Bear Seasons & Bag Limits

Bear Reserves, Mt. Roosevelt WMA, State Parks, Scott State Forest, National Parks and Recreation Areas are closed to bear hunting unless otherwise stated.

Bear Season Regulations

• Bear limit: One (1) bear either sex per year.
• The bear bag limit for any person participating in the statewide or Bear Party-Dog hunt or both shall not exceed one bear per license year. This bear may be either sex.
• Cubs or female bears with cubs at side may not be taken at any time. A cub is defined as a bear weighing 75 pounds or less.
• Bears may be whole or field dressed but must weigh 75 pounds or greater when checked in.
• If bears are quartered or boned out, the total of the meat, hide, etc. must equal or exceed 75 pounds.

BHZ1:

Carter, Cocke (North of I-40), Greene, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties.

BHZ2:

Blount, Cocke (South of I-40), Jefferson (East of Hwy 411), and Sevier counties.

BHZ3:

McMinn (East of Hwy 411), Monroe, and Polk counties, excluding South Cherokee WMA.

BHZ4:

Anderson (west of I-75 and north of Old Lake City Hwy and north of Dutch Valley Rd.), Campbell (north of Hwy 63 and west of I-75), Claiborne (west of 25E and north of Hwy 63), Cumberland, Fentress, Morgan, Overton (east of Hwy 111), Pickett, Putnam (east of Hwy 111), Scott, Van Buren (east of Hwy 111), and White (east of Hwy 111) counties.

BHZ5:

Hancock and Hawkins counties.

Transitional:

Anderson (east of I-75 and south of Old Lake City Hwy and south of Dutch Valley Rd.), Bradley, Campbell (south of Hwy 63 and east of I-75), Claiborne (east of 25E and south of Hwy 63), Grundy, Marion, Hamblen, Hamilton, Grainger, Jefferson (west of Hwy 411), Knox, Loudon, McMinn (West of Hwy 411), Sequatchie, and Union counties.