BIG GAME HUNTING GENERAL INFORMATION

All hunting seasons are closed unless opened by specific Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission proclamation.
Big game animals are deer, turkey, bear, wild boar, feral hog, and elk.

Fluorescent Orange
Hunters must wear on the upper portion of their body and head a minimum of 500-square inches of daylight fluorescent orange (blaze orange), visible front and back, while hunting big game except on archery-only and turkey hunts. (A hat and vest fulfills requirements.) Blaze orange camo is legal if it contains 500 square inches of fluorescent orange. In those areas where the archery-only deer season dates overlap with another big game gun season (i. e. bear or boar), archers are required to wear 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange (TCA-70-4-124).

Tagging and Checking Stations
It is unlawful to move, transport or field dress any big game animal, except for feral hogs, without invalidating and attaching a properly completed temporary kill tag. If additional animals are to be harvested on that calendar day, the hunter is not required to stop hunting and tag the animal until he/she is ready to move, transport, or field dress the animal. All animals harvested must be accompanied by one tagged animal and must be taken together to the nearest big game checking station by the most reasonably direct route within thirty-six (36) hours of last kill where one new temporary kill tag will be issued. Hunters may not hunt on subsequent calendar days until previous day's animals are checked in and a new kill tag is issued. Evidence of species and sex must be available for inspection by a Wildlife Officer or Agency designated personnel prior to issuance of permanent game tag. The permanent harvest tag is a legal document and must be signed by the hunter. By signing the permanent harvest tag, the hunter is affirming that the information, as it appears on the permanent tag, is correct and valid. The permanent game tag must remain with the carcass until final processing. Persons legally hunting without a license are also required to take any big game animal harvested to a checking station. After receiving a temporary harvest tag from checking in their first kill, these persons must comply with all tagging regulations. All big game taken to a taxidermist to be mounted must be accompanied by documentation showing the permanent gamel tag number, checking station number, and date of kill.

ATTENTION YOUNG SPORTSMEN: All youth, or guardians of youth, under the age of 16 that DO NOT have an official TWRA ID# (found on hunting license) must know, or carry with them, their Social Security Number in order to check-in a big game animal. This includes youth hunting under the landowner exemption or youth under the age of ten (10).

Field Dressing Big Game
Evidence of species or sex of big game animals must not be destroyed prior to a permanent kill tag having been issued at a checking station. Normal field dressing, quartering, and icing down of the meat is permitted.

Big Game Found Dead
All big game found dead should be left where found and need not be reported. Individuals wanting to keep big game found dead must first contact the local Regional TWRA office for authorization. Any vehicle in which an illegally possessed big game animal is found is subject to confiscation. Big game, except bear, accidentally killed by a motor vehicle may be possessed by any person for personal use and consumption if the TWRA or local law enforcement agency is notified within 48 hours. A bear killed by a motor vehicle may be possessed only upon the issuance of a receipt from the TWRA.

Legal Bucks
Deer must have at least one antler a minimum of 3 inches in length on buck-only or antlered-only hunts.

Antlerless Deer: Defined as those deer with no antlers or deer with both antlers less than three (3) inches in length.

Albino Deer: Hunting, trapping, or possession of albino deer is prohibited as set forth in TCA Section 70-4-130. An albino deer is a deer with a lack, or significant deficiency, of pigment in the skin and hair, and has pink eyes.

NOTE: The TWRA urges all deer hunters hunting from tree stands to use a fall restraint system. Most deer hunting accidents involve hunters falling from a tree stand. Proper use of a fall restraint system could prevent or lessen the severity of these accidents.

Closed Hunting Season On Elk In Tennessee
The TWRA is eight years into a plan to reintroduce elk to the North Cumberland Plateau region of eastern Tennessee. This is a cooperative effort between the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Parks Canada, U.S. Forest Service, Land Between the Lakes, Tennessee Wildlife Federation, Campbell County Outdoor Recreation Association, and the University of Tennessee. A total of 201 elk have been released on the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area. The elk have been obtained from Elk Island National Park, Alberta, Canada, and Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky. Plans call for future releases.

Hunters are reminded that they should make a positive identification of their quarry before taking a shot. If in doubt, don't shoot.