Bear Regulations
Legal Hunting Equipment
See Manner & Means.
Taking Wild Hogs During Bear Dog Hunts: Individuals licensed to hunt bears may take wild hogs during any proclaimed bear dog hunt.
Bear Dog Training Season
The following areas are open for a bear dog training season during daylight hours only. No bears may be taken or attempted to be taken. (Bear reserves closed to dog training):
- BHZ1 and BHZ2: Aug. 24–Sept. 29, 2024, May 31–June 13, 2025
- BHZ3: Sept. 4–13, 2024, May 31–June 13, 2025
- BHZ4 and Transitional: Closed.
- North Cherokee: Sept. 3–28
- South Cherokee: Sept. 4–13
Restricted Bear Reserve Hunt
Open area: Private property located within the proclaimed boundaries of the Kettlefoot and Laurel Fork Bear Reserves. September 21–27. Archery, Muzzleloader, Gun, Dogs allowed. One bear either sex. Does not count toward statewide bag limit. Electronic check permitted.
Attention Bear Hunters – Tooth Submission is Mandatory
DEADLINE
All tooth samples must be submitted or postmarked by the first February 15 after the harvest.
Why do I need to submit this information?
Widespread seasons and electronic check in make it impossible for Agency personnel to physically collect enough teeth from harvested bears to monitor population and harvest trends.
How do I collect a tooth?
The upper premolar is the tooth behind the canine (see photo). Using a knife or screwdriver, push the gum line toward the top of the head exposing more of the tooth. Loosen the tooth with the knife or screwdriver using the canine for leverage. This is an important step, trying to immediately pull with pliers usually results in a broken tooth. Once loose, use pliers to finish the job. Note: the entire tooth, roots included, is needed. View an instructional video on how to correctly remove and submit a bear tooth at https://youtu.be/gbq3P2AlY6I
Preparing the Tooth
Once you have collected the tooth, fill out the form on Bear Regulations and attach it and the tooth to an index card (or similar) exactly as shown in the photo below. Note: This is an important step that reduces the number of teeth that are lost in the mail due to sorting. Drop it in an envelope and send to:
TWRA Bear Data Collection
3030 Wildlife Way
Morristown, TN 37814
New! Bear Tooth Registry
Use this new tool to let us know when you mailed your tooth AND find out the age of your past bear harvests. Go to https://bit.ly/BearToothTN - Click on the “Bear Tooth Registry” icon - Log in with your TWRA ID number and birthdate.
