While the majority of people are out enjoying their summer and its warm weather activities, hunters are already gearing up for shorter days and colder weather. The Tennessee and Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) have released the 2023/2024 Hunting Regulations.
For the Tennessee NWR, crow and dove hunting are open same as statewide seasons not to extend past Nov. 14th on all areas of the refuge, except Hunt Area 4. That area of the refuge, called the Duck River Remainder or Hunt Area 4 is open for the full statewide season for deer, squirrel, dove, crow, raccoon and opossum. Hunters will note that all hiking trails will remain open during hunt seasons, so caution is urged and shooting from a hiking trail is prohibited.
Continuing again this year, Cross Creeks NWR and Tennessee NWR will no longer offer quota hunts for deer and will still remain open to statewide seasons through Nov. 14th for Hunt Areas 1,2,3 and 5. Hunt Area 4, on Tennessee NWR, will continue to remain open for the full statewide season for deer.
The Henry County portion of the Tennessee NWR remains classified as a Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) positive area which requires restrictions to deer carcass transportation and disposal. See www.tn.gov/twra/hunting/cwd for more information.
The new hunt brochures for each refuge are now available online and at refuge offices, kiosks and area sporting goods stores. Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge provides hunting opportunities on Big Sandy Unit, Duck River Unit and Busseltown Unit for white-tailed deer, raccoon, wild turkey, squirrel, crow, dove and resident Canada goose. Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge provides hunts for all of the above species except raccoon, crow and dove.
Hunt brochures have been distributed to sporting goods shops, refuge information kiosks, and are available to download online at the refuge websites for Tennessee at http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Tennessee or Cross Creeks NWR at http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Cross_Creeks. Refuge hunt brochures may also be picked up at the Tennessee refuge headquarters at 1371 Wildlife Drive in Springville, TN or at the Cross Creeks refuge headquarters at 643 Wildlife Road in Dover, TN, or can be sent to you by mail by calling 731-642-2091 and leaving your name and address.
All hunters, age 17 and older, must have a valid State hunting license and purchase a Refuge Annual Hunting Permit at a fee of $15.00. This permit allows you to hunt on both Cross Creeks and Tennessee NWR. Hunters can purchase these permits through TWRA’s licensing agents online at gooutdoorstennessee.com or on the TWRA mobile app. To purchase a permit through a licensing agent or vendor, it is helpful to know the permit code of “064” for a TNWR/Cross Creeks permit. Youth hunters of age 16 and under do not need an Annual Hunting Permit, however the adult supervising them during the hunt is required to have one.
For more information on the refuge hunt program, please contact the Springville refuge headquarters at 731-642-2091.
| Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge 2023-2024 Season Dates and Regulations for Refuge Hunts Hunters may only take coyote and beaver incidental to scheduled refuge hunts listed below. The hunting of any other species not listed below is not permitted. This includes but is not limited to bobcat, river otter and fox. All state bag limits, season lengths and weapon regulations apply unless otherwise specified. |
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| Type | Season dates | Bag limit | Refuge specific regulations |
| Squirrel | Same as statewide seasons, except not to extend past November 14 on hunt areas 1, 2, 3 and 5.
Hunt area 4 is open for the full statewide season for squirrel. |
State bag limits apply. | Dogs are permitted. |
| Spring Squirrel | Same as statewide seasons. | State bag limits apply. | Dogs are permitted. |
| Resident Canada goose | Opens the same as early September statewide season and closes the day before the start of the early wood duck/teal season. Closed for all other season dates. | State bag limits apply. | Federally approved non-toxic shot is required for resident Canada Goose hunting on the refuge. |
| Deer (Gun/Archery/ Muzzleloader) | Same as statewide seasons, except not to extend past November 14 on hunt areas 1, 2, 3 and 5. Hunt area 4 is open for the full statewide season for deer. | State bag limits apply. Deer taken are counted as part of the statewide bag limit. | State tagging requirements apply. When checking a deer, use
“Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge” as the location. |
| Youth Deer (Gun/Archery/ Muzzleloader) | Same as statewide season, except not to extend past November 14th on hunt areas 1, 2, 3 and 5. Hunt area 4 is open for the full statewide season for deer. | State bag limits apply. Deer taken are counted as part of the statewide bag limit. | A Refuge Annual Hunt Permit is not required for a youth hunter, but it is required for the supervising adult. When checking a deer, use
“Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge” as the location. Multiple youth may be accompanied by a single non- hunting adult. The adult must remain in a position to take immediate control of hunting device. |
| Raccoon and Opossum | Same as statewide seasons, except not to extend past November 14 on hunt areas 1, 2, 3 and 5.
Hunt area 4 is open for the full statewide season for raccoon and opossum. |
State bag limits apply. | Dogs are permitted.
Hunting begins at sunset on first day of each hunt and ends at sunrise on last day of each hunt. |
| Crow and Dove | Same as statewide seasons, except not to extend past November 14 on hunt areas 1, 2 3 and 5.
Hunt area 4 is open for the full statewide season for crow and dove. |
State bag limits apply. | Federally approved non-toxic shot is required for crow and dove hunting on the refuge. |
| Turkey (shotgun/ archery) | Spring and fall turkey season open during statewide season, including youth hunt. | State bag limits apply. Turkeys taken are counted as part of the statewide bag limit. | Calling or attempting to call turkeys on the refuge is prohibited from March 1 until opening of spring turkey season. Fanning or reaping prohibited. |
| Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge 2023-2024 Season Dates and Regulations for Refuge Hunts Hunters may only take coyote and beaver incidental to scheduled refuge hunts listed below. The hunting of any other species not listed below is not permitted. This includes but is not limited to bobcat, river otter and fox. All state bag limits, season lengths and weapon regulations apply unless otherwise specified. |
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| Type | Season dates | Bag limits | Refuge specific regulations |
| Squirrel | Same as statewide seasons, except not to extend past November 14th. Spring squirrel open with statewide season. | State bag limits apply. | Dogs are permitted. |
| Resident Canada Goose | Open during the September statewide season from September 1 through the day before the start of early wood duck/teal season.
Goose hunting is allowed in fields and water in hunt areas 1 and 2 only. |
State bag limits apply. | Federally approved non-toxic shot is required.
We permit the use of dogs to retrieve geese. Hunting from an agricultural field that is not harvested is prohibited with the exception of winter wheat. Shooting across any public use road is prohibited. It is illegal to cut corn stalks or other vegetation on the refuge. You may use only portable blinds, and you must remove all boats, blinds, and decoys from the refuge at the end of each day’s hunt. Permanent and/ or pit blinds are prohibited. |
| Turkey (shotgun/ archery) | Spring and fall turkey season open during statewide season, including youth hunt. | State bag limits apply. Turkey taken are counted as part of the statewide bag limit. | State tagging regulations apply.
When checking turkey, use “Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge”. A Refuge Annual Hunt Permit is not required for a youth hunter, but is required for the supervising adult. Calling or attempting to call turkeys on the refuge is prohibited from March 1 until the opening of turkey season. Fanning or reaping turkeys prohibited |
| Deer (archery/ muzzleloader) | Same as statewide seasons, except not to extend past November 14th. | State bag limits apply.
Deer taken are counted as part of the statewide bag limit. |
State tagging regulations apply.
When checking deer, use “Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge”. |
| Youth Deer (gun/archery/ muzzleloader) | Same as statewide seasons, except not to extend past November 14th. | State bag limits apply.
Deer taken are counted as part |
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