Rabbit Hunting Season in Tennessee: Dates, Limits, and Rules for Cottontail Hunters
October 14, 2026
Rabbit hunting season in Tennessee runs longer than almost any other small game season in the state, and you don’t need a big lease or expensive gear to enjoy it. A shotgun, a pair of good boots, and a brushy fencerow are often enough. For the 2026-27 season, TWRA’s small game page lists an opening date of November 7, 2026, and a closing date of February 28, 2027.
This article walks you through the season dates, species, limits, licenses, legal methods, and the public land rules that trip up hunters most often. Tennessee’s rules change from year to year, so treat this as a planning guide and confirm final details in the current TWRA Hunting and Trapping Guide before you head out.
Rabbit Hunting Season Dates in Tennessee
Tennessee’s general rabbit season opens on November 7, 2026, and closes on February 28, 2027, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. That gives you almost four months of hunting, with the best action usually coming after leaves drop and cold weather pushes rabbits into predictable cover. Last year’s season ran from November 1, 2025, through February 28, 2026, so the opener shifted by about a week.
The TWRA page also notes that all hunting seasons are closed unless opened by Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission proclamations. In plain terms, if a date isn’t listed as open, you can’t assume it is.
| Season | Opening Date | Closing Date | Daily Bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 Rabbit Season | Nov. 1, 2025 | Feb. 28, 2026 | 5 |
| 2026-27 Rabbit Season | Nov. 7, 2026 | Feb. 28, 2027 | 5 |
Important Note: Some websites still list older dates or a vague “early November” opener. For 2026-27, the TWRA small game page is the authoritative source, so check it first and treat third-party summaries as secondary.
Private Land and Wildlife Management Area Dates
The TWRA small game page also states that the private land season for certain species is open year-round, so read each species line carefully before assuming it applies to rabbits. Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) can follow their own dates and rules. Mossy Oak Properties notes that WMAs may differ from statewide seasons, and some require quota applications or daily permits.
If you plan to hunt a WMA, look up that specific area’s page before opening day. A season that’s open statewide may be shortened or restricted on public ground.
Dog Training Season
If you run beagles, you can start well before the opener. TWRA says training of rabbit dogs is permitted year-round on private lands, day and night. That lets you condition your dogs through the summer and early fall without waiting for November.
Which Rabbit and Hare Species You Can Hunt in Tennessee
Tennessee has two huntable rabbit species, and no wild hares are part of the state’s small game lineup. Eastern cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus) are the rabbit you’ll meet most often, especially around field edges, overgrown fencerows, brush piles, and creek bottoms. HuntingPrime notes that both cottontail rabbits and swamp rabbits live in the state.
Swamp rabbits (Sylvilagus aquaticus) are larger than cottontails and tied to bottomland hardwoods and canebrakes, mostly in West Tennessee near the Mississippi River. Because the season and daily limit are listed simply as “rabbit,” they apply to the rabbits you can legally hunt without separate species rules.
If you came looking for jackrabbits or snowshoe hares, you won’t find them in Tennessee’s regulations. For a closer look at the animals themselves, see this guide to wild rabbits in Tennessee.
Pro Tip: Cottontails favor spots where thick cover meets open feeding areas. According to Dive Bomb Industries, they’re most active at dawn and dusk, so plan your hunt around those windows.
Rabbit Hunting Bag and Possession Limits in Tennessee
The daily bag limit for rabbits is five per hunter, per the TWRA small game regulations. The agency also says the possession limit is twice the daily bag limit, except for migratory game birds and except on opening day. That puts your possession limit at 10 rabbits after the first day.
On opening day, the possession limit is the same as the daily bag limit. That means five rabbits in your possession on November 7, even if you plan a multi-day trip. A 2018 Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission proclamation uses the same opening-day wording for small game.
| Limit Type | Rabbit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Bag Limit | 5 | Per hunter |
| Possession Limit | 10 | Twice the daily bag |
| Opening Day Possession | 5 | Same as daily bag |
Keep in mind that limits can change. As Hunter-Ed.com points out, limits may shift from year to year based on population trends and wildlife surveys, so recheck before each season.
Licenses and Permits Required to Hunt Rabbits in Tennessee
You need a valid Tennessee hunting license to hunt rabbits, whether you’re on public or private land. The small game license is a base license, and extra licenses are only added for big game such as deer, turkey, and bear. Hunting Locator explains this base-plus-supplement setup.
Hunter education matters too. Per Hunting Locator, anyone born on or after January 1, 1969, must carry proof of hunter education when hunting in Tennessee. You can also buy a one-year exemption that lets you hunt while you finish the course.
Youth Hunters and Landowner Exceptions
According to HuntingPrime (data verified September 2026), hunters ages 13 through 15 need a Junior Hunt/Fish/Trap License priced at $9.00, and they must be accompanied by a licensed adult. Verify that fee with TWRA before you buy, since prices can change.
Landowner rules are narrower than many hunters think. Hunter-Ed.com says a tenant can hunt without a license only with the landowner’s written permission, and any guest or non-family member needs a valid license. Everyone, licensed or not, must follow TWRA season dates, bag limits, and safety rules.
For a full breakdown of fees and license types, read this guide to hunting license requirements in Tennessee.
WMA Permits
If you hunt a Wildlife Management Area, you’ll likely need a WMA permit on top of your license. HuntingPrime lists the WMA Permit as required for hunting on any WMA. Some areas add quota applications or daily permits, so check the area page first.
Legal Hunting Methods and Weapons for Rabbits in Tennessee
Shotguns are the standard tool for Tennessee rabbit hunting. Hunter-Ed.com mentions 20-gauge and 12-gauge shotguns with No. 6 or No. 7.5 shot, and its author prefers a .410 with 7.5 shot. Those smaller shot sizes work well because most shots happen at close range in thick cover.
Small-caliber rifles are allowed but less popular, according to Dive Bomb Industries, because rabbit shots tend to be close and quick. Another source, AskHunting, lists rimfire, shotgun, and archery as small game methods in Tennessee. Check TWRA’s current weapon rules, including any restrictions on specific WMAs, before you rely on any one method.
- Shotgun: The go-to choice, with No. 6 or No. 7.5 shot a common load.
- Rimfire rifle: Legal but used less often because of close-range shots.
- Archery: Listed as a small game method, but difficult on fast-moving rabbits.
- Dogs: TWRA allows dogs for hunting all small game species, except on specific WMAs where noted.
Hunting With and Without Dogs
Beagles are a long-running tradition in Tennessee rabbit country. If you hunt without dogs, Hunter-Ed.com suggests walking brushy edges and whistling loudly and quickly after a flush to make a rabbit stop. Kicking brush piles also works, and Dive Bomb Industries recommends it when you’re working without dogs.
Common Mistake: Assuming that dogs are welcome everywhere. TWRA allows dogs for small game hunting except on specific WMAs where the rules say otherwise, so read the area regulations first.
Shooting Hours and Sunday Hunting Rules for Rabbit Hunting in Tennessee
I couldn’t confirm an official statewide shooting-hour window for rabbits from the sources I reviewed, so don’t rely on a general rule of thumb. TWRA defines “night” for bag limit purposes as one 24-hour period beginning at sunset, which matters if you’re comparing day and night limits for other species. For rabbits, confirm hours in the current Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide before you go.
Sunday hunting is the same story. The sources I found don’t spell out a rabbit-specific Sunday rule, and I won’t guess. Check the TWRA guide and any WMA-specific notes, since public areas can set stricter terms than statewide rules.
Important Note: Several third-party sites summarize Tennessee rules, but none of the ones I reviewed gave a clear, current statement of rabbit shooting hours or Sunday restrictions. Use TWRA as the final word on both.
Rabbits tend to move at first light and again in late afternoon. Dive Bomb Industries notes that cool, overcast days and periods after rain can stretch that movement into daytime hours.
Hunter Orange and Public Land Rules for Rabbit Hunting in Tennessee
Hunter orange rules depend on what other seasons are open. Hunter-Ed.com says you must follow blaze orange requirements during overlapping firearm seasons, and Dive Bomb Industries says blaze orange is required during certain seasons for safety. Because rabbit season overlaps with several deer and other firearm seasons, you should plan to wear orange on most November and December hunts.
One older source, Find A Hunt, claims a minimum of 500 square inches of blaze orange during rabbit season. That article is more than three years old and I couldn’t verify the figure against TWRA, so confirm the current requirement in the official guide.
Deer seasons are one reason this matters. If you hunt during gun seasons, see this overview of deer hunting season in Tennessee to understand when other hunters will be in the woods. Turkey and bear hunters share some of the same ground, so the turkey hunting season in Tennessee and bear hunting season in Tennessee pages are also worth a look.
Public Land and WMA Rules
Mossy Oak Properties says Tennessee has over 100 WMAs covering hundreds of thousands of acres, and state forests and National Wildlife Refuges add more access. Each area has its own rules, which can differ from statewide seasons. Dive Bomb Industries names Yanahli WMA, Cheatham WMA, and Laurel Hill WMA as places with varied habitat and good rabbit cover.
- Pick a WMA with brushy edges, field borders, or early successional habitat.
- Read that area’s page for season dates, permit needs, and dog rules.
- Buy your license and any required WMA permit before you arrive.
- Wear blaze orange if any other firearm season overlaps with your hunt.
- Stay within the five-rabbit daily bag and your possession limit.
Rabbit season is one of the friendliest ways to hunt Tennessee, but only if you stay inside the rules. Use the TWRA small game page for dates and limits, read the area rules for any WMA you plan to hunt, and carry your license and hunter education proof. Then pick a cold morning, find the brush, and enjoy the chase.