Madison County deer harvest: Tennessee, 2015-16 to 2025-26
Hunters checked in 2,010 deer in Madison County outside its WMAs in the 2025-26 season: 1,075 antlered bucks, 82 antlerless males and 853 females (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). That is 3.6 deer per square mile of land, 21st of Tennessee's 95 counties by total. Deer from WMAs are counted on each WMA's page. The count was 13% below 2024-25 (2,322). The county is in deer management Unit 1.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox to the 2025-26 season. Seasons and limits: TWRA's 2026-27 guide.
Madison CountyTWRA hunting landsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer checked in off WMAs, 2025-26 | 2,010 (1,075 antlered bucks, 853 females) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 3.6, 38th of 95 |
| Average, 11 seasons | 2,421 deer a season |
| Highest season | 2,980 in 2015-16 |
| Antlered share, 2025-26 | 53% |
| Deer management unit | Unit 1: antlerless limit 3 a day in every season but the August hunt |
| TWRA region | Region 1 |
| Land area | 557.2 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 5 TWRA hunting areas, 2,466 acres |
| Towns | Jackson, Three Way and Medon |
How many deer are killed in Madison County each season?
TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox shows Madison County's deer for 11 seasons. The average was 2,421 a season; the most was 2,980 in 2015-16 and the fewest 1,955 in 2019-20. 2025-26 was 33% below 2015-16.
| Season | Deer checked in off WMAs | Males | Antlered | Females | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,010 | 1,157 | 1,075 | 853 | 3.6 |
| 2024-25 | 2,322 | 1,263 | 1,168 | 1,059 | 4.2 |
| 2023-24 | 2,417 | 1,419 | 1,304 | 996 | 4.3 |
| 2022-23 | 2,420 | 1,426 | 1,287 | 994 | 4.3 |
| 2021-22 | 2,015 | 1,195 | 1,055 | 820 | 3.6 |
| 2020-21 | 2,791 | 1,614 | 1,419 | 1,177 | 5 |
| 2019-20 | 1,955 | 1,185 | 1,072 | 770 | 3.5 |
| 2018-19 | 2,444 | 1,272 | 1,078 | 1,172 | 4.4 |
| 2017-18 | 2,596 | 1,337 | 1,259 | 4.7 | |
| 2016-17 | 2,676 | 1,379 | 1,297 | 4.8 | |
| 2015-16 | 2,980 | 1,388 | 1,592 | 5.3 |
Source: TWRA Hunter's Toolbox, Deer Harvests by County / WMA, read October 2026: deer hunters reported at check-in. The Toolbox's county counts leave out deer taken on WMAs, which it reports by WMA. Before 2018-19 the Toolbox counts every male as antlerless, so only the male total is shown. Per square mile uses the county's 557.2 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer seasons and limits in Madison County for 2026-27?
Madison County is in deer management Unit 1. The antlered limit is two for the season, one a day, statewide.
| Season | Dates | Antlerless limit, Unit 1 |
|---|---|---|
| August (archery only; private land and select Unit 1 WMAs) | Aug. 28 to 30, 2026 | No antlerless harvest |
| Young Sportsman (gun, muzzleloader, archery; ages 6 to 16) | Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, 2026; Jan. 9 to 10, 2027 | 3 a day |
| Archery | Sept. 26 to Oct. 30 and Nov. 2 to 6, 2026 | 3 a day |
| Muzzleloader and archery | Nov. 7 to 20, 2026 | 3 a day |
| Straight-walled single-shot rifles, private land only | Nov. 14 to 20, 2026 | 3 a day |
| Gun, muzzleloader and archery | Nov. 21, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027 | 3 a day |
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 67; county units: TWRA deer management unit counties. WMAs set their own hunts: see each area's page.
Where is the public hunting land in Madison County?
| Area | Acres in Madison County | Deer from the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| South Fork Refuge | 977 | 7 |
| Colonel Forrest V. Durand WMA | 734 | 13 |
| Spring Creek WMA | 464 | 6 |
| Perry Switch WMA | 207 | 6 |
| Hatchie River WMA | 84 |
Acres measured by FilledTag on TWRA hunting lands layer (HuntingAllowed), U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
How does Madison County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Unit | Deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2015-16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 1 | 2,010 | 3.6 | -33% |
| Carroll County | 1 | 2,538 | 4.2 | -22% |
| Chester County | 1 | 972 | 3.4 | -15% |
| Crockett County | 1 | 499 | 1.9 | -16% |
| Gibson County | 1 | 1,528 | 2.5 | -6% |
| Hardeman County | 1 | 1,914 | 2.9 | -54% |
| Haywood County | 1 | 1,349 | 2.5 | -34% |
| Henderson County | 1 | 1,653 | 3.2 | -10% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Madison County, Tennessee last season?
Hunters checked in 2,010 deer in Madison County outside its WMAs in the 2025-26 season: 1,075 antlered bucks, 82 antlerless males and 853 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The Toolbox counts deer from WMAs apart, by WMA.
What is the antlerless limit in Madison County?
Madison County is in deer management Unit 1 for 2026-27. The antlerless limit there is 3 a day in every season but the August hunt. The antlered limit is two statewide, one a day (TWRA 2026-27 guide, page 67).
Is there public hunting land in Madison County?
Yes. TWRA's map puts South Fork Refuge (977 acres in the county), Colonel Forrest V. Durand WMA (734 acres in the county), Spring Creek WMA (464 acres in the county) and Perry Switch WMA (207 acres in the county) in Madison County.
Has the deer harvest in Madison County gone up or down?
From 2,980 in 2015-16 to 2,010 in 2025-26, 33% lower. The high in that span was 2,980 (2015-16) and the low 1,955 (2019-20).
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: TWRA Hunter's Toolbox, Deer Harvests by County / WMA.
- Deer units, seasons and limits: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, pages 66 to 67; TWRA deer management unit counties.
- Public land: TWRA hunting lands layer (HuntingAllowed); U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries. County land area: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer.
FilledTag is not part of Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Numbers are copied from TWRA and the Census Bureau or measured from public maps; nothing here is estimated by FilledTag.
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