Frequently Asked Questions

Contact the TWRA office in your region and request the brochure "Dove Hunting in Tennessee". This publication will give you detailed information on how to prepare a wildlife food plot for doves. It will also provide examples of normal agricultural practices over which doves may be hunted.

Yes. It is legal for anyone to use a crossbow during any season that allows archery.

Yes. It is legal to use an electronic call (during daylight hours only) for all game species except for fox, wild turkey, and waterfowl.

No. You must always obtain permission from a landowner to go onto his property even if the deer is in plain sight.

No. Hunting, trapping or possession of albino deer is prohibited. An albino deer is a deer with a lack, or significant deficiency, of pigment in the skin and hair, and has pink eyes. White deer that are not albino can be taken during deer seasons.

Some deer killed on WMA hunts may count as a bonus deer, not counting against the statewide bag limit. For WMAs that list a specific hunt date and bag limit, these deer are considered bonus deer and do not count against the statewide bag limit unless otherwise noted.

The antlered buck limit is one per day not to exceed 2 for the year. The overall limit of 2 bucks also includes any antlered bucks taken on the special statewide youth hunts.

A hunter may harvest a limit of antlerless deer in both units, except that the hunter may take no more than a total of 2 antlered bucks per year (statewide limit).

Antlered deer are male or female deer with antlers that are a minimum of three inches (3") in length.

Yes

Yes, (depending on the season) but you must be 18 years of age.

For Deer, Bear, and Elk hunting, center-fire handguns are legal in all counties except where regulated by legislative acts. Full metal jacketed ammunition is prohibited.

Handguns using rim-fire ammunition and air rifles are legal for hunting small game except migratory birds.

Yes, but you must be at least 21 year of age and always in a position to take control of the child's hunting device.

Grass carp (white amur) should be stocked at a rate of 15 fish per acre. They should be at least 10" in length when stocked in ponds with established fish populations so the largemouth bass do not eat them. They can be purchased at most farm stores, however, call to get delivery schedules. They usually cost around $10 per fish. In 4-5 years when the grass carp get very large, they will become inefficient and need to be replaced. Grass carp are not effective at controlling watermeal and duckweed. Young (1-3 yr. old) grass carp can usually give at least partial control of duckweed, especially when no other aquatic plants are present. (Note: If you are not careful, grass carp can swim out of a pond by way of an outlet or spillway when overflows occur if you do not have a barrier or screen in place)

Herbicides can result in a low dissolved oxygen fish kill if applied improperly. Always read and follow label directions. Treat at most only 1/4 of the pond's surface area at once. Wait a week before treating the next 1/4 of the pond's surface. If you treat too large an area, the decomposition of dead plant matter will consume too much oxygen resulting in a fish kill. Also, plan treatments during sunny, clear days so that photosynthesis is occurring in the untreated areas of the pond and producing oxygen required for fish survival.

Always suggest stocking grass carp as an alternative or possibly after the initial herbicide application has reduced the aquatic vegetation to an acceptable level. Grass carp are a biological control with no adverse impacts to the pond ecosystem.

If your pond exceeds 1/2 surface acre, you can stock bluegill, largemouth bass, and channel catfish. The stocking rates are 500 bluegill fingerlings per acre, 100 largemouth bass fingerlings per acre, and 50-100 channel catfish per acre. We usually recommend 50-75 channel catfish per acre. Higher stocking rates can result in competition for food, slower growth rates, and possible disease outbreaks. The 500 bluegill fingerlings per acre can be a mix of 75% (375) bluegill and 25% (125) redear sunfish (shellcracker). Do not stock hybrid sunfish with the above combination of fish species as they usually revert back to an undesirable such as a green sunfish or warmouth.

The bluegill should be stocked in the fall, usually October. They will grow through the fall, winter and spring and should be sexually mature by the summer. Largemouth bass fingerlings are stocked at this time, usually in early June. The newly hatched bluegill fry provide food for the largemouth bass fingerlings. Largemouth bass keep the bluegill from overpopulating. It is hard to maintain population balance with multi-species such as largemouth bass and bluegill in very small ponds i.e. < 1/2 acre. We recommend stocking only channel catfish. Most people, however, are determined to stock largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish. In this case, give them the stocking rates and explain they can harvest very few fish, especially largemouth bass. Overharvesting largemouth bass will result in overcrowded, stunted bluegill. Recommendations for harvests are provided in our pond booklet, Managing Small Fishing Lakes and Ponds in Tennessee.

This is not an easy process. It usually involves heavy equipment and clay materials. Bentonite is a powdered, clay material that expands when wet. You can purchase it at most farm stores. If the location of the leak can be determined, a mix of clay dirt and bentonite can be compacted into the area using heavy equipment such as a sheep's foot roller. Smaller areas can be dug out and replaced with clay and bentonite. In these small areas, a hand held "wacker packer" vibrating compactor can be rented to provide compaction of the clay fill. You may want to contact your local NRCS office for technical advice. They can get the number of the local office by calling the statewide NRCS office at 615-277-2531.

Yes, you can order your license from the Online Licensing System.

There are about 1,000 license agents which include most Wal-Marts and K-Marts; boat docks, bait & tackle, sporting goods and convenience markets. You can also renew your boat registration at these locations.

If you have lost a copy of your annual license, you can now go online from your home/office/etc and print a copy of the new license at no charge.  Please visit this website to order a new license.

If you have lost a hard copy of your sportsman’s license, or boat registration card, please contact our sales office for assistance at (615)-555-1212.

Yes. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren, under the age of 16, may hunt without a license as long as they are residents. The grandparent or great-grandparent must be the bona fide owner of the land and the grandchildren must have the landowner's permission. Hunting must only be done in a season when it is lawful to do so.

No license is required if you were born before March 1, 1926. Residents born after that date may purchase a Permanent Senior Citizen Hunt/Fish/Trap license when they reach their 65th birthday. This license may be obtained from any license agent. A valid driver's license or proof of age and residency is required. Federal Duck Stamp, Special Quota Hunts, and WMA permits are still required (where applicable).

All vessels powered by a motor, trolling motor or sail must be registered. Boats powered by paddles or oars do not have to be registered.

All vessels powered by a motor, trolling motor or sail must be registered. Boats powered by paddles or oars do not have to be registered.

All vessels powered by a motor, trolling motor or sail must be registered. Boats powered by paddles or oars do not have to be registered.

All vessels powered by a motor, trolling motor or sail must be registered. Boats powered by paddles or oars do not have to be registered.

All vessels powered by a motor, trolling motor or sail must be registered. Boats powered by paddles or oars do not have to be registered.

All vessels powered by a motor, trolling motor or sail must be registered. Boats powered by paddles or oars do not have to be registered.

Note: Because documentation requirements vary from county to county, please call your County Clerk's office prior going there to ensure that you take the proper documentation in order to register your boat.

A County Clerk must certify applications for boats purchased between individuals. The clerk will collect taxes and usually requires a bill of sale from the individuals involved. The white copy of the application is mailed in for processing. The yellow copy is kept as a temporary permit to operate the boat until the application has been processed.

The most important thing for hunters, landowners, and the public to know is that this is a regular and natural event that routinely afflicts white-tailed deer and that it is not transmissible to humans or any other animals.

It is best not to pick up any wild animal. Most "orphans" have parents nearby waiting for you to leave. If you know for certain the animal is orphaned, call the nearest Regional Office, and they will put you in touch with the nearest rehabilitator. DO NOT try to take care of the animal yourself.

No longer. If you wish to report a deer found dead on a state road, please call the State Highway Department. If it's on a county road, please call the County Road Department.

No one is allowed to keep any animal as a pet taken from the wild, which to many people's surprise includes tadpoles, frogs, lizards, snakes, turtles, baby birds, squirrels, raccoons, and young deer. If the animal is injured, call the nearest Regional Office for a list of permitted rehabilitators, who will keep the animal until it can be returned to the wild. If it cannot be returned, the rehabilitator will turn the animal over to someone with a special Educator's Permit, who may be able to use the animal in a classroom or teaching setting.

There are several options available to you that should prevent deer from coming into your property. These solutions involve various fencing types, repellents, or scare tactics. We distribute a brochure called Managing Deer Damage which discusses these options. This brochure should be available at your regional office or can be requested from the Wildlife Division (615) 555-1212.

Coping with Deer Damage in Your Flower Garden is another brochure which lists natural deterrents such as trees, shrubs, vines, etc. that may deter deer from entering your garden. This brochure is available from the Wildlife Division at the main office.