(a) It is unlawful for a person hunting big game with a bow and arrow to be in possession of a firearm or be accompanied in hunting by a person possessing a firearm during the archery-only deer season; except that, a person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing a handgun may carry a handgun as defined in § 39-11-106, so long as the handgun is not used for the taking of game.

Attorney's Note

Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class C misdemeanorup to 30 daysup to $50
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 70-4-123

  • Big game: means deer, bear, wild turkey, and all species of large mammals that may be introduced or transplanted into this state for hunting. See Tennessee Code 70-1-101
  • Hunting: means chasing, driving, flushing, attracting, pursuing, worrying, following after or on the trail of, searching for, trapping, shooting at, stalking, or lying in wait for, any wildlife, whether or not such wildlife is then or subsequently captured, killed, taken, or wounded and every act of assistance to any other person, but "hunting" does not include stalking, attracting, searching for, or lying in wait for, wildlife by an unarmed person solely for the purpose of watching wildlife or taking pictures of wildlife. See Tennessee Code 70-1-101
  • Person: means an individual, association, partnership, or corporation. See Tennessee Code 70-1-101
  • Possession: means both actual and constructive possession, and any control of the object or objects referred to. See Tennessee Code 70-1-101
(b) A person who violates this section commits a Class C misdemeanor.