Cheatham Lake WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Cheatham Lake WMA is 2,152 acres of TWRA hunting land in Cheatham and Dickson counties, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 2. Hunters checked in 31 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 on Sycamore Creek upstream from railroad trestle, Harpeth River upstream from Highway 49 and on Johnson Creek upstream from Johnson Creek Bridge.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: TWRA's 2026-27 guide, page 99. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Cheatham Lake WMAOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 2,152 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 5,152 |
|---|---|
| County | Cheatham County, Dickson County |
| TWRA region | Region 2 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 2 |
| Permits | WMA Small Game permit; WMA Waterfowl/Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 31 (10 antlered bucks, 5 antlerless males, 16 females) |
| Area manager | Mark Vance (615) 203-4688 |
| Nearest towns | Ashland City (next to it), Pleasant View (7 mi) and Charlotte (9 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Cheatham Lake 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.
Same as statewide seasons on Sycamore Creek upstream from railroad trestle, Harpeth River upstream from Highway 49 and on Johnson Creek upstream from Johnson Creek Bridge. Access by boat only. Hunting on remainder of Cheatham Lake WMA same as statewide season, except during the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb. when hunting is open only on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and the first and the last day of each segment of the late statewide duck season. All activities are prohibited in waterfowl impoundments on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. Hunting on Harpeth Island, Marks Creek, and Bluff Creek wade-in areas is not restricted to registered or staked temporary sites. Night hunting, trapping and fishing prohibited in waterfowl impoundments during the waterfowl season. The sub-impoundment units as posted are closed to all types of activity five (5) days before the opening of the first segment of the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb. Waterfowl hunting is permitted only from registered blind sites and from staked temporary blind sites during the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb.
- Waterfowl (wheelchair-bound only blind site): Applications must be received by the TWRA Region II Office by noon on Oct. 23. Persons holding a permit for another blind are not eligible.
- Dove: Same as statewide. Hunting permitted from designated fields only.
- Dog training: Sept. 1–March 15, except closed during duck seasons. CHEATHAM LAKE -
Pardue Pond Refuge and Dyson Ditch Refuge
Closed to all forms of use and trespass from Nov. 15– the last day of February. Designated observation areas will be open year-round. Access by boat only. All seasons closed during refuge closure dates unless otherwise indicated.
- Deer: Archery equipment only for deer hunting. Archers must comply with legal blaze orange/pink requirements during muzzleloader and gun seasons.
- Turkey (Spring and Fall): Same as statewide season.
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 Cheatham Lake WMA?
Hunters checked in 31 deer from Cheatham Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 40 deer a season, from 16 in 2015-16 to 65 in 2020-21.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 31 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 16 |
| 2024-25 | 43 | 25 | 20 | 5 | 18 |
| 2023-24 | 51 | 27 | 24 | 3 | 24 |
| 2022-23 | 55 | 33 | 28 | 5 | 22 |
| 2021-22 | 46 | 28 | 23 | 5 | 18 |
| 2020-21 | 65 | 39 | 35 | 4 | 26 |
| 2019-20 | 36 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 18 |
| 2018-19 | 39 | 24 | 22 | 2 | 15 |
| 2017-18 | 33 | 18 | 15 | ||
| 2016-17 | 21 | 12 | 9 | ||
| 2015-16 | 16 | 6 | 10 |
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 Cheatham Lake WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheatham County | 1,596 | 2 | 1,044 | 68th |
| Dickson County | 557 | 2 | 2,123 | 17th |
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 Cheatham Lake WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: TN 49, TN 12, TN 249 and TN 250. Nearest towns: Ashland City (next to it), Pleasant View (7 miles), Charlotte (9 miles) and White Bluff (10 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Cheatham Lake WMA.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Cheatham WMA (next to it), Shelton Ferry WMA (4.5 miles), Haynes Bottom WMA (16.4 miles) and Cedar Hill Swamp WMA (17.9 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Cheatham Lake WMA in 2026-27?
TWRA's 2026-27 guide for Cheatham Lake WMA: Deer: Archery equipment only for deer hunting. For the rest, same as statewide seasons on Sycamore Creek upstream from railroad trestle, Harpeth River upstream from Highway 49 and on Johnson Creek upstream from Johnson Creek Bridge.
How many deer were killed on Cheatham Lake WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 31 deer from Cheatham Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season: 10 antlered bucks, 5 antlerless males and 16 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 40.
What county is Cheatham Lake WMA in?
Cheatham County (1,596 acres) and Dickson County (557 acres), measured on TWRA's boundary.
What permit do you need to hunt Cheatham Lake 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
Hunt plans for Tennessee are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
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.
Tennessee hunting All Tennessee WMAs Cheatham County deer harvest Dickson County deer harvest