Rutherford County deer harvest: Tennessee, 2015-16 to 2025-26
Hunters checked in 1,931 deer in Rutherford County outside its WMAs in the 2025-26 season: 1,035 antlered bucks, 81 antlerless males and 815 females (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). That is 3.1 deer per square mile of land, 25th of Tennessee's 95 counties by total. Deer from WMAs are counted on each WMA's page. The count was 13% below 2024-25 (2,230). The county is in deer management Unit 3.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox to the 2025-26 season. Seasons and limits: TWRA's 2026-27 guide.
Rutherford CountyTWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer checked in off WMAs, 2025-26 | 1,931 (1,035 antlered bucks, 815 females) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 3.1, 62nd of 95 |
| Average, 11 seasons | 1,974 deer a season |
| Highest season | 2,241 in 2020-21 |
| Antlered share, 2025-26 | 54% |
| Deer management unit | Unit 3: antlerless limit 3 a day in every season but the August hunt |
| TWRA region | Region 2 |
| Land area | 619.3 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 1 TWRA hunting area, 8,794 acres |
| Towns | Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne and Eagleville |
How many deer are killed in Rutherford County each season?
TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox shows Rutherford County's deer for 11 seasons. The average was 1,974 a season; the most was 2,241 in 2020-21 and the fewest 1,795 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 1% below 2015-16.
| Season | Deer checked in off WMAs | Males | Antlered | Females | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,931 | 1,116 | 1,035 | 815 | 3.1 |
| 2024-25 | 2,230 | 1,312 | 1,236 | 918 | 3.6 |
| 2023-24 | 2,121 | 1,273 | 1,172 | 848 | 3.4 |
| 2022-23 | 2,046 | 1,238 | 1,126 | 808 | 3.3 |
| 2021-22 | 1,872 | 1,225 | 1,148 | 647 | 3 |
| 2020-21 | 2,241 | 1,336 | 1,201 | 905 | 3.6 |
| 2019-20 | 1,875 | 1,110 | 1,016 | 765 | 3 |
| 2018-19 | 1,842 | 1,097 | 991 | 745 | 3 |
| 2017-18 | 1,795 | 1,066 | 729 | 2.9 | |
| 2016-17 | 1,816 | 1,064 | 752 | 2.9 | |
| 2015-16 | 1,944 | 1,032 | 912 | 3.1 |
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 619.3 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer seasons and limits in Rutherford County for 2026-27?
Rutherford County is in deer management Unit 3. The antlered limit is two for the season, one a day, statewide.
| Season | Dates | Antlerless limit, Unit 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Rutherford County?
| Area | Acres in Rutherford County | Deer from the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Percy Priest WMA | 8,794 | 383 |
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 Rutherford County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Unit | Deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2015-16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutherford County | 3 | 1,931 | 3.1 | -1% |
| Bedford County | 3 | 1,717 | 3.6 | -11% |
| Cannon County | 3 | 999 | 3.8 | -7% |
| Coffee County | 3 | 1,460 | 3.4 | 5% |
| Davidson County | 2 | 1,269 | 2.5 | -4% |
| Marshall County | 2 | 1,896 | 5 | -18% |
| Williamson County | 2 | 1,246 | 2.1 | -37% |
| Wilson County | 3 | 2,768 | 4.8 | 8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Rutherford County, Tennessee last season?
Hunters checked in 1,931 deer in Rutherford County outside its WMAs in the 2025-26 season: 1,035 antlered bucks, 81 antlerless males and 815 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The Toolbox counts deer from WMAs apart, by WMA.
What is the antlerless limit in Rutherford County?
Rutherford County is in deer management Unit 3 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 Rutherford County?
Yes. TWRA's map puts Percy Priest WMA (8,794 acres in the county) in Rutherford County.
Has the deer harvest in Rutherford County gone up or down?
From 1,944 in 2015-16 to 1,931 in 2025-26, 1% lower. The high in that span was 2,241 (2020-21) and the low 1,795 (2017-18).
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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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