Big Sandy WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Big Sandy WMA is 2,844 acres of TWRA hunting land in Henry and Benton counties, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 1. Hunters checked in 27 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 10 antlered bucks among them (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). For the area's seasons, TWRA's guide says: Same as statewide seasons, except as noted.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: TWRA's 2026-27 guide, page 90. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Big Sandy WMAOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 2,844 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 2,370 |
|---|---|
| County | Henry County, Benton County |
| TWRA region | Region 1 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 1 |
| Permits | WMA Small Game permit; WMA Waterfowl/Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 27 (10 antlered bucks, 3 antlerless males, 14 females) |
| Area manager | Evan Gaskin (731) 201-1190 |
| Nearest towns | Big Sandy (next to it), Camden (8 mi) and Paris (11 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Big Sandy 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.
All activities are prohibited in the sub-impoundments five (5) days before each opening day of the statewide duck season. Beginning on the opening day of the regular waterfowl season and continuing until the last day of the regular waterfowl season, public access in the subimpoundment will only be allowed from 4:00 a.m. until two hours after legal shooting hours have ended. During the late duck season, all activities are prohibited in the subimpoundments when waterfowl hunting is closed. Any temporary blinds, hides, and decoys must be at least 200 yards from any permanent blinds and be removed at the end of shooting hours each day. Fishing, trapping, and hunting of all species other than waterfowl prohibited in the sub-impoundments during the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb.
Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Closed to Fall turkey hunting.
- Turkey: April 3–April 25. One male bearded turkey, counts toward statewide bag limit.
- Turkey (Young Sportsman): Same as statewide season.
- Special Dove (youth): Sept. 5, noon until sunset. Each youth must be accompanied by a nonhunting adult. Designated fields only.
- Dove: Sept. 6 through the remainder of the first and second segment of the statewide season. Designated fields only.
- Waterfowl: Same as statewide season, except hunting of waterfowl during the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb. permitted only on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and the first and last day of each segment of the duck and goose seasons occurring in Nov.–Feb. During the first two days of each segment of the late waterfowl season, hunting allowed only from Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 4 sites. This does not apply to the Youth or Veteran’s hunts.
- Dog training: Sept. 1–March 15, except closed during duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 90. Read every rule in the guide before you go: the guide is the final word.
How many deer are taken on Big Sandy WMA?
Hunters checked in 27 deer from Big Sandy WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 37 deer a season, from 25 in 2018-19 to 61 in 2017-18.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 27 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 14 |
| 2024-25 | 33 | 18 | 16 | 2 | 15 |
| 2023-24 | 35 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 14 |
| 2022-23 | 28 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 9 |
| 2021-22 | 34 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 18 |
| 2020-21 | 44 | 25 | 23 | 2 | 19 |
| 2019-20 | 29 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 17 |
| 2018-19 | 25 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 14 |
| 2017-18 | 61 | 18 | 43 | ||
| 2016-17 | 58 | 17 | 41 | ||
| 2015-16 | 28 | 10 | 18 |
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 Big Sandy WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry County | 1,699 | 1 | 3,049 | 4th |
| Benton County | 1,145 | 1 | 1,316 | 50th |
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 Big Sandy WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: US 641, TN 69 and TN 147. Nearest towns: Big Sandy (next to it), Camden (8 miles), Paris (11 miles) and Bruceton (11 miles).
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: West Sandy WMA (2.6 miles), Lick Creek WMA (5.9 miles), Harmon Creek WMA (10.1 miles) and Camden WMA (12.4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Big Sandy WMA in 2026-27?
TWRA's guide says: Same as statewide seasons, 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 Big Sandy WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 27 deer from Big Sandy WMA in the 2025-26 season: 10 antlered bucks, 3 antlerless males and 14 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 37.
What county is Big Sandy WMA in?
Henry County (1,699 acres) and Benton County (1,145 acres), measured on TWRA's boundary.
What permit do you need to hunt Big Sandy WMA?
TWRA's guide lists these for the area: WMA Small Game permit; WMA Waterfowl/Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit. Lifetime and Annual Sportsman License holders are exempt from WMA permits (guide, page 11).
Get a Tennessee hunt plan when they open
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Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Tennessee included.
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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