Tennessee turkey hunting season opens April 11
Turkey | Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Tennessee’s statewide spring turkey hunting season opens Saturday, April 11, and will continue through Sunday, May 24.
One male turkey per day, not to exceed two for the season, may be harvested. Only one can be a jake, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says.
An adult gobbler is defined by having one of the following: wing feathers having white barring all the way to the tip, tail feathers all the same length, beard is longer than 6 inches, or a spur at least ½-inch long.
All hens (including bearded hens) are illegal to harvest.
Hunting hours are 30 minutes prior to legal sunrise until legal sunset. Legal hunting equipment includes shotguns using ammunition loaded with No. 4 shot or smaller, longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, and crossbows.
Firearms and archery equipment may have sighting devices, except those devices utilizing an artificial light capable of locating wildlife, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
All 95 counties are open to the spring turkey seasons. However, there are some exceptions on public land (see the WMA section of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s 2025-26 Tennessee Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Guide for details).
More information on the 2026 spring turkey season, regulations, and license requirements can be found in the 2025-26 Tennessee Fishing, Hunting & Trapping Guide. The guide is online at www.tnwildlife.org and available at TWRA offices and license agents.
