TENNESSEE, USA — Hunters, grab your equipment! The season for hunting deer with the muzzleloader firearm begins Saturday, Nov. 6. A muzzleloader is a type of gun loaded from the tip of the barrel. They will also be able to use bows and arrows to bag deer.
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said now is the perfect time to catch deer because they are becoming more active during the daytime.
"When deer are in a rut. They are just going to move more, and expose themselves to be hunted," said Matthew Cameron, a TWRA Outreach & Education Coordinator.
Officials said this type of hunting is more challenging than other methods of hunting.
"You are limited to about a 100 yd. shot," Cameron said. "You can probably stretch it out to two hundred yards if you're a pretty good marksman with it."
When an animal is bagged, the hunter must physically or digitally tag their game before midnight.
The muzzleloader season lasts for about two weeks and ends Friday, Nov. 19 at all deer hunting units across Tennessee. The TWRA said hunters can order a muzzleloader online without going to a Federal Firearms License Dealer (FFL).
Additionally, the regular gun season for deer opens on Saturday, Nov. 20. During this hunting season, people can use guns, muzzleloaders and archery equipment through Jan. 2, 2022.
According to the TWRA, archery equipment is legal to use during the muzzleloaders and gun seasons, and muzzleloaders are only legal during gun season.
As Chronic Wasting Disease spreads in West Tennessee deer populations, the TWRA also created new restrictions to prevent it from spreading. They only apply in counties that have confirmed cases of CWD, or are considered high-risk.
The TWRA also wants hunters to remember to hold off hunting bobcats for a few more weeks and wait until the season begins. Bobcat hunting and trapping season begins Nov. 19 and ends Feb. 28, 2022. TWRA said hunters can receive a citation if found hunting bobcats out of season.
Bobcats are usually found presiding in places like thick forests, swamps and on farmland.
Only one bobcat is allowed per day. If a hunter has met the daily limit, they can accompany other hunters, with the stipulation of the hunter not possessing ammunition, firearm or other archery equipment.
Bobcats can be hunted during both daylight and nighttime hours. Daylight is legally considered 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset.
According to the TWRA, bobcats are frequently confused with cougars. Spotting the difference between the two animals is simple. Cougars are much larger and range from 5 feet to 8 feet in total length, weigh up to 250 lbs. and have a long tail. However, bobcats are only about 10-40 lbs. and have a "bobbed" tail.
It is illegal to kill a cougar in Tennessee, except if a person is in danger. The last confirmed sighting of a cougar was in 2016 in Wayne, TN.
To learn more about legal hunting equipment, methods and season dates for big and small game click here.
