Deer Definitions And Bag Limits

Skip to main content Tennessee

Hunting

Tennessee › Hunting › Deer Seasons & Bag Limits

• General Info
  • Public Hunting Information
  • Manner & Means
  • Youth Hunts & Information
  • Hunter Education
  • Big Game Check-in Procedures
  • CWD in Tennessee
  • TWRA Offices
  • TWRA Firing Ranges Regional Information
• Licenses, Permits & Fees
  • License Information
  • License Fees
  • License Exemptions
• Hunting Regulations
  • General Regulations
  • Deer Regulations
  • Turkey Regulations
  • Big Game Regulations
  • Federal Migratory Bird Regulations
  • Small Game Regulations
  • Elk Regulations
  • Sandhill Crane Regulations
  • Bear Regulations
  • Wild Hog Regulations
• Seasons & Limits
  • Deer Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Turkey Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Elk Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Small Game Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Migratory Bird Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Duck & Sandhill Crane Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Goose Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Bear Seasons & Bag Limits
  • New Night Hunting Season for Coyote and Bobcat
• Management Areas
  • Wildlife Management Area General Regulations
  • Quota Hunts
  • Tier Designations on WMAs
  • Region I
  • Region II
  • Region III
  • Region IV
• PDF Downloads
  • Bear Harvest Biological Information Form
  • Farmland Owner License Exemption Statement
  • Hunter Landowner Permission Card
  • 

Deer Seasons & Bag Limits

Deer Seasons and Bag Limits
Season Type	Season Dates	Statewide Antlered Bag Limit	Units 1, 2, & 3 Antlerless Bag Limits	Units 4, 5, & 6 Antlerless Bag Limits
August1	Aug. 22–Aug. 24	2 (1/day)3	Closed	Closed
Young Sportsman2 (G/M/A)	Oct. 25–26; Jan. 10–11, 2026		3/day	2
Archery (A)	Sept. 27–Oct. 24; Oct. 27–Nov. 7			4
Muzzleloader/Archery (M/A)	Nov. 8–Nov. 21			2
Gun/Muzzleloader/Archery (G/M/A)	Nov. 22–Jan. 4, 2026			2
1 - Archery only. Private lands and select Unit 1 WMAs only. See individual WMA regulations. Due to the removal of Unit CWD, guns and muzzleloaders will no longer be allowed during the August season. 2 - Youths 6–16 years of age may participate using gun, muzzleloader, or archery equipment (G/M/A). Young sportsmen 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/pink regulations, as specified for legal hunters. Multiple youths may be accompanied by a single, qualifying adult. Antlerless bag limits for Units 4, 5, and 6 are not to exceed a total of 2 antlerless deer for the four (4) days combined. 3 - Bag limit may be exceeded only if taken as a bonus deer (only on certain WMAs), under the Earn-A-Buck program in a CWD positive county, or as a Replacement Buck.

Deer Definitions and Bag Limits

Antlered Deer:Male or female deer with at least one (1) antler that is a minimum of three (3) inches in length.

Antlerless Deer:Male or female deer with no antlers or with antlers that are less than three (3) inches in length.

Antlerless Bag Limit: Antlerless deer hunters may harvest up to the unit antlerless bag limit in each DMU. Moving to a different county within the same DMU does not increase the hunter’s bag limit.

Antlered Bag Limit: Two (2) antlered deer (one per day, not to exceed 2 for the season). The bag limit of two (2) antlered deer may be exceeded if taken as a bonus deer (only on certain WMAs), under the Earn-A-Buck program in a CWD positive county, or as a replacement buck.

To find a list of CWD positive counties, visit www.CWDinTennessee.com

Archery equipment is legal during muzzleloader and gun seasons. Muzzleloading equipment is legal during gun season.

Summer feeding of deer could be hurting turkeys.

Consider abstaining from summer wildlife feeding.

Wild turkey numbers have declined across the Southeast United States. Research has confirmed that declining populations are primarily due to poor reproduction and recruitment, not overharvest. Supplemental feeding of wildlife, which has grown as a common practice in Tennessee and elsewhere, may be contributing to these declines. Wildlife managers are concerned that corn put out for deer, especially during the summer, is hurting turkey numbers. A fungus called Aspergillus flavus grows in feed exposed to hot, humid conditions. This fungus produces toxins, known as aflatoxins, that are highly toxic to game birds, especially turkey poults and quail. New research has shown that in the summer, aflatoxin levels in feed can reach deadly levels to wild turkeys after only a few days. Read the full report at: https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-21-00052.

Besides the risk of aflatoxin poisoning, other consequences to wild turkeys from feeding wildlife may include:

• Boosting population numbers of small mammal nest predators;
• Concentrating nest predators near nesting sites and brooding cover which may lead to higher predation rates;
• Unnaturally concentrating game animals (e.g., deer and turkeys) which increases the chances of disease outbreaks and spread.

Please consider these potential unintended consequences as you make decisions about wildlife feeding, especially during the hot, humid summer months. Contact Regional offices with questions.

Tennessee

• General Info
  • Public Hunting Information
  • Manner & Means
  • Youth Hunts & Information
  • Hunter Education
  • Big Game Check-in Procedures
  • CWD in Tennessee
  • TWRA Offices
  • TWRA Firing Ranges Regional Information
• Licenses, Permits & Fees
  • License Information
  • License Fees
  • License Exemptions
• Hunting Regulations
  • General Regulations
  • Deer Regulations
  • Turkey Regulations
  • Big Game Regulations
  • Federal Migratory Bird Regulations
  • Small Game Regulations
  • Elk Regulations
  • Sandhill Crane Regulations
  • Bear Regulations
  • Wild Hog Regulations
• Seasons & Limits
  • Deer Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Turkey Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Elk Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Small Game Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Migratory Bird Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Duck & Sandhill Crane Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Goose Seasons & Bag Limits
  • Bear Seasons & Bag Limits
  • New Night Hunting Season for Coyote and Bobcat
• Management Areas
  • Wildlife Management Area General Regulations
  • Quota Hunts
  • Tier Designations on WMAs
  • Region I
  • Region II
  • Region III
  • Region IV
• PDF Downloads
  • Bear Harvest Biological Information Form
  • Farmland Owner License Exemption Statement
  • Hunter Landowner Permission Card
  •