Tennessee

Joining the Union in 1796, Tennessee, originally settled by the Cherokee and Chickasaw tribes, has an important and unique history encompassing the rise of country music and harboring some of the largest manufacturing and shipping industries in America. Home to the most visited national park in America, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee is a thriving state for sportsmen and women with a variety of opportunities. For anglers, the Volunteer State is perhaps most well-known for its abundance of lakes and tailwaters, which produce some of the largest brown trout in the Southern U.S. Hunters will also be impressed by the variety of species that call the Volunteer State home including white-tailed deer, wild turkey, black bear, ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, and various species of waterfowl.

For more information on the elected officials protecting and promoting the sportsmen’s traditions in Tennessee, please contact: Conner Barker

Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus

Senator Marsha Blackburn Representative Tim Burchett Representative Scott DesJarlais Representative Charles Fleischmann Representative David Kustoff

Tennessee Governors Sportsmen's Caucus Member

Governor Bill Lee

Tennessee Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus Leadership

Representative Jesse Chism Senator Paul Rose Senator Steve Southerland Representative Chris Todd

Tennessee Policy Highlights

In 2023, the Caucus worked to protect the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency’s ability to make wildlife management decisions based on the best science available, consistent with the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, to protect against the
further spread of Chronic Wasting Disease and other threats

Three hunters with dog in field

The Caucus has been instrumental over the years defeating bills that would have negatively impacted sporting dog owners and trappers as well as leading efforts to prohibit drones from interfering with hunters and anglers and allowing firearm carry permit holders to possess a firearm in a refuge, public hunting areas, or Wildlife Management Area.

In 2017, thanks to the leadership of Senator Mike Bell and other Caucus Members, Tennessee became the first state to enact legislation that would reimburse the state fish and wildlife agency (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) for free and discounted hunting and fishing licenses.

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Paid Hunting License Holders

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Paid Angling License Holders

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Generated for Wildlife Conservation

Tennessee Policy Briefs

No-Net-Loss

“No-Net-Loss” of public lands has become increasingly important to ensure access to public lands and waterways for current and future generations of sportsmen and women.… Read more.
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Tennessee Latest News

July 6, 2026

The Next Generation of Conservation Starts with Recruitment 

Why It Matters: America’s sporting heritage depends on more than healthy wildlife populations—it depends on people. As hunter participation fluctuates and longtime sportsmen age out of the field, efforts to recruit, retain, and reactivate (R3) hunters have become increasingly important. Expanding opportunities for new participants through youth hunting programs, apprentice licenses, and mentored experiences helps ensure the future of conservation […]

June 22, 2026

Turkey Hunters See Record Harvest Numbers Across Much of the Southeast  

Why It Matters: As is with much of the country, turkey hunting continues to be wildly popular among hunters across the Southeast. Turkey hunting traditions run deep throughout the region, and the pursuit generates millions of dollars through the “user pays – public benefits” structure that is the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF). From recruiting the next generation of […]

May 11, 2026

Tennessee Wraps up the 2026 Legislative Session with Several Pro-Sporting Victories 

Why It Matters: One major topic of this year’s legislative session in Tennessee that shines through has been issues impacting sportsmen and women. Whether that is legislation that establishes an optional hunter safety education in schools program or legislation that protects hunters’ ability to lawfully hunt within city limits, the interests of Tennessee’s sportsmen and women were well represented in Nashville. However, there is still work to be done, particularly […]

March 30, 2026

Hunting Access Bill Clears Tennessee General Assembly

Why It Matters: As hunting participation has generally been on the decline in recent years, access to quality hunting ground is often cited as a leading barrier to hunting participation. These challenges can be exacerbated when access and opportunity are governed by conflicting rules established by multiple agencies, causing confusion among would-be participants. Efforts to codify the state’s fish and wildlife agency as the sole rulemaking and […]

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Tennessee Reports

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Impact You Can See

Penalties for poaching were increased in CT and TN.

State agency authority was defended and/or enhanced in AL, CO, IN, MD, ME, MO, MT, NH, ND, NM, SD, TN, TX, and WA.

250,000 acres of wetlands that provide critical wildlife habitat were protected in TN.

Hunters in MD and TN may now use new technologies to assist in the recovery of wounded game while maintaining the Fair Chase Ethic central to our outdoor traditions.

Legislatures in AL, AR, DE, GA, IL, KY, LA, MS, NH, NV, NY, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, UT, VT, and WV celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Sportfish Restoration Program and formally recognized the crucial role that sportsmen and women play in funding conservation efforts through the “user pays, public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding.