Tennessee provides quality hunting from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Mississippi bottomlands, with excellent white-tailed deer, wild turkey, elk, and black bear populations.
Tennessee hunting seasons cover 311 season dates across 34 hunt zones for White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey, Elk and more. Most seasons are open to any licensed hunter within the posted dates. Use the tables below for exact opening and closing dates by species and zone.
Season data sourced from the Tennessee wildlife agency. Always verify dates and regulations on the official site before hunting—regulations can change during the season.
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A | Archery | Sep 27 — Nov 7 | — | — |
| Zone A | Muzzleloader | Nov 8 — Nov 21 | — | — |
| Zone A | Rifle | Nov 22 — Jan 4 | — | — |
| Zone B | Archery | Sep 27 — Nov 7 | — | — |
| Zone B | Muzzleloader | Nov 8 — Nov 21 | — | — |
| Zone B | Rifle | Nov 22 — Jan 4 | — | — |
+ 46 more Deer seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone BHZ-1 | Dog Training | Aug 23 — Sep 28 | — | — |
| Zone BHZ-1 | Archery | Sep 27 — Oct 24 | — | — |
| Zone BHZ-1 | Hound Hunting | Oct 4 — Oct 6 | — | — |
| Zone BHZ-1 | Hound Hunting | Oct 11 — Oct 12 | — | — |
| Zone BHZ-1 | General | Oct 25 — Oct 26 | — | — |
| Zone BHZ-1 | Hound Hunting | Nov 10 — Nov 17 | — | — |
+ 31 more Black Bear seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone adkins-turley-mtn | Archery | Sep 26 — Oct 2 | — | — |
| Zone adkins-turley-mtn | General | Oct 3 — Oct 9 | — | — |
| Zone adkins-turley-mtn | General | Oct 10 — Oct 16 | — | — |
| Zone anderson-massengale | Archery | Sep 26 — Oct 2 | — | — |
| Zone anderson-massengale | General | Oct 3 — Oct 9 | — | — |
| Zone anderson-massengale | General | Oct 10 — Oct 16 | — | — |
+ 24 more Elk seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A | Archery | Sep 27 — Oct 24 | — | — |
| Zone A | Rifle | Nov 22 — Nov 25 | — | — |
| Zone B | Archery | Sep 27 — Oct 24 | — | — |
| Zone B | Rifle | Nov 22 — Nov 25 | — | — |
| Zone C | Archery | Sep 27 — Oct 24 | — | — |
| Zone C | Rifle | Nov 22 — Nov 25 | — | — |
+ 4 more Bear seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | General | Sep 1 — Sep 21 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Oct 11 — Oct 22 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Nov 29 — Nov 30 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Dec 5 — Feb 14 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Feb 1 — Feb 1 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Feb 7 — Feb 7 | — | — |
+ 2 more Brant seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | General | Sep 1 — Sep 21 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Oct 11 — Oct 22 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Nov 29 — Nov 30 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Dec 5 — Feb 14 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Feb 1 — Feb 1 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Feb 7 — Feb 7 | — | — |
+ 2 more Canada Goose seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | General | Jun 7 — Aug 10 | — | — |
| Statewide | Falconry | Jul 5 — Apr 26 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Sep 27 — Nov 20 | — | — |
| Statewide | Trapping | Nov 21 — Feb 28 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Nov 21 — Feb 28 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Jan 17 — Mar 8 | — | — |
+ 1 more Bobcat seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | General | Nov 29 — Nov 30 | — | — |
| Statewide | Falconry | Nov 29 — Feb 28 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Dec 5 — Jan 31 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Feb 1 — Feb 1 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Feb 7 — Feb 7 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Feb 8 — Feb 8 | — | — |
+ 1 more Coot seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | Trapping | Mar 1 — Mar 1 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Mar 1 — Mar 1 | — | — |
| Statewide | Dog Training | Mar 1 — Mar 1 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Jun 7 — Aug 10 | — | — |
| Statewide | Falconry | Jul 5 — Apr 26 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Jan 17 — Mar 8 | — | — |
+ 1 more Coyote seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | Falconry | Jun 11 — Jun 12 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Jun 11 — Jul 12 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Sep 1 — Sep 5 | — | — |
| Statewide | Falconry | Sep 1 — Dec 20 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Sep 12 — Dec 20 | — | — |
| Statewide | General | Jan 1 — Feb 28 | — | — |
+ 1 more Crow seasons
Tennessee season dates vary by species and zone. Archery seasons typically open first, followed by firearms and muzzleloader. This page lists 311 Tennessee season dates across 34 hunt zones—check the species tables above for exact opening and closing dates.
Tennessee offers hunting for 46 species, including White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey, Elk and more. Each species has its own season dates, weapon rules and bag limits.
Tennessee is divided into 34 hunt zones. Season dates, harvest rates and public-land access differ by unit—use the tables above to compare units before you apply or buy a tag.
Always verify season dates and regulations with the official state wildlife agency:
Tennessee Official Hunting Regulations →See GMU boundaries, public land, and walk-in access areas for Tennessee on our interactive hunting map.
Hunting in Canada? Explore Crown Land Maps, Hunting Seasons, Licence Guide, and Regulations for Canadian provinces.