2013 Spring Turkey Hunting Season Opens with Youth Hunt

NASHVILLE --- The Young Sportsman Hunt this weekend (March 23-24) kicks off the 2013 spring hunting season for wild turkeys. The statewide spring turkey hunting season runs from March 30-May 12.

The Young Sportsman Hunt will give the youngsters the first opportunity. Youth hunters ages 6-16 are allowed to harvest one bearded turkey which counts toward statewide bag limit unless taken on a Wildlife Management Area where turkeys are designated as bonus birds. Multiple youths may be accompanied by a nonhunting adult, 21 or older, who must remain in a position to take immediate control of the hunting device. The adult is not required to have a license.

Legal hunting equipment includes shotguns using ammunition loaded with No. 4 shot or smaller. There is no restriction on the number of rounds in the magazine. Also permissible is longbows, recurve bows, compound bows and other bows drawn or held by a mechanical device. 

Firearms and archery equipment may be equipped with sighting devices except those devices utilizing an artificial light capable of locating wildlife. Night vision scopes are illegal. The hunting hours are 30 minutes before legal sunrise to legal sunset (unless otherwise listed).

The 2012 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide is available at all license agents, TWRA regional offices in Jackson, Nashville, Crossville, and Morristown or on the TWRA website at www.tnwildlife.org. 

---TWRA---