Tennessee’s 2021 spring turkey hunting season is set to open in most areas of the state on Saturday, April 3.
In an effort to help the turkey population in specific areas, the season starts April 17 in the new Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) unit (consisting of Dyer, Lake, Lauderdale, Shelby, and Tipton counties) and in Giles, Lawrence, Lincoln, and Wayne counties in Middle Tennessee.
The Young Sportsman Hunt is April 10-11 in these counties. The season concludes May 16 in all areas.
Turkey hunting is an excellent way to keep social distance, enjoy the outdoors, and take part in a popular activity which has seen tremendous growth in recent years.
This will be the second spring turkey season to “Tag Before You Drag” where hunters tag their big game animal in the field prior to moving. Hunters are able to use the TWRA on the Go app to simply E-tag and report their harvest in the field in one easy step, with or without cell phone service, prior to moving.
If you do not have a phone, attach one of the temporary transportations tags that printed at the bottom of your license this year and you have until midnight on the same day of the harvest (or before leaving the state) to check in your harvest online at GoOutdoorsTennessee.com or at one of several manned check stations. Temporary transportation tags can also be obtained by logging in at GoOutdoorsTennessee.com.
One bearded turkey is allowed per day, not to exceed the new spring season limit of three bearded turkeys (two birds in the MAV unit).
A hunting and fishing combination (Type 001), plus a supplemental big game license, or a sportsman license is required. More information on the 2021 spring turkey season can be found in the 2020-21 Tennessee Hunting & Trapping Guide. The guide is online at www.tnwildlife.org and available at TWRA offices and license agents.
Hunting hours are 30 minutes prior to legal sunrise until legal sunset (times found based on your location in the TWRA On the Go app). Legal hunting equipment includes shotguns using ammunition loaded with No. 4 shot or smaller, longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, and crossbows.
Firearms and archery equipment may have sighting devices, except those devices utilizing an artificial light capable of locating wildlife.