Tennessee’s 2018-19 gun hunting season for deer opens Saturday, Nov. 17. Deer gun season has the traditional opening date of the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving.
During gun season, sportsmen may also use muzzleloader or archery equipment. The season will continue through Jan. 6, 2019. The second Young Sportsman Hunt is Jan. 12-13.
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1969 is required to carry proof of satisfactory completion of a hunter education class or be in possession of the Apprentice Hunting License (along with other required licenses) while hunting any species in Tennessee.
For more information about Tennessee’s 2018-19 deer hunting seasons, refer to the 2018-19 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide available at all license agents, TWRA regional offices in Jackson, Nashville, Crossville, and Morristown or on the TWRA website at www.tnwildlife.org.
This is the fourth year that the statewide bag limit for antlered deer is two. The number includes those taken during the archery only, muzzleloader, and gun seasons.
The start of muzzleloader season was on Nov. 3, and Tennessee deer hunters had a harvest of 7,683 on the opening weekend, compared to the previous year’s 4,823 when temperatures were above normal.
Since archery only season began in late September, there have been 29,705 deer harvested through the first weekend of muzzleloader season, which also includes the Young Sportsman Hunt in late October.
The statewide bag limit for antlered bucks is two. No more than one antlered deer may be taken per day. Hunters are allowed the following antlerless bag limits: Unit L-3 per day, Unit A-2 per season, Unit B-1 per season, and Unit C-1 per season (Nov. 17-Dec. 2 only), and Unit D-1-per season (Nov. 17-23 only).
For the exact boundaries of the different deer units, hunters can refer to the 2018-19 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide, available where hunting and fishing licenses are sold and at all TWRA offices. The guide can also be viewed at TWRA’s website at www.tnwildlife.org.