Tennessee Hunting

Tennessee

Volunteer State traditions, Cumberland Plateau hardwood ridges, restored elk viewing/tag lottery, and bobwhite quail.

Tennessee - The Volunteer State & Appalachian to Reelfoot Transitions

Tennessee offers outstanding sportspeople opportunities, rich wildlife habitats, and extensive public land access. From trophy big game hunting to abundant upland bird coverts and waterfowl flyways, Tennessee provides a premier destination for hunters of all experience levels.

Tennessee Bobwhite Quail Covey in Native Grasses

Managed under strict wildlife conservation guidelines by the state department of natural resources, hunting in Tennessee contributes directly to habitat preservation and healthy game populations across the state.

Tennessee Reelfoot Lake Mallards over Cypress Blinds

Top Hunting Attractions in Tennessee

Discover the premier wildlife management areas, big game habitats, and renowned wingshooting regions across Tennessee.

Historic Reelfoot Lake Waterfowl Hunting

Historic Reelfoot Lake Waterfowl Hunting

Iconic cypress swamp blinds and open water decoy spreads in northwestern Tennessee, famous for high-volume mallard and canvasback shooting.
Cumberland Plateau & Cherokee National Forest

Cumberland Plateau & Cherokee National Forest

Over 650,000 public acres of steep Appalachian hardwoods offering mountain whitetail tracking, black bear, and wild turkey.
Middle Tennessee Agricultural Trophy Whitetail Units

Middle Tennessee Agricultural Trophy Whitetail Units

Rich rolling farm country and river bottoms producing heavy-antlered bucks, supported by liberal bag limits and extended archery seasons.
North Cumberland WMA Public Elk Draw

North Cumberland WMA Public Elk Draw

A thriving restored wild elk herd in the Cumberland Mountains accessible via an exclusive annual public draw lottery.

Hunting Benefits

  • Generous Whitetail Limits: High deer bag limits and long season windows from September to January.
  • Appalachian Black Bear: Strong bear hunting in the Cherokee National Forest and East TN mountains.
  • Reelfoot Lake Waterfowl: Historic flooded timber and lake duck hunting along the Mississippi Flyway.
  • Cumberland Plateau Elk: Managed lottery draw hunts for reintroduced Rocky Mountain elk.
  • 1.5 Million Public Acres: Extensive access across TWRA WMAs and TVA public lands.

    • Hunter's Bottom Line

    Summary

    Tennessee offers a remarkable geographic transition from the high misty peaks of the Great Smoky Mountains to the Mississippi River alluvium and the ancient flooded cypress forests of Reelfoot Lake.

    The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) manages deer hunting across five distinct deer units. Unit CWD in southwestern Tennessee offers liberal bag limits, while the statewide bag limit allows two antlered bucks per year across all combined seasons.

    Tennessee's elk restoration in the North Cumberland WMA is one of the greatest conservation success stories in the East. An annual quota draw in May allocates tags for archery, gun, and youth hunters to pursue bull elk exceeding 350+ inches.

    Waterfowl hunters on public reservoirs and WMAs participate in TWRA's seasonal and tier waterfowl blind drawings. Reelfoot Lake retains its historic private and public blind heritage, where guides and sportsmen hunt from heated, boat-docked floating blinds hidden in cypress trees.