Legal shooting hours
All big game species are daylight hours only, 30 minutes before legal sunrise to 30 minutes after legal sunset.
Agency source law
TENNESSEE RUT AND SEASON DATA
When is the rut in Tennessee?
Tennessee has published rut timing at statewide precision. The source method is Statewide agency timing statement; no measurement method or county/region table is given.. Examples: Tennessee statewide: Oct 1 to Nov 30. Source: the agency publication linked on this page.
agency
Published rut units
PARTIAL: statewide rut window located; no county or regional timing publication found.
| Unit | Peak window | Method | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee statewide | Oct 1 to Nov 30 | breeding_observed | Agency source | Verify with your state agency |
Whitetail presence
White-tailed deer are hunted statewide in Tennessee.
Presence source agency
2026-27 deer seasons
| Season | Zone or scope | Dates | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| August archery-only hunt | statewide | Aug 28, 2026 to Aug 30, 2026 | Agency guide |
| Young Sportsman deer hunt | statewide | Oct 31, 2026 to Nov 1, 2026 | Agency guide |
| Deer archery | statewide | Sep 26, 2026 to Oct 30, 2026 | Agency guide |
| Deer muzzleloader and archery | statewide | Nov 7, 2026 to Nov 20, 2026 | Agency guide |
| Deer gun, muzzleloader and archery | statewide | Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027 | Agency guide |
| Young Sportsman deer hunt, late segment | statewide | Jan 9, 2027 to Jan 10, 2027 | Agency guide |
| Deer archery, late segment | statewide | Nov 2, 2026 to Nov 6, 2026 | Agency guide |
Legal light, bag limits, and calls
Bag limits
Antlered maximum: 2. All units statewide: two antlered deer, one per day, not to exceed two for the season. Antlerless limits vary by deer management unit.
Bag-limit source agency
Electronic deer calls
Not published in this data
Call-rule source law
Official guide links
Questions about Tennessee
When is the rut in Tennessee?
Tennessee has published rut timing at statewide precision. The source method is Statewide agency timing statement; no measurement method or county/region table is given.. Examples: Tennessee statewide: Oct 1 to Nov 30. Source: the agency publication linked on this page.
What are the 2026-27 deer seasons in Tennessee?
The table above lists the season rows present in Hockline's local data. Verify rows marked for agency confirmation.
Are electronic deer calls legal in Tennessee?
None