Bear Hollow Mountain WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Bear Hollow Mountain WMA is 16,397 acres of TWRA hunting land in Franklin County, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 2. Hunters checked in 103 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 71 antlered bucks among them (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). For the area's seasons, TWRA's guide says: Same as statewide seasons and bag limits, except as noted.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: TWRA's 2026-27 guide, page 99. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Bear Hollow Mountain WMAOther TWRA hunting landsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 16,397 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 22,000 |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| TWRA region | Region 2 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 3 |
| Permits | WMA Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit; High Impact Conservation Permit (riding) |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 103 (71 antlered bucks, 8 antlerless males, 24 females) |
| Area manager | Stacy Stevenson (931) 968-6215 |
| Nearest towns | Cowan (2 mi), Winchester (6 mi) and Decherd (7 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Bear Hollow Mountain WMA?
TWRA's 2026-27 guide prints these rules and seasons for the area. Where it says statewide seasons, the statewide dates and the county's deer management unit limits apply.
ATVs may be used only to retrieve harvested deer. Hooved animal riders must stay on the designated trail and park their vehicles in designated parking areas at all times. Hooved animal riding permitted only by individuals possessing a valid hunting and fishing license and WMA permit or a High Impact Habitat Conservation Permit. During daylight hours, all users outside of an enclosed vehicle or out of camp must wear blaze orange/pink during the deer gun and muzzleloader seasons.
Same as statewide seasons and bag limits, except as noted.
- Camping: Open during deer and turkey seasons to any hunters who are actively hunting the WMA. In designated campground only.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 99; TWRA's page for the area. Read every rule in the guide before you go: the guide is the final word.
How many deer are taken on Bear Hollow Mountain WMA?
Hunters checked in 103 deer from Bear Hollow Mountain WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 115 deer a season, from 92 in 2016-17 to 157 in 2019-20.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 103 | 79 | 71 | 8 | 24 |
| 2024-25 | 115 | 77 | 70 | 7 | 38 |
| 2023-24 | 109 | 83 | 70 | 13 | 26 |
| 2022-23 | 100 | 62 | 54 | 8 | 38 |
| 2021-22 | 113 | 66 | 56 | 10 | 47 |
| 2020-21 | 133 | 90 | 84 | 6 | 43 |
| 2019-20 | 157 | 92 | 84 | 8 | 65 |
| 2018-19 | 132 | 81 | 59 | 22 | 51 |
| 2017-18 | 113 | 66 | 47 | ||
| 2016-17 | 92 | 57 | 35 | ||
| 2015-16 | 96 | 60 | 36 |
Source: TWRA Hunter's Toolbox, Deer Harvests by County / WMA, read October 2026. These are deer hunters reported at check-in. Before 2018-19 the Toolbox counts every male as antlerless, so only the male total is shown for those seasons.
Which county is Bear Hollow Mountain WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 16,336 | 3 | 2,551 | 10th |
Acres measured by FilledTag on TWRA hunting lands layer (HuntingAllowed) and the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. County harvest: TWRA Hunter's Toolbox, Deer Harvests by County / WMA. Units: TWRA deer management unit counties.
How do you get to Bear Hollow Mountain WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: TN 15, US 64, TN 16 and TN 56. Nearest towns: Cowan (2 miles), Winchester (6 miles), Decherd (7 miles) and Huntland (7 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Bear Hollow Mountain WMA.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Mingo Swamp WMA (5.7 miles), Owl Hollow Mill WMA (7.4 miles), AEDC WMA and Woods Reservoir Refuge (10.3 miles) and Flintville Hatchery WMA (12.7 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Bear Hollow Mountain WMA in 2026-27?
TWRA's guide says: Same as statewide seasons and bag limits, except as noted. That means the statewide dates: archery from September 26, 2026, muzzleloader from November 7 and gun from November 21, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
How many deer were killed on Bear Hollow Mountain WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 103 deer from Bear Hollow Mountain WMA in the 2025-26 season: 71 antlered bucks, 8 antlerless males and 24 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 115.
What county is Bear Hollow Mountain WMA in?
All of it is in Franklin County, by TWRA's boundary, in deer management Unit 3.
What permit do you need to hunt Bear Hollow Mountain WMA?
TWRA's guide lists these for the area: WMA Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit; High Impact Conservation Permit (riding). Lifetime and Annual Sportsman License holders are exempt from WMA permits (guide, page 11).
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Where these numbers come from
- Area rules, seasons, size and manager: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide.
- Deer harvest on the area and by county: TWRA Hunter's Toolbox, Deer Harvests by County / WMA.
- Boundary: TWRA hunting lands layer (HuntingAllowed). Counties, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer. National forest and refuges: U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
FilledTag is not part of Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Numbers are copied from TWRA or measured from public maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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