Hidalgo
Well-known member
I have seen a few people on PM thoroughly confused and frustrated about TN game laws. I felt I need to post this.......hope it helps. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
Anybody who has read (or TRIED to read) our Hunting Guide has undoubtedly banged their head against the wall trying to make sense of what they just read. It's a jumbled-up mess if you're looking for a way to hunt coyotes, fox, or bobcats LEGALLY in Tennessee. I just had a 45 minute conversation with one of the TWRA Supervisors and asked him if he could give me a reasonable, easy, understandable explanation of HOW and WHEN we could hunt coyotes LEGALLY!
What he said makes it a little more simple:
(1) On private land, coyote season is open year-round. Shoot 'em with anything you got, anytime you want.
(2) On TWRA managed land (WMA's) just pretend that THERE IS NO COYOTE SEASON! You are allowed to take coyotes on ANY OTHER HUNT, with WEAPONS LEGAL FOR THE OTHER HUNT, and you must BE LEGALLY-PERMITTED FOR THE OTHER HUNT. In other words, WMA land is NOT open to "coyote only" hunters. There MUST be a deer hunt, turkey hunt, squirrel hunt, etc going on or YOU CAN'T BE THERE HUNTING! And you must have your deer, turkey, squirrel etc permits for that area and those dates.
(3) He added that it gets a little "sticky" when hunting on public land. If there is ANY big game season open, he suggested that you obtain a Big Game Stamp, even if you are coyote hunting! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif Although it is not LEGALLY required, his suggestion was made because of the fact that there are very few coyote hunters here, and the local warden might be "reluctant" to believe you weren't deer hunting. His suggestion was that the $20 permit might save you a bunch of trouble. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
The regulations pertaining to bobcat & fox are the same, with noted exceptions stopping fox kills in certain counties, and note that there IS a stopping and starting date on bobcat season.
Things got a "little" easier on us this year because you can use ANY centerfire rifle for deer. Before, you had to yote hunt with a .243 or larger if you were out during deer season.
You see guys, you folks out West need to get on your knees tonite and give thanks for your game seasons and laws. In Tennessee, you gotta pose or impersonate a deer or squirrel hunter in order to hunt coyotes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Anybody who has read (or TRIED to read) our Hunting Guide has undoubtedly banged their head against the wall trying to make sense of what they just read. It's a jumbled-up mess if you're looking for a way to hunt coyotes, fox, or bobcats LEGALLY in Tennessee. I just had a 45 minute conversation with one of the TWRA Supervisors and asked him if he could give me a reasonable, easy, understandable explanation of HOW and WHEN we could hunt coyotes LEGALLY!
What he said makes it a little more simple:
(1) On private land, coyote season is open year-round. Shoot 'em with anything you got, anytime you want.
(2) On TWRA managed land (WMA's) just pretend that THERE IS NO COYOTE SEASON! You are allowed to take coyotes on ANY OTHER HUNT, with WEAPONS LEGAL FOR THE OTHER HUNT, and you must BE LEGALLY-PERMITTED FOR THE OTHER HUNT. In other words, WMA land is NOT open to "coyote only" hunters. There MUST be a deer hunt, turkey hunt, squirrel hunt, etc going on or YOU CAN'T BE THERE HUNTING! And you must have your deer, turkey, squirrel etc permits for that area and those dates.
(3) He added that it gets a little "sticky" when hunting on public land. If there is ANY big game season open, he suggested that you obtain a Big Game Stamp, even if you are coyote hunting! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif Although it is not LEGALLY required, his suggestion was made because of the fact that there are very few coyote hunters here, and the local warden might be "reluctant" to believe you weren't deer hunting. His suggestion was that the $20 permit might save you a bunch of trouble. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
The regulations pertaining to bobcat & fox are the same, with noted exceptions stopping fox kills in certain counties, and note that there IS a stopping and starting date on bobcat season.
Things got a "little" easier on us this year because you can use ANY centerfire rifle for deer. Before, you had to yote hunt with a .243 or larger if you were out during deer season.
You see guys, you folks out West need to get on your knees tonite and give thanks for your game seasons and laws. In Tennessee, you gotta pose or impersonate a deer or squirrel hunter in order to hunt coyotes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif