White-Tailed Deer Hunting Units, Seasons, & Bag Limits
For better wildlife management, Tennessee is divided into three deer units.
The statewide bag limit for antlered bucks is three (3).
No more than one (1) antlered deer may be taken per day.
The only way the bag limit of three (3) antlered bucks may be exceeded is: if bucks are taken on TWRA managed hunts where bucks are noted as bonus deer (see WMA listings), if bucks are taken on NWR or other federally managed hunts where the bucks are noted as bonus deer.
See the hunting guide (the 2009-2010 guide will be available in July) for specific regulations.
Legal Bucks, Antlerless Deer, & Albino Deer
Legal Bucks
Deer must have antlers a minimum of 3 inches in length on buck-only or antlered-only hunts.
Antlerless Deer
Defined as those deer with no antlers or deer with antlers less than 3 inches in length.
Albino Deer
Hunting, trapping, or possession of albino deer is prohibited as set forth in TCA Chapter 70-4-130. An albino deer is a deer with a lack, or significant deficiency, of pigment in the skin and hair, and has pink eyes.
Unit A Season Dates & Antlerless Bag Limits
Unit A includes the following counties:
Benton, Bledsoe, Bradley, Clay, Crockett, Cumberland, DeKalb, Dyer, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Lake, Lauderdale, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Overton, Perry, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Sequatchie, Tipton, Van Buren, Warren, and White.
| Season Type | Season Dates | Antlerless Bag Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Archery (includes crossbows) |
Sep. 26 - Oct. 30, 2009 Nov. 2-6, 2009 Dec. 7-18, 2009 |
4 |
| Muzzleloader and Archery | Nov. 7-20, 2009 |
4 |
| Gun, Muzzleloader and Archery | Nov. 21 - Dec. 6, 2009 Dec. 19, 2009 - Jan. 10, 2010 |
See Quota Hunt Table for antlerless hunts. |
| Young Sportsman* | Oct. 31 - Nov. 1, 2009 Jan. 16-17, 2010 |
2 2 |
*Youths 6-16 years of age only. Each young sportsman must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult, 21 years of age or older, who must remain in a position to take immediate control of the hunting device and who must also comply with fluorescent orange regulations, as specified for legal hunters. Multiple youths may be accompanied by a single qualifying adult. Youths 10 years of age or older must meet Hunter Education requirements.
Unit B Season Dates & Antlerless Bag Limits
Unit B includes the following counties: Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Fentress, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Pickett, Polk, Scott, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, and Washington.
| Season Type | Season Dates | Antlerless Bag Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Archery (includes crossbows) |
Sep. 26 - Oct. 30, 2009 Nov. 2-6, 2009 Dec. 7-18, 2009 |
2 |
| Muzzleloader and Archery | Nov. 7-20, 2009 |
See table below |
| Gun, Muzzleloader and Archery | Nov. 21 - Dec. 6, 2009 Dec. 19, 2009 - Jan. 10, 2010 |
See Quota Hunt Table for antlerless hunts |
| Young Sportsman | Oct. 31 - Nov. 1, 2009 Jan. 16-17, 2010 |
1 1 |
Antlerless Hunts During Unit B Muzzleloader Season
The antlerless bag limit during the Unit B muzzleloader season is one (1) per hunter. This antlerless deer may be harvested under the guidelines listed below.
| Unit B Counties | Either Sex Muzzleloader Hunting Days |
|---|---|
| Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Jefferson, Johnson, Loudon, Monroe, Sevier, Unicoi, Union, Washington | Nov. 7-11, 2009 |
| Fentress, Hawkins, Knox, Morgan, Pickett, Polk, Scott, Sullivan | Nov. 7-20, 2009 |
Young Sportman Hunts
Youths 6-16 years of age only. Each young sportsman must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult, 21 years of age or older, who must remain in a position to take immediate control of the hunting device and who must also comply with fluorescent orange regulations, as specified for legal hunters. Multiple youths may be accompanied by a single qualifying adult. Youths 10 years of age or older must meet Hunter Education requirements.
Unit L Season Dates & Antlerless Bag Limits
Unit L includes the following counties: Bedford, Cannon, Carroll, Cheatham, Chester, Coffee, Davidson, Decatur, Dickson, Fayette, Franklin, Gibson, Giles, Hardeman, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, Marshall, Maury, McNairy, Montgomery, Moore, Obion, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, Wayne, Weakley, Williamson, and Wilson.
| Season Type | Season Dates | Antlerless Bag Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Archery (includes crossbows) |
Sep. 26 - Oct. 30, 2009 Nov. 2-6, 2009 Dec. 7-18, 2009 |
3/day |
| Muzzleloader and Archery | Nov. 7-20, 2009 |
3/day |
| Gun, Muzzleloader and Archery | Nov. 21 - Dec. 6, 2009 Dec. 19, 2009 - Jan. 10, 2010 |
3/day* Type 094 permit required |
| Young Sportsman** | Oct. 31 - Nov. 1, 2009 Jan. 16-17, 2010 |
3/day 3/day |
* A Type 094 permit is required to hunt antlerless deer during this season except for landowners hunting under the landowner exemption (as described in T.C.A. 70-2-204), Sportsman and Lifetime Sportsman license holders, and hunters who possess a Type 167 permit.
** Youths 6-16 years of age only. Each young sportsman must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult, 21 years of age or older, who must remain in a position to take immediate control of the hunting device and who must also comply with fluorescent orange regulations, as specified for legal hunters. Multiple youths may be accompanied by a single qualifying adult. Youths 10 years of age or older must meet Hunter Education requirements.
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