Read from Wildlife Resources Agency on September 6, 2026.
Seasons and limits change, and corrections are issued mid-season. Confirm with Wildlife Resources Agency before you hunt.
Open the official Tennessee regulationsHunting Tennessee this season? Keep these dates and bag limits in your pocket — free in the BlindBook app.
Tennessee is part of the Mississippi Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2026–2027 waterfowl season runs from September 1 through February 14, 2027, with 31 distinct season segments covering ducks, geese, coots, and other migratory game birds. Season dates and bag limits are set annually by the Wildlife Resources Agency within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Season dates, bag limits, shooting hours, and other regulatory information are provided for convenience only, may be inaccurate or out of date, and do not constitute legal advice. You are solely responsible for verifying current regulations with your state or provincial wildlife agency before every hunt.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3Tennessee statewide waterfowl zone | Nov 28 – Nov 29 First Split | 6 4 mallards (no more than 2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails, 1 mottled duck. Scaup: 1 scaup Nov. 28–29. | 18 |
| Dec 5 – Jan 31 Second Split | 6 4 mallards (no more than 2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails, 1 mottled duck. Scaup: 1 scaup Dec. 5–17, then 2 scaup Dec. 18–Jan. 31. | 18 |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Mallard no more than 2 hens | 4 | – |
| Wood Duck | 3 | – |
| Canvasback | 2 | – |
| Redhead | 2 | – |
| Black Duck | 2 | – |
| Pintail (Northern) | 3 | – |
| Mottled Duck | 1 | – |
| Lesser Scaup Statewide · 1 scaup Dec. 5–17; 2 scaup Dec. 18–Jan. 31 | 2 | – |
| Lesser Scaup Statewide · 1 scaup Nov. 28–29 and Dec. 5–17 | 1 | – |
| Greater Scaup Statewide · 1 scaup Dec. 5–17; 2 scaup Dec. 18–Jan. 31 | 2 | – |
| Greater Scaup Statewide · 1 scaup Nov. 28–29 and Dec. 5–17 | 1 | – |
14 mallards (no more than 2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails, 1 mottled duck. Scaup: 1 scaup Nov. 28–29.
2Possession limit is 3x daily bag except opening day (1x) and second day (2x).
34 mallards (no more than 2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails, 1 mottled duck. Scaup: 1 scaup Dec. 5–17, then 2 scaup Dec. 18–Jan. 31.
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| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2Tennessee statewide waterfowl zone | Sep 12 – Sep 16 Wood Duck & Teal Early Season | 6 No more than 2 wood ducks in the daily bag of 6. | 18 |
1No more than 2 wood ducks in the daily bag of 6.
2Listed under 'Wood Duck & Teal' row in the Duck Seasons table.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4,5,6Tennessee statewide waterfowl zone | Sep 1 – Sep 20 Early Season | 5 Canada Goose: 5/day. Possession limit 3x daily bag except opening day (1x) and second day (2x). | 15 |
| Oct 10 – Oct 22 Regular Season First Split | 3 Canada Goose: 3/day. | 9 | |
| Nov 28 – Nov 29 Regular Season Split 2 | 3 Canada Goose only for this segment | 9 | |
| Dec 5 – Feb 14 Regular Season Split 3 | 3 Canada Goose only for this segment | 9 |
1Canada Goose: 5/day. Possession limit 3x daily bag except opening day (1x) and second day (2x).
2Canada Goose early season. White-fronted goose not listed for this segment.
3Canada Goose: 3/day.
4Regular Canada Goose season first segment. Possession limit: 3x daily bag except opening day (1x) and second day (2x).
5Canada Goose only for this segment
6Possession limit 3x daily bag, except opening day (1x) and second day (2x).
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2Tennessee statewide waterfowl zone | Nov 28 – Nov 29 Split 1 | 3 White-Fronted Goose only | 9 |
| Dec 5 – Feb 14 Split 2 | 3 White-Fronted Goose only | 9 |
1White-Fronted Goose only
2Possession limit 3x daily bag, except opening day (1x) and second day (2x).
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2Tennessee statewide waterfowl zone | Sep 1 – Sep 20 Early Season | 1 | 3 |
| Oct 10 – Oct 22 Split 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| Nov 28 – Nov 29 Split 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Dec 5 – Feb 14 Split 3 | 1 | 3 |
1Possession limit 3x daily bag except opening day (1x) and second day (2x).
2Possession limit 3x daily bag, except opening day (1x) and second day (2x).
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2Tennessee statewide waterfowl zone | Sep 1 – Sep 20 Early Season | 20 Standard federal regulations apply; unplugged shotguns and electronic calls NOT allowed | – |
| Oct 10 – Oct 22 Split 1 | 20 Standard federal regulations apply; unplugged shotguns and electronic calls NOT allowed | – | |
| Nov 28 – Nov 29 Split 2 | 20 Standard federal regulations apply; unplugged shotguns and electronic calls NOT allowed | – | |
| Dec 5 – Feb 14 Split 3 | 20 Standard federal regulations apply; unplugged shotguns and electronic calls NOT allowed | – |
1Standard federal regulations apply; unplugged shotguns and electronic calls NOT allowed
2No possession limit except opening day (daily bag) and second day (2x daily bag).
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2Tennessee statewide waterfowl zone | Feb 15 – Mar 31 Light Goose Conservation Season | – Unplugged shotguns and electronic calls allowed. No daily bag limit and no possession limit. | – |
1Unplugged shotguns and electronic calls allowed. No daily bag limit and no possession limit.
2Blue, Snow & Ross's Geese only. Free Light Goose Conservation Season Permit required (GoOutdoorsTennessee.com). No Federal or state waterfowl stamps required. Post-season survey required.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4Tennessee statewide waterfowl zone | Sep 1 – Nov 9 Gallinule and Moorhen Early Season | 15 Tennessee Migratory Bird Permit required. | 45 |
| Nov 28 – Nov 29 First Split | 15 | 45 | |
| Dec 5 – Jan 31 Second Split | 15 | 45 |
1Concurrent with duck season first split. Coot limit 15/day as stated in the duck season table.
2Tennessee Migratory Bird Permit required.
3Listed as 'Gallinule and Moorhen' in the Migratory Bird Season Charts table. Possession limit is 3x daily bag per footnote.
4Concurrent with duck season second split. Coot limit 15/day as stated in the duck season table.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4Tennessee statewide waterfowl zone | Nov 28 – Nov 29 First Split | 5 Only 2 of which may be hooded mergansers | 15 |
| Dec 5 – Jan 31 Second Split | 5 Only 2 of the 5 may be hooded mergansers | 15 |
1Only 2 of which may be hooded mergansers
2Concurrent with duck season (first split); listed within Ducks, Coot & Mergansers table row
3Only 2 of the 5 may be hooded mergansers
4Concurrent with duck season second split. Mergansers have their own separate daily bag of 5.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2Tennessee statewide waterfowl zone | Dec 3 – Jan 31 | – Hunting only allowed by quota permit holders. Daily bag, season bag, and possession limit based on number of tags awarded to individual. Tags valid statewide including Southeast Crane Zone except during 3-day closure in that zone Jan. 15–17, 2027. | – |
| Southeast Crane Zone3,4,5South of I-40 and east of Highway 56 | Dec 3 – Jan 14 First Segment | – Hunting only allowed by quota permit holders. Daily bag, season bag, and possession limit based on number of tags awarded to individual. | – |
| Jan 18 – Jan 31 Second Segment | – Hunting only allowed by quota permit holders. Daily bag, season bag, and possession limit based on number of tags awarded to individual. | – |
1Hunting only allowed by quota permit holders. Daily bag, season bag, and possession limit based on number of tags awarded to individual. Tags valid statewide including Southeast Crane Zone except during 3-day closure in that zone Jan. 15–17, 2027.
2Statewide season; Southeast Crane Zone has a 3-day closure Jan. 15–17, 2027. Quota permit required. Each harvested crane must be accompanied by a completed kill tag.
3Hunting only allowed by quota permit holders. Daily bag, season bag, and possession limit based on number of tags awarded to individual.
4Southeast Crane Zone is south of Interstate 40 and east of Highway 56. Season split due to 3-day closure Jan. 15–17.
5Southeast Crane Zone is south of Interstate 40 and east of Highway 56. Resumes after Jan. 15–17 closure.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4,5,6Tennessee statewide waterfowl zone | Feb 6 – Feb 13 | 6 Youth hunters ages 6–16 only. Adults must accompany and not hunt. Same as regular season daily bag limits. | 18 |
| Feb 6 – Feb 6 Youth Sportsman Waterfowl Hunting Season - Day 1 | 6 Ages 6-16; accompanied by licensed adult 18+. WMAs with special closing times are OPEN all day during youth season. Nontoxic shot + plugged gun required. Youth 6-15 with permitted adult exempt from WMA permit. | – | |
| Feb 13 – Feb 13 Youth Sportsman Waterfowl Hunting Season - Day 2 | 6 Same as regular season daily bag limits. Youth hunters ages 6–16 only may harvest coot, gallinule, moorhen, ducks, mergansers, and geese. Non-hunting adults 21+ must accompany youth. | 18 |
1Youth hunters ages 6–16 only. Adults must accompany and not hunt. Same as regular season daily bag limits.
2Two specific hunt days: Feb. 6 and Feb. 13, 2027 (both Saturdays). Open days are these two dates only.
3Ages 6-16; accompanied by licensed adult 18+. WMAs with special closing times are OPEN all day during youth season. Nontoxic shot + plugged gun required. Youth 6-15 with permitted adult exempt from WMA permit.
4Same as regular season daily bag limits. Youth ages 6–16 only; must be accompanied by non-hunting adult 21+. WMAs with special closing times open all day.
5Same as regular season daily bag limits. Youth hunters ages 6–16 only may harvest coot, gallinule, moorhen, ducks, mergansers, and geese. Non-hunting adults 21+ must accompany youth.
6Second of two youth waterfowl hunt days.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2Tennessee statewide waterfowl zone | Feb 7 – Feb 7 Veterans and Active Military Personnel - Day 1 | 6 Veterans and active-duty military. WMAs with special closing restrictions are OPEN all day during this season. Same nontoxic shot and plugged gun rules. Proof of service may be required. | – |
| Feb 14 – Feb 14 Veterans and Active Military Personnel - Day 2 | 6 | – |
1Veterans and active-duty military. WMAs with special closing restrictions are OPEN all day during this season. Same nontoxic shot and plugged gun rules. Proof of service may be required.
2Same as regular season daily bag limits. Veterans (as defined in 38 U.S.C. §101) and active duty military only may hunt; non-veterans may be present but not hunt.
Season dates and bag limits are verified against official state wildlife agency publications and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Data shown is for the 2026-2027 season. This data was verified on September 6, 2026. Always confirm with the official regulations before hunting.
For waterfowl population trends, harvest analysis, and conservation research, see WaterfowlAI Insights.