Nashville, Tennessee: The most beautiful beaches – Tennessee residents may hunt without a license on Saturday, August 24, the start of squirrel hunting season.
Free Hunting Day is an event that the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) hosts each year in hopes of increasing interest in hunting. Squirrel hunting is one of Tennessee’s oldest and most popular traditions, and the day is an excellent opportunity for people to experience the fun of the sport.
The TWRA encourages regular hunters to introduce friends and family members (young and old) to the outdoor sport. It is also an excellent opportunity for people who have not hunted in a while to get reacquainted with the sport.
In addition to the opening of the squirrel hunting season, a three-day archery competition for antlered deer is scheduled for August 23-25 on private lands and select wildlife management areas (WMAs). Check with individual WMAs for regulations. Due to the removal of the CWD unit, rifles and muzzleloaders are no longer permitted during the August hunting season.
On Open Hunt Day, hunters who are state residents are exempt from hunting license and WMA permit requirements. Many of the WMAs are open to hunters seeking public access on August 24. Hunters are encouraged to check the 2024-25 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide for information on specific WMAs. Hunters must ask permission to hunt on private lands that they do not own.
The TWRA reminds that hunter education requirements will not be lifted on open hunting day. Anyone born on or after January 1, 1969 must have successfully completed a hunter education course. For those born on or after January 1, 1969, an apprentice license is required if the hunter education course has not been completed.
This license exempts the hunter from the obligation to undergo hunting training for one year from the date of purchase, but can only be purchased for a maximum of three consecutive years during the hunter’s lifetime. Persons under 10 years of age do not need a hunting training certificate, but must be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years old who must be able to directly control the hunting equipment.
From the beginning of the squirrel hunting season until March 15, 2025, hunters may kill up to 10 squirrels per day. Each hunting day begins half an hour before sunrise and ends half an hour after sunset.
For more information about hunting in Tennessee, visit the TWRA website at www.tnwildlife.org or contact your nearest TWRA regional office.
