Authored By Staff report

Tennessee residents are allowed to hunt without a license on Saturday, Aug. 25 which coincides with the opening day of squirrel season. Free Hunting Day is an event the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency annually provides in hopes of increasing interest in hunting. Squirrel hunting is one of Tennessee’s oldest and favorite traditions. The day serves as an excellent opportunity for persons to experience the enjoyment of the sport. The TWRA encourages regular hunters to introduce friends and family members (young and old) to the outdoors sport. It is also an excellent opportunity for persons who have not tried hunting in a while to be reintroduced to the sport. On Free Hunting Day, state resident hunters are exempt from hunting licenses and WMA permit requirements. Many of the WMAs are open to hunters seeking public access on Aug. 25. Hunters are asked to check the information for particular WMAs in the newly-published 2018-19 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide which is available online at www.tnwildlife.org or copies are available at any TWRA regional office or at most outlets where licenses are sold. The TWRA offers a reminder that hunter education requirements are not waived for Free Hunting Day. Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1969 is required to have successfully completed a hunter education course. An apprentice license is required for those born on or after Jan. 1, 1969 if the hunter education course has not been completed. This license exempts the hunter from the mandatory hunter education law for one year from the date of purchase, but may only be purchased for up to three consecutive years during the lifetime of the hunter. Hunters are allowed to harvest up to 10 squirrels a day from the opening day of squirrel season through Feb. 28, 2019 with each hunting day beginning a half-hour before sunrise and ending a half-hour after sunset. In addition to squirrels, those species that have a year-round season will be open as well. The year-round species include armadillos, beavers, coyotes, groundhogs, and striped skunks. In addition to the opening of squirrel season, sportsmen will have the opportunity to participate in Tennessee’s inaugural statewide archery, private lands only/antlered-only deer season from Aug. 24-26. This is the first year for this type of deer season. The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission voted at its May meeting to establish this short season to give hunters an opportunity to harvest a buck with velvet-covered antlers. The hunt is not open on any of TWRA’s wildlife management areas. Sportsmen are reminded to ask for permission to hunt on private lands. The annual bag limit for antlered deer is two. Deer taken during this three-day hunt will count toward the bag limit. More information about this year’s hunting seasons is in the 2018-19 Tennessee Hunting & Trapping Guide. It is available from businesses that sell hunting and fishing licenses and also on the agency’s app and website at www.tnwildlife.org.