TWRA announces 2021 Muzzleloader Season for Deer opens November 6th

Nashville, TN – The 2021 statewide muzzleloader/archery season for deer opens in Tennessee on Saturday, November 6th, and continues through Friday, November 19th in all of Tennessee’s deer hunting units, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

The opening of muzzleloader season in the state has a permanent opening date of the third Saturday before Thanksgiving.

For Unit CWD only, gun season will open on November 6th. Unit CWD, in the western portion of the state, is now comprised of 12 counties and was established after the confirmation of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in December 2018.

Muzzleloader firearms are defined as those firearms which are incapable of being loaded from the breech. Muzzleloading firearms of .36 caliber minimum, plus long bows, compound bows and crossbows are legal hunting equipment for this season. Hunters are also reminded that they must meet the blaze orange requirements while hunting.

The statewide bag limit for antlered bucks is two. No more than one antlered deer may be taken per day.  Hunters are allowed the following antlerless bag limits: Unit L-3 per day, Unit A and B-2 total, and Unit C and D-1 total. In Unit CWD, there is a limit of three antlerless deer per day with no season limit and the statewide bag limit of two antlered deer.

For the exact boundaries of the different deer units, hunters can refer to the 2021-22 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide, available online at www.eregulations.com/tennessee/hunting/, through the TWRA on the Go App, where hunting and fishing licenses are sold, and at all TWRA offices. In addition, regulations and other information for Unit CWD can be found at www.CWDinTN.com.

Muzzleloader hunters, ages 16 through 64 must possess in addition to other appropriate licenses, an annual big game license for the equipment used.  Lifetime Sportsman license, Junior Hunt/Trap/Fish, Adult Sportsman license and Permanent Senior Citizens license holders are not required to purchase supplemental big game licenses.

In addition to private lands, including public hunting areas, several wildlife management areas (WMAs) will be open to hunters during this muzzleloader season.  Hunters need to refer to the 2021-22 Hunting and Trapping Guide for a listing of these WMAs or go to TWRA’s website.

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Tennessee’s gun season for deer opens in units A, B, C, D, and L on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This year’s date is November 20th. The season for gun/muzzleloader/archery will then continue through January 2nd, 2022.  Archery equipment is legal during muzzleloader and gun seasons. Muzzleloaders are legal during gun season.