Blackburn Fork WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Blackburn Fork WMA is 653 acres of TWRA hunting land in Jackson County, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 3. Hunters checked in 7 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 4 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 103. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Blackburn Fork WMAOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 653 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 600 |
|---|---|
| County | Jackson County |
| TWRA region | Region 3 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 3 |
| Permits | WMA Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 7 (4 antlered bucks, 1 antlerless male, 2 females) |
| Area manager | Johnny Poston (615) 342-9307 |
| Nearest towns | Gainesboro (5 mi), Algood (10 mi) and Baxter (12 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Blackburn Fork 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.
Use of motorized vehicles or horseback riding prohibited. Closed to all non-hunting/non-angling activities during big game hunts.
Same as statewide seasons, except as noted.
- Dog training: Sept. 1–March 15
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 103. Read every rule in the guide before you go: the guide is the final word.
How many deer are taken on Blackburn Fork WMA?
Hunters checked in 7 deer from Blackburn Fork WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 10 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 6 deer a season, from 2 in 2022-23 to 11 in 2020-21.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 2024-25 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2022-23 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2020-21 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| 2019-20 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 2018-19 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 9 | 8 | 1 | ||
| 2016-17 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
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 Blackburn Fork WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 653 | 3 | 1,941 | 24th |
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 Blackburn Fork WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: TN 135, TN 56, TN 85 and TN 136. Nearest towns: Gainesboro (5 miles), Algood (10 miles), Baxter (12 miles) and Cookeville (12 miles).
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: The Boils WMA (1 miles), Cordell Hull WMA (2.3 miles), Cordell Hull Refuge (5.1 miles) and Standing Stone State Forest and WMA (8.8 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Blackburn Fork 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 Blackburn Fork WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 7 deer from Blackburn Fork WMA in the 2025-26 season: 4 antlered bucks, 1 antlerless male and 2 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 10-season average is 6.
What county is Blackburn Fork WMA in?
All of it is in Jackson County, by TWRA's boundary, in deer management Unit 3.
What permit do you need to hunt Blackburn Fork WMA?
TWRA's guide lists these for the area: WMA 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).
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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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