Tennessee's Gun Season for Deer Hunters Opens November 21
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 | 02:04am
NASHVILLE --- Tennessee’s first of two segments of gun season for deer hunters opens Saturday, Nov. 21 in all three of the state’s deer hunting units according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). This year, the season dates for all three units (A, B, and L) are Nov. 21-Dec. 6 with the second segment Dec. 19-Jan. 10, 2010.
“We have been seeing a number of older bucks coming in to the check stations thus far (muzzleloader season) and it appears that more than half of all the bucks in the harvest are at least 2 ½ years of age or older,” said Daryl Ratajcak, TWRA Big Game Coordinator. “That is proof positive the age structure in the Tennessee deer herd is extremely healthy.”
Tennessee deer hunters are finding a big change to their 2009-10 seasons. A continuous 14-day muzzleloader season began Nov. 7 and continues to the opening day of gun season. Unit B hunters have the biggest increase in hunting opportunities as they will now follow the same season dates as Units A and L. The change means that East Tennessee hunters will have no more closed days during the middle of deer season.
No more than one antlered buck may be taken per day. The statewide bag limit for antlered bucks is three as the two-buck restriction in Unit B has been eliminated. An antlered buck is a buck with an antler measuring at least three inches long.
For antlerless deer hunting in Units A and B during this season, refer to the list of hunts on page 23 of the hunting guide. There are quota and non-quota hunts listed on that page with bag limits for each. For antlerless deer hunting in Units A and B during this season, refer to the list of hunts on page 23 of the 2009 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide. There are quota and non-quota hunts listed on that page. The bag limit for antlerless deer in Unit L is three per day.
An Annual Sportsman, Lifetime Sportsman, Type 167 Permit, or Type 94 permit is required to harvest antlerless deer during this season on all non-quota hunts in Units A, B, and L.
TWRA personnel will be collecting data at various check-in stations across the state on Saturday. Antlered bucks will be measured and aged for management purposes.
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1969 is required to carry proof of satisfactory completion of a hunter education class or be in possession of the Apprentice Hunting License (along with other required licenses) while hunting any species in Tennessee.
For more information about Tennessee’s deer hunting seasons, refer to the 2009 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide available at all license agents or click on Hunting and Trapping Guide icon located on the lower portion of the front page on this Web site under the TWRA Guides at a Glance section.
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