Tennessee’s first young sportsman deer hunt of the 2026-27 season is set for this weekend, Saturday, Oct. 31, and Sunday, Nov. 1. Hunters ages 6 to 16 in Middleton and across Hardeman County can use a gun, muzzleloader or archery equipment during the two-day youth hunt, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).
The youth weekend falls between the two archery-only segments of deer season, giving young hunters the woods largely to themselves at a time when deer movement is picking up ahead of the rut.
Young Sportsman Deer Hunt Rules for Youth and Adults
TWRA requires every young hunter to be accompanied by an adult. Key rules include:
Youth ages 6 through 16 may hunt with gun, muzzleloader or archery equipment.
Each youth must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult age 21 or older.
The adult must stay in position to take immediate control of the hunting device.
The adult must also meet the same fluorescent orange or pink requirements as legal hunters.
One qualifying adult may accompany more than one youth.
License and Hunter Education Requirements
What a young hunter needs depends on age:
Ages 6-9: No hunting license or hunter education certification is required.
Ages 10-12: Must meet hunter education requirements or hold an apprentice license.
Ages 13-15: Same as ages 10-12, plus a junior hunting license.
Age 16: Must have the appropriate adult licenses.
Bag limits vary by deer management unit, so families should check the 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide for Hardeman County before heading out. The guide is available on the TWRA website, in the TWRA app and wherever hunting licenses are sold. Some wildlife management areas also hold separate youth hunts on their own dates.
What Comes Next in Tennessee Deer Season
After this weekend, the season calendar moves quickly. Here are the upcoming dates TWRA has set:
Nov. 2-6: Second archery-only segment
Nov. 7: Muzzleloader/archery season opens
Nov. 14-20: New this year, single-shot rifles chambered for straight-wall cartridges may be used on private land only
Nov. 21 – Jan. 3, 2027: Statewide gun, muzzleloader and archery season
Jan. 9-10, 2027: Second young sportsman deer hunt
Hunters on the Mississippi side of the line in Tippah and Benton counties should note that these dates apply only in Tennessee. Mississippi sets its own youth and gun season dates through the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
As always, wear the required blaze orange or pink, know where your hunting partners are, and treat every firearm as if it were loaded. A safe weekend in the woods is the best way to build a lifelong hunter.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
