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| 2026 Season Dates | |
| Archery Only- Elk | Sept. 26 – Oct. 2 |
| Gun/Muzzleloader/Archery | Oct. 3 - Oct. 9 |
| Youth Gun/Muzzleloader/Archery | Oct. 10 - Oct. 16 |
The 2026 Tennessee elk quota hunt application is open from February 4 to February 25 at 11:59 pm CST. Instructions on how to apply for the 2026 elk drawing can be found at https://www.tn.gov/twra/hunting/quota-hunts.html. Successful draw applicants will be notified by email and a phone call from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) in early March.
Tennessee accepts elk applications online at https://gooutdoorstennessee.com or the TWRA On the Go APP, at a TWRA Licensed Agent, or at a regional office. Applications cannot be accepted by mail. Tennessee does not accept party applications for elk.
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Nineteen elk quota permits will be issued for the 2026 Tennessee elk hunt. Nine will be issued for the archery-only season, another nine will be issued for the any weapon season, and one additional permit will be issued for the youth any weapon season. One of the any weapon permits will be given to a wildlife organization to be raffled. No more than 25% of successful applicants can be non-residents. No license is required to apply and there is no fee for the elk permit if drawn.
Applicants may select up to four hunt choices on their application. All four choices are considered before moving on to the next applicant. You may mix weapon choices among the four choices. Each permit holder will be allocated the Elk Hunt Zone (EHZ) and weapon choice they were successful in drawing.
Once your application is complete, you may review your application by logging into your GoOutdoorsTennessee account. Applications may be edited until the deadline. If successfully drawn for an elk permit, applicants cannot submit an application for ten years.
In 2025, there were a total of 1,627 applicants (gun and archery) and another 532 youth applicants (resident only).
There is no application fee for Annual Sportsman, Lifetime Sportsman, or Annual Senior Citizen license holders. For all other applicants, there is a non-refundable $12 application fee and a $1 agent fee. There is a $2 processing fee if the application is made on the internet. All application fees must be paid with a Visa, MasterCard or Discover card.
Tennessee’s elk hunting takes place within zones 1, 2&6, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Each zone will offer one antlered, archery hunt and—aside from zone 1—one antlered any weapon hunt in the elk quota draw. Zones 2 and 6 are hunted on the same permit and there will be one hunter offered under the archery and gun categories for these two zones together. The any weapon hunt in zone 1 is issued through a raffle. See other tag opportunities for more information.
Hunters must wear on the upper portion of their body and head a minimum of 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange or pink (visible front and back) while hunting big game, except on archery-only and turkey hunts. A hat and vest fulfill the requirements. Blaze orange/pink camo is legal if it contains 500 square inches of fluorescent orange or pink.
All hunters born on or after January 1, 1969 must possess proof that they have successfully completed a hunter education course. Hunter education certification accepted from any state.
In 2025, there were a total of 1,627 applicants (gun and archery) and another 532 youth applicants (resident only).
Non-resident youth applicants must be at least 16 years old to apply. One youth-only elk quota permit will be offered in the draw for resident applicants ages thirteen to sixteen years old. If drawn for this permit, the youth hunter is permitted to hunt all open elk zones. Youth may not apply for both the youth elk quota hunt and elk quota hunt. Only one application may be submitted for any elk hunt.
Arrows for archery equipment (longbows, recurves, compounds, and crossbows) must be equipped with sharpened broadheads. Muzzleloading firearms are defined as those firearms in which a projectile (rifle) or projectiles (shotgun) must be loaded from the muzzle (front) end of the barrel due to design and manufacturing that prevent the projectile(s) from being loaded from the breech (rear) end. Muzzleloading firearms must be .36 caliber or larger. Rifles and handguns must use centerfire ammunition; full metal jacket ammunition is prohibited.
Of the nineteen elk permits in 2026, one will be issued to a qualifying non-profit wildlife conservation organization, and all proceeds benefiting the TWRA. Elk Management Program. The person drawn for the non-profit conservation organization will be October 3–9, 2026 in EHZ 1 and private land counties opened by the TWRA. The permit will be available through an online raffle. To purchase tickets for the raffle, visit the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation website at www.twrf.net. In 2025 the deadline to purchase tickets was September 14, and the winner was announced September 18. Raffle tickets are $20 each, three for $50, or ten for $100, and there is no limit on the number of tickets you may buy. The 2026 raffle winner will hunt during the 2027 season.
The elk permit is not transferable to another individual.
Upon harvesting an elk, the hunter must immediately attach the elk harvest tag provided by TWRA to the carcass. All harvested elk quota permit holders must be checked in at the North Cumberland WMA office on the day of harvest. Harvest report information for the 2025 season will be updated before the 2026 application period begins and can be found at https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/twra/hunting/big-game.html.
Over 90% of harvested bulls are taken on public land on the North Cumberland WMA. If hunting private property, it is the responsibility of the elk permit holder to obtain verbal or written permission to hunt.
Elk are native to Tennessee and were present until the mid-1800s. This is why the Tennessee elk program is considered a restoration, not an introduction. In December 2000, fifty elk were relocated from Elk Island National Park in Alberta into the Cumberland Mountains in northeastern Tennessee. Over the following eight years, the TWRA conducted four additional release efforts, bringing the population up to around 200 elk. The current elk population is now estimated at over 400 animals. In 2009, the state’s inaugural elk hunt was held, and five quota tags were issued and filled.
The Cumberland Mountains are made up of steep slopes and hardwood forest. Much of this country consists of thick understory with reclaimed strip mines scattered throughout. The state manages food plots throughout the mountains to pull the elk out of the thicker cover to feed, and focusing on these areas on a hunt is your best chance to turn up a bull. Being elk in Tennessee should mostly be viewed as an opportunity to hunt elk. Most hunters will take the first decent bull they get a chance at. While a 300” bull is a tough mark to break, there is always a chance to turn up a much better bull. There are pockets in most zones that are too thick, steep, and roadless to receive any hunting pressure, allowing for a handful of bulls to stay hidden and grow old. The rut coincides best with the archery dates, and this is when most bugling activity can be expected. The later rifle dates can be more hit-or-miss, with rut activity depending on the year’s weather.
When considering which zones to apply for, there isn’t much of a difference between zones as far as the quality of hunting goes. Zone 1 has the edge on most consistent success rates, while zones 7, 8 and 10 may give you a slightly better edge at a top-end bull. Zones 2 and 4 are great choices as well. Success rates typically average around 65% to 70% each year. Despite the draw odds of roughly one in 750, the elk hunt is cheap to apply for. For many, the chance at a great elk hunt in the mountains of Tennessee will be worth the $12 investment. If you have any questions about hunting elk in the Cumberland Mountain hardwoods, give us a call!
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