Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Ed Carter, Executive Director

1. If using this equipment while hunting during deer, elk or bear season you must be a legal big game hunter.
2. Hunting arrows and bolts must be equipped with sharpened broadheads.
3. Waterfowl may only be hunted with non-toxic shot.
4. Furbearers are defined as beaver, bobcat, coyote, fox, groundhog, mink, muskrat, nutria, opossum, river otter, raccoon, skunk, and weasel.
5. It is illegal to use centerfire firearms from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.
6. Migratory birds, except waterfowl, may only be hunted with ammunition loaded with Number (4) or smaller shot.
7. Muzzleloading firearms are defined as those firearms which are incapable of being loaded from the breech.
   

2011-2012 Small Game Legal Hunting Equipment

1. If using this equipment while hunting during deer, elk or bear season you must be a legal big game hunter.
2. Hunting arrows and bolts must be equipped with sharpened broadheads.
3. Waterfowl may only be hunted with non-toxic shot.
4. Furbearers are defined as beaver, bobcat, coyote, fox, groundhog, mink, muskrat, nutria, opossum, river otter, raccoon, skunk, and weasel.
5. It is illegal to use centerfire firearms from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.
6. Migratory birds, except waterfowl, may only be hunted with ammunition loaded with Number (4) or smaller shot.
7. Muzzleloading firearms are defined as those firearms which are incapable of being loaded from the breech.

Illegal Weapons

• Predator calls while night hunting.
• Pod arrows (any pod-type device for holding drugs or chemicals on an arrow) or any drugs or chemicals used in pod arrows while archery hunting.
• Explosive arrowheads while archery hunting.
• Firearms capable of fully automatic fire.
• Firearms or archery equipment with any device utilizing an artificial light capable of locating wildlife.
• Any electronic light amplifying night vision scope or device while in possession of a firearm or archery tackle between sunset and sunrise.
• Electronic calls or live decoys while hunting wild turkey, foxes, and waterfowl (except electronic calls are legal during the Conservation Season for Blue, Snow, and Ross' geese).
• Rifles or handguns with full metal jacketed ammunition.
• Rifles or handguns with centerfire ammunition between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise.
• Any loose shot other than non-toxic (as approved by U.S. Fishing and Wildlife Service) or any shotgun shell loaded with shot other than non-toxic while hunting waterfowl, coots, gallinules, Virginia rails, and sora rails.

Prohibited Acts

• Possession of ammunition except that as specifically authorized is prohibited while hunting. The use or possession and/or the accompanying of anyone using or possessing raccoon calls, squallers, weapons, ammunition, or climbers while training dogs is prohibited during training season.
• The use or possession and/or the accompanying of anyone using or possessing raccoon calls, squallers, weapons, ammunition, or climbers while training dogs is prohibited during training season, except raccoon calls may be used during authorized field trials.
• The use of dogs in taking or attemting to take deer or elk is prohibited. Taking or attempting to take deer being pursued by dog, or dogs, is prohibited.
• Juveniles under the age of eighteen (18) are prohibited from using hadguns for the purpose of hunting.
• No person shall make use of bait to take wildlife unless the bait has been removed at least 10 days prior to hunting.
• Possession of firearms prohibited while chasing coyote, fox, and bobcat with dogs from the first Saturday in November through the end of the deer season.

On private properry, hunting while in or on a vehicle that cannot be legally licensed to operate on public highways in Tennessee (ORV, ATV) is permitted providing the vehicle is stationary (engine may be running). Hunting from any vehicle, stationary or otherwise, is prohibited from a public road, right-of-way, or on public property, including WMAs.

Hunters who have filled their seasonal or daily bag limit for any species may continue to accompany other hunters, provided they are not in possession of any ammunition or any weapon. This person must also comply with all other legal requirements.