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NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission set the state’s 2025-26 hunting and trapping seasons during its two-day April meeting, which concluded Friday.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s Wildlife and Forestry Division presented its recommendations at the commission’s March meeting. The recommendations, developed over a yearlong process, were based on biological data collection, public input, and analysis of three- and five-year averages. A public comment period was held following the March meeting.

The commission approved the recommendations, making no changes to deer or turkey seasons and bag limits. A change was made in Bear Hunt Zone 2, shifting nine days of the December bear hunting season earlier to October.

Two new public hunting areas were established: the 6,500-acre Scott’s Gulf Centennial State Park in White and Van Buren counties, and the 5,500-acre Wolf River State Forest in Fayette County.

Wildlife Management Area (WMA) season recommendations were also approved. Notable changes include compliance with the new state law amendment allowing fluorescent pink to meet hunter orange requirements. Small game hunters must now wear 500 square inches of fluorescent orange or pink when hunting during big game seasons.

Changes to individual WMAs include adjustments to address safety concerns at Big Sandy (Gin Creek) and to align South Fork Refuge regulations with Horns Bluff Refuge for waterfowl hunting. The commission also approved a prohibition on all activities in waterfowl impoundments during non-hunting days at Cheatham Lake WMA.

Other WMA updates include Bridgestone Firestone WMA following Unit 4 antlerless bag limits and Catoosa WMA aligning spring turkey season opening dates with statewide seasons, but limiting the season to four weeks as currently structured. Several other WMAs will see increased hunting opportunities or regulatory simplifications.

A complete list of new regulations will be included in the 2025-26 Tennessee Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Guide, which will be available in July.

During the meeting, Region IV Boating and Law Enforcement’s Emily Posey was recognized as the inaugural recipient of the TWRA’s Dispatcher of the Year award. Posey, who has served 11 years, played an integral role during the agency’s Hurricane Helene response efforts last fall.

Additionally, the commission approved an emergency rule to comply with a new law removing the requirement that boater safety exams be proctored. The rule sets the fee and process for administering boater safety exams.