Washington County deer harvest: Tennessee, 2015-16 to 2025-26
Hunters checked in 1,491 deer in Washington County outside its WMAs in the 2025-26 season: 892 antlered bucks, 42 antlerless males and 557 females (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). That is 4.6 deer per square mile of land, 41st of Tennessee's 95 counties by total. Deer from WMAs are counted on each WMA's page. The count was 10% above 2024-25 (1,361). The county is in deer management Unit 6.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox to the 2025-26 season. Seasons and limits: TWRA's 2026-27 guide.
Washington CountyTWRA hunting landsNational forestNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer checked in off WMAs, 2025-26 | 1,491 (892 antlered bucks, 557 females) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 4.6, 23rd of 95 |
| Average, 11 seasons | 974 deer a season |
| Highest season | 1,491 in 2025-26 |
| Antlered share, 2025-26 | 60% |
| Deer management unit | Unit 6: 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 4 |
| Land area | 326.5 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 1 TWRA hunting area, 17,949 acres; 17,457 acres of national forest |
| Towns | Johnson City and Jonesborough |
How many deer are killed in Washington County each season?
TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox shows Washington County's deer for 11 seasons. The average was 974 a season; the most was 1,491 in 2025-26 and the fewest 706 in 2015-16. 2025-26 was 111% above 2015-16.
| Season | Deer checked in off WMAs | Males | Antlered | Females | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,491 | 934 | 892 | 557 | 4.6 |
| 2024-25 | 1,361 | 875 | 825 | 486 | 4.2 |
| 2023-24 | 1,043 | 765 | 720 | 278 | 3.2 |
| 2022-23 | 1,008 | 711 | 669 | 297 | 3.1 |
| 2021-22 | 1,005 | 732 | 697 | 273 | 3.1 |
| 2020-21 | 998 | 691 | 649 | 307 | 3.1 |
| 2019-20 | 781 | 546 | 517 | 235 | 2.4 |
| 2018-19 | 777 | 532 | 495 | 245 | 2.4 |
| 2017-18 | 769 | 528 | 241 | 2.4 | |
| 2016-17 | 772 | 503 | 269 | 2.4 | |
| 2015-16 | 706 | 484 | 222 | 2.2 |
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 326.5 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer seasons and limits in Washington County for 2026-27?
Washington County is in deer management Unit 6. The antlered limit is two for the season, one a day, statewide.
| Season | Dates | Antlerless limit, Unit 6 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Washington County?
| Area | Acres in Washington County | Deer from the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| North Cherokee WMA | 17,949 | 433 |
17,457 acres of national forest lie in the county, measured on the federal maps.
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 Washington County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Unit | Deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2015-16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 6 | 1,491 | 4.6 | 111% |
| Carter County | 6 | 1,314 | 3.8 | 11% |
| Greene County | 6 | 1,957 | 3.1 | 89% |
| Hawkins County | 6 | 2,384 | 4.9 | 13% |
| Sullivan County | 6 | 2,808 | 6.8 | 48% |
| Unicoi County | 6 | 381 | 2 | 15% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Washington County, Tennessee last season?
Hunters checked in 1,491 deer in Washington County outside its WMAs in the 2025-26 season: 892 antlered bucks, 42 antlerless males and 557 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The Toolbox counts deer from WMAs apart, by WMA.
What is the antlerless limit in Washington County?
Washington County is in deer management Unit 6 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 Washington County?
Yes. TWRA's map puts North Cherokee WMA (17,949 acres in the county) in Washington County. The county also holds 17,457 acres of national forest.
Has the deer harvest in Washington County gone up or down?
From 706 in 2015-16 to 1,491 in 2025-26, 111% higher. The high in that span was 1,491 (2025-26) and the low 706 (2015-16).
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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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