Meigs County deer harvest: Tennessee, 2015-16 to 2025-26
Hunters checked in 1,162 deer in Meigs County outside its WMAs in the 2025-26 season: 591 antlered bucks, 46 antlerless males and 525 females (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). That is 6 deer per square mile of land, 62nd of Tennessee's 95 counties by total. Deer from WMAs are counted on each WMA's page. The count was 8% below 2024-25 (1,263). The county is in deer management Unit 5.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox to the 2025-26 season. Seasons and limits: TWRA's 2026-27 guide.
Meigs CountyTWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer checked in off WMAs, 2025-26 | 1,162 (591 antlered bucks, 525 females) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 6, 6th of 95 |
| Average, 11 seasons | 1,100 deer a season |
| Highest season | 1,263 in 2024-25 |
| Antlered share, 2025-26 | 51% |
| Deer management unit | Unit 5: antlerless limit 4 in archery season, 2 in the muzzleloader season, 2 in the gun season and 2 over the four Young Sportsman days |
| TWRA region | Region 3 |
| Land area | 195.1 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 2 TWRA hunting areas, 8,295 acres |
| Towns | Decatur |
How many deer are killed in Meigs County each season?
TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox shows Meigs County's deer for 11 seasons. The average was 1,100 a season; the most was 1,263 in 2024-25 and the fewest 973 in 2018-19. 2025-26 was 1% above 2015-16.
| Season | Deer checked in off WMAs | Males | Antlered | Females | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,162 | 637 | 591 | 525 | 6 |
| 2024-25 | 1,263 | 751 | 689 | 512 | 6.5 |
| 2023-24 | 1,128 | 666 | 586 | 462 | 5.8 |
| 2022-23 | 1,140 | 665 | 599 | 475 | 5.8 |
| 2021-22 | 1,012 | 598 | 550 | 414 | 5.2 |
| 2020-21 | 1,139 | 625 | 559 | 514 | 5.8 |
| 2019-20 | 1,027 | 565 | 506 | 462 | 5.3 |
| 2018-19 | 973 | 579 | 507 | 394 | 5 |
| 2017-18 | 993 | 553 | 440 | 5.1 | |
| 2016-17 | 1,122 | 540 | 582 | 5.8 | |
| 2015-16 | 1,146 | 612 | 534 | 5.9 |
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 195.1 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer seasons and limits in Meigs County for 2026-27?
Meigs County is in deer management Unit 5. The antlered limit is two for the season, one a day, statewide.
| Season | Dates | Antlerless limit, Unit 5 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 (for the four days combined) |
| Archery | Sept. 26 to Oct. 30 and Nov. 2 to 6, 2026 | 4 |
| Muzzleloader and archery | Nov. 7 to 20, 2026 | 2 |
| Straight-walled single-shot rifles, private land only | Nov. 14 to 20, 2026 | 2 (counts toward the muzzleloader limit) |
| Gun, muzzleloader and archery | Nov. 21, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027 | 2 |
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 Meigs County?
| Area | Acres in Meigs County | Deer from the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Hiwassee Refuge | 7,696 | 115 |
| Chickamauga WMA | 599 | 159 |
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 Meigs County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Unit | Deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2015-16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meigs County | 5 | 1,162 | 6 | 1% |
| Bradley County | 5 | 1,163 | 3.5 | 24% |
| Hamilton County | 5 | 2,013 | 3.7 | -1% |
| McMinn County | 5 | 1,755 | 4.1 | 9% |
| Rhea County | 5 | 1,596 | 5.1 | -5% |
| Roane County | 5 | 2,052 | 5.7 | -19% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Meigs County, Tennessee last season?
Hunters checked in 1,162 deer in Meigs County outside its WMAs in the 2025-26 season: 591 antlered bucks, 46 antlerless males and 525 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The Toolbox counts deer from WMAs apart, by WMA.
What is the antlerless limit in Meigs County?
Meigs County is in deer management Unit 5 for 2026-27. The antlerless limit there is 4 in archery season, 2 in the muzzleloader season, 2 in the gun season and 2 over the four Young Sportsman days. The antlered limit is two statewide, one a day (TWRA 2026-27 guide, page 67).
Is there public hunting land in Meigs County?
Yes. TWRA's map puts Hiwassee Refuge (7,696 acres in the county) and Chickamauga WMA (599 acres in the county) in Meigs County.
Has the deer harvest in Meigs County gone up or down?
From 1,146 in 2015-16 to 1,162 in 2025-26, 1% higher. The high in that span was 1,263 (2024-25) and the low 973 (2018-19).
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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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