
| White-Fronted Goose: Regular | Dec 5, 2026 to Feb 14, 2027 | statewide | 3/day. |
| Brant: All segments | Sep 1, 2026 to Feb 14, 2027 | statewide | Same split dates as Canada goose (Sept 1-20, Oct 10-22, Nov 28-29, Dec 5-Feb 14). 1/day. |
| Light Geese: Regular (same splits as Canada goose) | Sep 1, 2026 to Feb 14, 2027 | statewide | Sept 1-20, Oct 10-22, Nov 28-29, Dec 5-Feb 14. 20/day. |
| Light Geese: Conservation order | Feb 15 to Mar 31, 2027 | statewide | Free Light Goose Conservation Season Permit required. No limit; unplugged guns and e-calls allowed. |
From the 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide, checked October 9, 2026. WMA dates can differ. Read the guide.
Gear for hunting waterfowl in Tennessee
Picks from the duck hunting checklist. Buttons search Amazon for current prices.
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Nontoxic (steel) waterfowl shells
Tennessee rules require waterfowl to be hunted with nontoxic shot of T size or smaller; lead shot is illegal for ducks.
Shotgun magazine plug
Shotguns used for migratory game birds may hold no more than three shells, so a magazine plug is required unless the gun is already limited to three.
Insulated chest waders
Most Tennessee duck hunting means standing in flooded timber, sloughs or marsh, often in freezing weather.
Duck decoys
A decoy spread pulls passing ducks into range and shows them where to land.
Ducks and Geese bag limits and rules
Ducks
6/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.
Coot
15/day
Mergansers
5/day, max 2 hooded
Canada goose
5/day Sept 1-20; 3/day thereafter
White-fronted goose
3/day
Brant
1/day
Light geese
20/day regular season, no possession limit; no limit in conservation order
Rule
There is no separate Reelfoot duck zone for 2026-27; the statewide duck season applies.
Also note
Youth days are Feb 6 and 13, 2027, and veterans and active military days are Feb 7 and 14.
New or changed
A federal duck stamp and the Tennessee waterfowl license are required for ages 16 and up.
Watch for
Shooting ends at sunset for migratory birds.
Public land for waterfowl hunting in Tennessee
64 public areas on this site list waterfowl among their species. Area rules and dates are in each listing.
West Tennessee
- Barkley WMA8,090 acres, Stewart County
- Beech River WMA450 acres, Henderson, Decatur
- Big Cypress Tree State Natural AreaWeakley County
- Big Sandy WMA2,370 acres, Henry, Benton
- Bogota WMA2,293 acres, Dyer County
- C.M. Gooch WMA7,000 acres, Obion County
- Camden WMA3,682 acres, Benton County
- Chambers Creek WMA400 acres, Hardin County
- Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge26,997 acres, Lauderdale, Dyer
- Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge8,862 acres, Stewart County
- Ernest Rice WMA2,900 acres, Dyer County
- Garrett LakeWeakley County
- Harmon Creek WMA983 acres, Benton County
- Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge11,556 acres, Haywood County
- Hatchie River WMAHardeman, Haywood
- Horns Bluff Refuge1,890 acres, Crockett, Gibson
- John Tully WMA15,500 acres, Lauderdale County
- Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (Tennessee portion)Stewart County
- Lick Creek WMA198 acres, Benton County
- Lower Hatchie National Wildlife RefugeLauderdale, Tipton
- Meeman-Shelby Forest WMA & State Park13,000 acres, Shelby County
- Moss Island WMA5,119 acres, Dyer County
- New Hope WMA88 acres, Benton County
- Oak Dain Wetland PHAHardeman County
- Obion River WMA8,500 acres, Weakley, Obion
- Reelfoot Lake State Natural Area18,000 acres, Lake, Obion
- Reelfoot WMA24,000 acres, Lake, Obion
- Reelfoot-Indian Creek Watershed LakesObion County
- South Fork Waterfowl Refuge778 acres, Madison County
- Sunk Lake State Natural Area (North Unit)Lauderdale County
- Tennessee National Wildlife RefugeHumphreys, Henry
- Thorny Cypress WMA3,100 acres, Dyer County
- Three Rivers WMA1,577 acres, Obion County
- Tigrett WMA7,629 acres, Dyer, Gibson
- Tumbleweed WMA5,770 acres, Lake, Dyer
- West Sandy WMA4,319 acres, Henry County
- White Oak WMA1,194 acres, Hardin County
- Whiteville LakeHardeman County
- Wolf River State Forest PHA5,488 acres, Fayette County
- Wolf River WMA & Ghost River SNA4,236 acres, Fayette, Shelby
Middle Tennessee
- AEDC WMA & Woods Reservoir Refuge32,000 acres, Coffee, Franklin
- Cheatham Lake WMA5,152 acres, Cheatham, Dickson
- Cowan Marsh PHAFranklin County
- Fort Campbell (Tennessee portion)Montgomery, Stewart
- Haynes Bottom WMA971 acres, Montgomery County
- Laurel Hill LakeLawrence County
- Laurel Hill WMA14,952 acres, Lawrence County
- Old Hickory WMA6,000 acres, Wilson, Trousdale
- Percy Priest WMA10,768 acres, Rutherford, Davidson
Plateau Tennessee
- Chickamauga WMA4,000 acres, Bradley, Rhea
- Hiwassee Refuge6,000 acres, Meigs, Rhea
- McGlothin-Largen WMA112 acres, Roane County
- North Chickamauga Creek WMA5,400 acres, Sequatchie, Hamilton
- Oak Ridge WMA37,000 acres, Anderson, Roane
- Ocoee Ranger District, Cherokee NFPolk, Monroe
- South Cherokee National Forest & WMAMonroe, Polk
- Tellico Ranger District, Cherokee NFMonroe County
- Watts Bar WMA3,880 acres, Roane, Rhea
- Yuchi Refuge2,634 acres, Rhea County
East Tennessee
- Chuck Swan State Forest & WMA24,705 acres, Union, Campbell
- Fort Loudoun WMA492 acres, Knox County
- Nolichucky WMA1,000 acres, Greene County
- Rankin WMA1,975 acres, Cocke, Hamblen
- Whites Mill Refuge53 acres, Blount County
Tennessee waterfowl hunting questions
When is waterfowl season in Tennessee?
For 2026-27, waterfowl seasons run Sep 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027 across all segments. The table above lists each segment.
What is the waterfowl bag limit in Tennessee?
ducks: 6/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. coot: 15/day
Where can I hunt waterfowl on public land in Tennessee?
64 public areas list waterfowl, including Oak Ridge WMA, AEDC WMA & Woods Reservoir Refuge and Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge.
Do I need hunter education?
Yes, if you were born on or after Jan. 1, 1969. An Apprentice Hunter Education Permit can stand in for up to three years.
What are legal shooting hours?
Big and small game: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Turkey and migratory birds end at sunset.
How do I check in my harvest?
Small game and most migratory birds are not checked in. Sandhill cranes are reported by the end of the day.
Is there a Reelfoot duck zone?
Not for 2026-27. The statewide duck dates apply at Reelfoot.
What is the mallard limit?
Four mallards a day, no more than two hens, inside the 6-duck daily bag.