Shelby County deer harvest: Tennessee, 2015-16 to 2025-26
Hunters checked in 1,253 deer in Shelby County outside its WMAs in the 2025-26 season: 722 antlered bucks, 51 antlerless males and 480 females (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). That is 1.7 deer per square mile of land, 53rd of Tennessee's 95 counties by total. Deer from WMAs are counted on each WMA's page. The count was 8% below 2024-25 (1,362). 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.
Shelby CountyTWRA hunting landsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer checked in off WMAs, 2025-26 | 1,253 (722 antlered bucks, 480 females) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 1.7, 89th of 95 |
| Average, 11 seasons | 1,283 deer a season |
| Highest season | 1,436 in 2022-23 |
| Antlered share, 2025-26 | 58% |
| Deer management unit | Unit 1: antlerless limit 3 a day in every season but the August hunt |
| TWRA region | Region 1 |
| Land area | 752.8 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 4 TWRA hunting areas, 18,449 acres |
| Towns | Memphis, Collierville, Bartlett, Arlington and Lakeland |
How many deer are killed in Shelby County each season?
TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox shows Shelby County's deer for 11 seasons. The average was 1,283 a season; the most was 1,436 in 2022-23 and the fewest 1,097 in 2019-20. 2025-26 was 4% below 2015-16.
| Season | Deer checked in off WMAs | Males | Antlered | Females | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,253 | 773 | 722 | 480 | 1.7 |
| 2024-25 | 1,362 | 824 | 761 | 538 | 1.8 |
| 2023-24 | 1,391 | 833 | 761 | 555 | 1.8 |
| 2022-23 | 1,436 | 906 | 817 | 530 | 1.9 |
| 2021-22 | 1,165 | 717 | 654 | 448 | 1.5 |
| 2020-21 | 1,421 | 853 | 779 | 568 | 1.9 |
| 2019-20 | 1,097 | 669 | 608 | 428 | 1.5 |
| 2018-19 | 1,147 | 628 | 537 | 519 | 1.5 |
| 2017-18 | 1,325 | 715 | 610 | 1.8 | |
| 2016-17 | 1,214 | 635 | 579 | 1.6 | |
| 2015-16 | 1,304 | 686 | 618 | 1.7 |
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 752.8 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer seasons and limits in Shelby County for 2026-27?
Shelby 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 Shelby County?
| Area | Acres in Shelby County | Deer from the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Meeman-Shelby Forest WMA | 8,978 | 16 |
| Presidents Island WMA | 5,620 | 5 |
| Eagle Lake Refuge | 3,500 | 1 |
| Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area | 351 | 92 |
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 Shelby County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Unit | Deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2015-16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | 1 | 1,253 | 1.7 | -4% |
| Fayette County | 1 | 2,161 | 3.1 | -52% |
| Tipton County | 1 | 1,081 | 2.4 | 0% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Shelby County, Tennessee last season?
Hunters checked in 1,253 deer in Shelby County outside its WMAs in the 2025-26 season: 722 antlered bucks, 51 antlerless males and 480 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The Toolbox counts deer from WMAs apart, by WMA.
What is the antlerless limit in Shelby County?
Shelby 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 Shelby County?
Yes. TWRA's map puts Meeman-Shelby Forest WMA (8,978 acres in the county), Presidents Island WMA (5,620 acres in the county), Eagle Lake Refuge (3,500 acres in the county) and Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area (351 acres in the county) in Shelby County.
Has the deer harvest in Shelby County gone up or down?
From 1,304 in 2015-16 to 1,253 in 2025-26, 4% lower. The high in that span was 1,436 (2022-23) and the low 1,097 (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.
Tennessee hunting Tennessee deer harvest by county Fayette County Tipton County