Black Bayou Refuge: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Black Bayou Refuge is 1,374 acres of TWRA hunting land in Lake County, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 1. Hunters checked in 5 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 1 antlered buck among them (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). The first deer hunt in TWRA's 2026-27 guide for the area: Deer, Same as statewide season except archery only from Nov. 7 until refuge closure date and antlered deer only.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: TWRA's 2026-27 guide, page 90. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Black Bayou RefugeOther TWRA hunting landsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 1,374 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary |
|---|---|
| County | Lake County |
| TWRA region | Region 1 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 1 |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 5 (1 antlered buck, 0 antlerless males, 4 females) |
| Area manager | Chase Taylor (731) 253-7160 |
| Nearest towns | Samburg (4 mi), Tiptonville (6 mi) and Hornbeak (9 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Black Bayou Refuge?
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.
Closed to all forms of use and trespass from Nov. 15–the last day of Feb. Designated observation areas will be open year-round.
Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only. Closed to waterfowl, Spring and Fall turkey hunting.
- Deer: Same as statewide season except archery only from Nov. 7 until refuge closure date and antlered deer only. Deer count toward statewide bag limit. Closed to Young Sportsman deer hunt.
- Turkey (Young Sportsman Hunt Only): Same as statewide season.
- Dog training: Sept. 1–Nov. 14.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 90; 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 Black Bayou Refuge?
Hunters checked in 5 deer from Black Bayou Refuge in the 2025-26 season. Over the 10 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 4 deer a season, from 1 in 2024-25 to 9 in 2019-20.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 2024-25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022-23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2021-22 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2020-21 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2019-20 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| 2018-19 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 2017-18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 2015-16 | 7 | 2 | 5 |
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 Black Bayou Refuge in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County | 1,374 | 1 | 134 | 95th |
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 Black Bayou Refuge?
Highways through the area: TN 78. Nearest towns: Samburg (4 miles), Tiptonville (6 miles), Hornbeak (9 miles) and Ridgely (13 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Black Bayou Refuge.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Reelfoot WMA (next to it), C.M. Gooch WMA (16.4 miles), Tumbleweed WMA (16.9 miles) and Three Rivers WMA (19.2 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Black Bayou Refuge in 2026-27?
TWRA's 2026-27 guide for Black Bayou Refuge: Deer: Same as statewide season except archery only from Nov. 7 until refuge closure date and antlered deer only. For the rest, same as statewide seasons, except as noted.
How many deer were killed on Black Bayou Refuge last season?
Hunters checked in 5 deer from Black Bayou Refuge in the 2025-26 season: 1 antlered buck, 0 antlerless males and 4 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 10-season average is 4.
What county is Black Bayou Refuge in?
All of it is in Lake County, by TWRA's boundary, in deer management Unit 1.
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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