Woodcock Hunting Season in Tennessee: Dates, Limits, and Permit Rules
November 12, 2026
Woodcock hunting season in Tennessee gives you two separate windows to chase one of the state’s most overlooked game birds, one in late fall and one in January. For the 2026-27 season, the TWRA lists a first segment that opens November 14, 2026 and a second segment that opens January 10, 2027. The daily limit is 3 birds, and you need a Tennessee Migratory Bird Permit on top of your regular license.
This article walks you through each rule you need to know: dates, limits, permits, shooting hours, legal gear, closed areas, and where to hunt. It also covers how woodcock season overlaps with grouse, so you can plan a mixed-bag day in the woods. If you also hunt other Tennessee game, our guides to dove hunting season in Tennessee and Tennessee turkey season cover the other fall dates worth putting on your calendar.
Can You Hunt Woodcock in Tennessee?
Yes. The American woodcock (Scolopax minor) is a legal game bird in Tennessee, and hunting it is regulated as a migratory bird hunt. The TWRA states the woodcock is a game species in Tennessee, requiring a TN Migratory Bird Permit.
Woodcock are not abundant here. The TWRA describes the bird as an uncommon statewide permanent resident that is most common during spring and fall migration and rare in winter. That migration timing is why the season is built around late fall and January, when northern birds move through.
The TWRA American woodcock page also notes that the bird is most active at dawn and dusk and favors moist, low woodlands. Knowing that habit helps you decide when and where to hunt.
Woodcock Hunting Season Dates in Tennessee
Tennessee runs a split season. The TWRA’s season summary lists woodcock for Nov. 14 – Dec. 6, 2026 and Jan. 10 – Jan. 31, 2027, with a daily bag of 3. The state’s eRegulations migratory bird page shows the same two segments.
| Segment | Opens | Closes | Daily Bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| First segment | November 14, 2026 | December 6, 2026 | 3 |
| Second segment | January 10, 2027 | January 31, 2027 | 3 |
The first segment follows a formula in the Fish and Wildlife Commission’s proclamation. An earlier proclamation describes Phase 1 as open 23 consecutive days beginning the second Saturday in November, and Phase 2 as January 10 through January 31. That is why the opener lands on the second Saturday of November and the closing day shifts slightly from year to year.
Important Note: Some websites still show older dates, such as November 8 to 30, 2025. Those belong to the previous season. Use the 2026-27 dates above and confirm them with the TWRA before you hunt.
Falconers follow a different calendar. Hunterizer’s 2025-26 table listed a statewide falconry window of Nov 1, 2025 to Feb 15, 2026. If you hunt with a raptor, check the current TWRA falconry dates for the 2026-27 season rather than assuming the same window carries over.
Daily Bag and Possession Limits for Woodcock in Tennessee
You can take 3 woodcock per day. Tennessee’s commission proclamation says species bag limits for all migratory gamebirds are set at the maximum allowed by federal regulation. In other words, 3 is the federal ceiling, not a stricter state rule.
The possession limit is where new hunters slip up. The proclamation sets possession at three times the daily bag limit, except on opening day and the second day of the season, when it is one and two times the daily limit.
| Day of Season | Possession Limit |
|---|---|
| Opening day | 3 birds |
| Second day | 6 birds |
| Third day onward | 9 birds |
The table applies those multipliers to a 3-bird daily limit. Because the first segment opens on a Saturday, you will hit the 9-bird possession limit by Monday of that week if you hunt and keep birds each day.
Licenses, HIP Certification, and Duck Stamp Requirements in Tennessee
You need two things at minimum: a valid Tennessee hunting license and a Tennessee Migratory Bird Permit. Hunterizer’s season table lists a TN Hunting License and TN Migratory Bird Permit as the validations for the general woodcock season. Tennessee’s version of HIP certification is built into that migratory bird permit, so you do not complete a separate HIP form the way hunters in some states do.
The federal duck stamp is a different story. It applies to waterfowl, not woodcock, so you do not need one to hunt woodcock in Tennessee. Buy it only if you also plan to hunt ducks or geese.
Hunter Education and Age Rules
All hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1969 must carry proof of hunter education, according to AskHunting’s summary of TWRA rules. The same source notes that hunters ages 10-12 generally need only hunter education and that ages 13-15 can use the Junior Hunt/Trap/Fish license. License fees and exemptions change, so verify them on the TWRA site.
Pro Tip: Buy your migratory bird permit before opening weekend and save a digital copy to your phone. Cell service is poor in many of the creek bottoms where woodcock live.
Shooting Hours for Woodcock Hunting in Tennessee
Federal rules for migratory birds start the legal day early. Hunterizer’s Tennessee table lists woodcock shooting hours as 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. The Fish and Wildlife Commission proclamation adds that seasons close at the end of legal shooting hours on the day listed.
Woodcock feed and fly at first and last light, so those edges of the day can be productive. Still, you cannot shoot in low light you cannot judge. Use a legal-time chart for your county and stop at the stated cutoff.
Legal Weapons and Hunting Methods for Woodcock in Tennessee
Woodcock are taken with shotguns, and shotgun rules for migratory birds apply. AskHunting’s summary of TWRA rules says migratory bird shotguns must be plugged to a 3-shell capacity. A plug that can be removed without taking the gun apart does not count, so install one that is permanent.
Shot type matters too. Woodcock are not waterfowl, so the non-toxic shot rule for ducks and geese does not automatically cover them. Many hunters still choose lead alternatives such as steel or bismuth in small sizes for woodcock, and some public areas have their own shot rules.
Dogs are the most effective tool. Pointing breeds and flushing dogs both work, and some areas limit the breeds you can use. For example, Catoosa Ridge Refuge opens rabbit and woodcock hunting on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday only, with beagles and pointing breeds only.
Zones, Splits, and Closed Areas for Woodcock in Tennessee
Tennessee has one statewide woodcock zone. The TWRA table and every season listing I found show the same dates for the whole state, split into two segments instead of divided by region. That makes planning simpler than in states with multiple zones.
The closed areas are the real limits. Wildlife management areas can add their own day restrictions, as the Catoosa example shows. At Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, rabbit and woodcock hunting is open Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday only.
Common Mistake: Assuming statewide dates apply on every WMA. Check the TWRA’s regional WMA pages first, because day-of-week limits and special rules can narrow your hunting window.
Federal refuges can add another layer. StateOutdoors notes that some federal refuges require their own add-on access permit even if you already hold a lifetime or sportsman license. Call the refuge office before you go.
Where to Hunt Woodcock on Public and Private Land in Tennessee
Look for young, moist forest. Woodcock probe soft ground for earthworms, so wet bottomlands, alder thickets, and creek edges hold birds. Ultimate Upland’s 2026 outlook points to moist young forest, alder and creek-bottom cover, and suggests concentrating effort around November migration fronts.
On public land, the Cherokee National Forest in eastern Tennessee offers habitat for woodcock and ruffed grouse, with a mix of young and mature forest, according to Divebomb Industries. WMAs across the state also allow woodcock hunting under the TWRA’s regional rules, which you can browse on the Region III eRegulations page.
On private land, always get permission before you enter. HuntWise notes that Tennessee has plenty of private land options, and that you should be sure to get permission first. Farm owners with wet pastures, brushy fence rows, and regenerating cutovers are often glad to have a hunter who asks politely.
Reading the 2026 Outlook
Ultimate Upland rates the 2026 woodcock outlook as fair. Its reasoning is that Tennessee’s fall population depends heavily on breeding production farther north and migration weather, so the state’s summer drought matters less for this bird. Treat that as one outlook, not an official TWRA forecast.
How Woodcock Season Overlaps With Grouse Hunting in Tennessee
Grouse and woodcock share young forest, so a mixed-bag hunt makes sense in the right places. One TWRA-sourced listing shows the grouse season running October 10, 2026 to February 28, 2027, which fully covers both woodcock segments.
The daily limits differ, so track each species separately. HuntWise lists grouse at 3 per day and woodcock at 3 per day. Taking 3 woodcock does not use up your grouse limit, and the reverse is also true.
One practical point: when woodcock is closed, such as between December 7 and January 9, you can still hunt grouse where it is open, but any woodcock that flush must be left alone. Keep your migratory bird permit with you anyway, since you are also hunting under the same shotgun plug rule if you carry the same gun.
Tennessee’s quail season gives you another bird to combine with woodcock on certain WMAs. The TWRA’s regional listing notes that woodcock and other gamebirds with an open season may also be taken during quail hunts.
How to Confirm Current Woodcock Regulations With Tennessee’s Wildlife Agency and USFWS
Start with the TWRA. Its season dates summary and its migratory bird page are the primary sources for dates, bag limits, and permit rules. Third-party sites copy these figures, but they can lag or contain typos.
Federal frameworks set the outer limits. The commission’s proclamation states that season dates and limits are not considered final until the final federal frameworks are published annually. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service publishes those frameworks, and Tennessee’s dates must fit inside them.
Before opening day, run through this short checklist:
- Check the TWRA season summary for the 2026-27 woodcock dates.
- Confirm you hold a valid license and a Tennessee Migratory Bird Permit.
- Read the WMA or refuge page for your hunting area for day-of-week and dog rules.
- Plug your shotgun to three shells and confirm the plug is permanent.
- Call the TWRA regional office if anything is unclear.
Key Insight: Tennessee’s woodcock rules are simple at the statewide level and tricky at the local level. Most violations come from WMA-specific restrictions, not from the main season dates.
Woodcock season is short, and the first segment is only about three weeks long. Confirm your dates, buy your permit, and scout wet cover before the second Saturday in November. For more Tennessee seasons, see our guides to deer hunting season in Tennessee and bear hunting season in Tennessee.