When is deer hunting season in Tennessee? Everything worth knowing

Hunting season will begin soon in Tennessee and these are the dates to keep in mind.

With the end of October coming beginning of the hunting season for most mainstream games. While some animals can be hunted year-round, animals with a limited hunting season begin in the fall or winter.

The most popular deer hunting season begins in early November and depends on what area of Tennessee you live in.

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

Tennessee hunting units

There are six of them fighter units spread throughout 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 it too bear hunting zones for the eastern part of the state. There are five zones covering parts of the region and dividing some counties into different zones.

2024-2025 Tennessee deer hunting season

Units 1, 2 and 3 they allow three antlerless deer to be caught per day. Units 4, 5 and 6 differ. Four antlerless deer are allowed during archery season and two during the other three seasons.

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

2024-2025 Tennessee game bird hunting season

The number of bags is limited to three grouse and six quail.

Black grouse: from October 12 to February 28, 2025
Quail: from November 2 to February 28, 2025

2024-2025 Tennessee migratory bird hunting season

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

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

2024-2025 Tennessee small game and fur hunting season

There are no bag restrictions 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 limit for rabbits is five. During the harvest season, the number of possums and raccoons is limited to four. On private land, opossums and raccoons are limited to two per bag.

Battleship: All year round
Beaver: All year round
Bobcat: Private land from September 28 to November 21. Regular hunting from November 22 to February 28, 2025.
Bullfrog: Year round except state lakes.
Coyote: All year round
Fox: November 22–February 28, 2025
Groundhog: All year round
Littlest Weasel: November 22–February 28, 2025
Norka: November 22 – February 28, 2025
Muskrat: November 22–February 28, 2025
Possum: Private areas are from July 1st to September 20th. The hunting season runs from September 20 to March 15.
Otter: from November 22 to February 28, 2025
Rabbit: from November 2 to February 28, 2025
Szop: Private areas are open from July 1 to September 20. The harvest season lasts from September 20 to March 15.
Squirrel: from August 24 to March 15, 2025
Striped Skunk: Year round

2024-2025 Tennessee spring turkey hunting season

One turkey per day is allowed in bags, but no more than two per season. Bearded hens are not allowed.

Young athlete: April 5-6
Shotgun/Archery: April 12 to May 25

2024–2025 Tennessee trapping season

There is no bag limit for trapping 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
Littlest Weasel: November 22 to February 28
Mink: November 22 to February 28
Muskrat: November 22 to February 28
Possum: All year round
Otter: November 22 to February 28
Raccoon: All year round
Striped skunk: year round