Tennessee residents are allowed to hunt without a license on Saturday, Aug. 24, the opening day of squirrel season.
Free Hunting Day is an event the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency annually provides to increase interest in hunting. Squirrel hunting is one of Tennessee’s oldest and favorite traditions, and the day is an excellent opportunity for people to enjoy 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 tried hunting to be reintroduced to the sport.
In addition to the opening of squirrel season, the three-day archery-only antlered deer hunt on private lands and selected wildlife management areas (WMAs) is set for Aug. 23-25. Check individual WMAs for regulations. Due to the removal of Unit CWD, guns and muzzleloaders will no longer be allowed during the August season.
State resident hunters are exempt from hunting licenses and WMA permit requirements on Free Hunting Day. Many WMAs are open to hunters seeking public access on Aug. 24. Hunters are asked to check the information for specific WMAs in the 2024-25 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide. Sportsmen must ask permission to hunt on private lands they do not own.
The TWRA offers a reminder that hunter education requirements are not waived for Free Hunting Day. Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1969, must have successfully completed a hunter education course. If the hunter education course has not been completed, an apprentice license is required for those born on or after Jan. 1, 1969. This license exempts the hunter from the mandatory hunter education law for one year from the date of purchase. Still, it may only be purchased for up to three consecutive years during the hunter’s lifetime. Those under ten years of age do not need a Hunter Education certificate but must be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years of age who must remain in a position to take immediate control of the hunting device.
Hunters can harvest up to 10 squirrels a day from the opening day of squirrel season through March 15, 2025. Each hunting day begins a half-hour before sunrise and ends a half-hour after sunset.
For more information about hunting in Tennessee, visit TWRA’s website at www.tnwildlife.org or contact your nearest TWRA regional office.
