When does Tennessee turkey hunting start? What to know ahead of spring season

Tennessee’s 2024 spring turkey hunting season is right around the corner. 

An estimated 117,680 hunters participated in Tennessee’s 2023 spring turkey hunting season, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. 

Here’s what you need to know about the spring turkey season schedule and state regulations.

When is Tennessee’s 2024 spring turkey hunting season?

Young sportsmen, from ages 6-16, can hunt spring turkey in Tennessee on April 6-7. Each youth must be accompanied by an adult, 21 or older, who may not hunt and is positioned to take control of the hunting device. Youth ages 10 or older must meet hunter education requirements.  

The shotgun and archery season for adults runs April 13-May 26. Shooting hours are from 30 minutes before legal sunrise to sunset. 

How many turkeys are you allowed in Tennessee? 

Young sportsmen can harvest one bearded turkey per day during that period, and that counts toward the statewide bag of two. Only one turkey can be a jake — an adult gobbler categorized by having wing feathers with white barring to the tip, tail feathers that are the same length and a bearded longer than six inches, or a spurt that is at least a half-inch long. 

Hunters can bag one bearded turkey per day and no more than two per season during the April 13-May 26 period. Only one can be a jake.

Do you need a license to hunt turkey in Tennessee? 

A $33 supplemental license in addition to a hunting and fishing combination license is required for residents. Supplemental licenses vary depending on what kind of hunting equipment is used. 

Can you hunt turkey on your own land in Tennessee without a license?

Landowners are exempt from license requirements as long as they're hunting on their own land and can show proof of ownership.

However, if a hunter is on someone else's private property, even with permission or with the landowner, they must have a license.

Will Tennessee have a good 2024 spring turkey hunting season?

Tennessee hunters harvested an estimated 60,335 turkeys in spring 2023, but TWRA Wild Turkey Program Coordinator Roger Shields said this spring's harvest numbers could be lower due to a small hatch two years ago.

"When you have a really good hatch in a particular area you should see that reflected a couple years later with a large number of 2-year-old birds running around. Most birds harvested are 2-year-old birds, they're the most vocal," Shields said.

Where are the most turkeys in Tennessee? 

Middle Tennessee was the best place to hunt turkeys in 2023, with a state-high 23,115 birds harvested. The northeast region was second with 10,923.

Shields noted that the southeast region, from Chattanooga up to Knoxville, has seen increasing harvests.

Where can you hunt turkey in Tennessee? 

There are more than 100 public Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) to hunt during Tennessee’s spring turkey season. A list of WMAs in the West, Middle, Cumberland Plateau and East regions can be found on the TWRA website here. 

The TWRA also lists public areas not categorized as WMAs here. 

Reach sports writer Tyler Palmateer at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, formerly Twitter, @tpalmateer83.