Cheatham WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Cheatham WMA is 19,770 acres of TWRA hunting land in Cheatham County, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 2. Hunters checked in 81 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 38 antlered bucks among them (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). The first deer hunt in TWRA's 2026-27 guide for the area: Deer (Archery), Sept. 26–Oct. 23. No quota.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: TWRA's 2026-27 guide, page 99. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Cheatham WMAOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 19,770 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 20,810 |
|---|---|
| County | Cheatham County |
| TWRA region | Region 2 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 2 |
| Permits | WMA Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit; High Impact Conservation Permit (riding) |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 81 (38 antlered bucks, 7 antlerless males, 36 females) |
| Area manager | Mark Vance (615) 203-4688 |
| Nearest towns | Pegram (next to it), Ashland City (3 mi) and Kingston Springs (4 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Cheatham 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.
Hooved animal riding permitted only by individuals possessing a valid hunting and fishing license and WMA permit or a High Impact Habitat Conservation Permit. Riding is allowed in designated areas only. Horses and other saddle and pack animals are prohibited during big game seasons. Unauthorized entry or presence is prohibited between sunset and sunrise. Contact area manager for wheelchair accessible blinds.
Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Small game hunting closed one (1) day prior and during all big game quota hunts. Antlered deer must have at least four (4) antler points on one (1) side or a 15 inch minimum outside spread except during the Young Sportsman hunt. All harvested deer count toward the statewide bag limit.
- Deer (Archery): Sept. 26–Oct. 23. No quota. One (1) deer antlered and one (1) antlerless. Antler restrictions apply Deer (Young Sportsman, Non Quota) - Oct. 24–25. One (1) deer antlered and one (1) antlerless. No antler restrictions.
- Deer (Muzzlerloader): Oct. 30–Nov. 1. Hunter quota 450. One (1) deer antlered and one (1) antlerless. Antler restrictions apply.
- Deer (Muzzlerloader): Nov. 6–8. Hunter quota 450. One (1) deer antlered and one (1) antlerless. Antler restrictions apply.
- Deer (Gun): Nov. 13–20. Quota 450. One (1) antlered and one (1) antlerless. Antler restrictions apply.
- Deer (Gun): Nov. 21–28. Quota 450. One (1) antlered and one (1) antlerless. Antler restrictions apply.
- Deer (Gun, Non-quota): Nov. 29–Jan. 3. One (1) antlerless deer.
- Turkey: Same as statewide spring season. Bag limit one (1) male bearded turkey during the first 14 days of the statewide season not to exceed two (2) for the season.
- Dog training: Daylight hours only.
- Shooting range: Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 7 days a week. Automatic weapons prohibited. Permit required. See tnwildlife.org for details.
- 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 Cheatham WMA?
Hunters checked in 81 deer from Cheatham WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 90 deer a season, from 65 in 2018-19 to 153 in 2022-23.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 81 | 45 | 38 | 7 | 36 |
| 2024-25 | 100 | 53 | 42 | 11 | 47 |
| 2023-24 | 76 | 50 | 43 | 7 | 26 |
| 2022-23 | 153 | 59 | 38 | 21 | 94 |
| 2021-22 | 91 | 59 | 51 | 8 | 32 |
| 2020-21 | 101 | 51 | 41 | 10 | 50 |
| 2019-20 | 68 | 54 | 51 | 3 | 14 |
| 2018-19 | 65 | 54 | 49 | 5 | 11 |
| 2017-18 | 80 | 67 | 13 | ||
| 2016-17 | 69 | 55 | 14 | ||
| 2015-16 | 101 | 80 | 21 |
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 WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheatham County | 19,770 | 2 | 1,044 | 68th |
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 WMA?
Highways through the area: TN 250 and TN 249. Nearest towns: Pegram (next to it), Ashland City (3 miles), Kingston Springs (4 miles) and White Bluff (7 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Cheatham WMA.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Cheatham Lake WMA (next to it), Shelton Ferry WMA (10.3 miles), Cedar Hill Swamp WMA (19.8 miles) and Haynes Bottom WMA (22.4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Cheatham WMA in 2026-27?
TWRA's 2026-27 guide lists these deer hunts for Cheatham WMA: Deer (Archery), Sept. 26–Oct. 23; Deer (Muzzlerloader), Oct. 30–Nov. 1; Deer (Muzzlerloader), Nov. 6–8; Deer (Gun), Nov. 13–20; Deer (Gun), Nov. 21–28; Deer (Gun, Non-quota), Nov. 29–Jan. 3. Each hunt's limits and rules are above.
How many deer were killed on Cheatham WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 81 deer from Cheatham WMA in the 2025-26 season: 38 antlered bucks, 7 antlerless males and 36 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 90.
What county is Cheatham WMA in?
All of it is in Cheatham County, by TWRA's boundary, in deer management Unit 2.
What permit do you need to hunt Cheatham 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).
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