Cordell Hull WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Cordell Hull WMA is 22,431 acres of TWRA hunting land in Jackson, Smith, Clay and Putnam counties, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 3. Hunters checked in 343 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 100 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 107. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Cordell Hull WMAOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 22,431 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 25,000 |
|---|---|
| County | Jackson County, Smith County, Clay County, Putnam County |
| TWRA region | Region 3 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 3 |
| Permits | WMA Small Game permit; WMA Waterfowl/Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 343 (100 antlered bucks, 30 antlerless males, 213 females) |
| Area manager | Johnny Poston (615) 342-9307 |
| Nearest towns | Gainesboro (next to it), Carthage (2 mi) and South Carthage (3 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Cordell Hull 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, except as noted. Closed to quail hunting. Wheelchair-bound hunter zone open to wheelchair-bound hunters only. Wheelchair-Bound Hunter Only Zone - That area in the old “Corps of Engineers Roaring River Campground” area of Cordell Hull WMA (north of Hwy. 135, north of Roaring River, south and east of Hwy. 85 and west of Old Roaring River Iron Bridge Road).
- Dog training: Sept. 1–March 15.
- Camping: Army Corp of engineer campgrounds, available seasonally.
Defeated Creek Unit
Same as statewide seasons except as noted. Closed to quail hunting. Archery equipment only for deer hunting. Shotguns only for small game hunting. Defeated Creek Unit is that area of Defeated Creek that extends from the main river channel to the Corps of Engineers boundary along Defeated Creek excluding Defeated Creek Recreational Area.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 107; 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 Cordell Hull WMA?
Hunters checked in 343 deer from Cordell Hull WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 314 deer a season, from 160 in 2015-16 to 445 in 2020-21.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 343 | 130 | 100 | 30 | 213 |
| 2024-25 | 402 | 149 | 110 | 39 | 253 |
| 2023-24 | 312 | 125 | 99 | 26 | 187 |
| 2022-23 | 357 | 132 | 101 | 31 | 225 |
| 2021-22 | 355 | 128 | 85 | 43 | 227 |
| 2020-21 | 445 | 152 | 105 | 47 | 293 |
| 2019-20 | 317 | 130 | 91 | 39 | 187 |
| 2018-19 | 277 | 101 | 69 | 32 | 176 |
| 2017-18 | 323 | 106 | 217 | ||
| 2016-17 | 165 | 57 | 108 | ||
| 2015-16 | 160 | 56 | 104 |
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 Cordell Hull WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 13,646 | 3 | 1,941 | 24th |
| Smith County | 8,501 | 3 | 2,103 | 18th |
| Clay County | 216 | 3 | 934 | 76th |
| Putnam County | 69 | 3 | 1,425 | 45th |
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 Cordell Hull WMA?
Highways through the area: TN 53, TN 262, TN 85 and TN 96. Nearest towns: Gainesboro (next to it), Carthage (2 miles), South Carthage (3 miles) and Gordonsville (5 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Cordell Hull WMA.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Cordell Hull Refuge (next to it), The Boils WMA (next to it), Blackburn Fork WMA (2.3 miles) and Standing Stone State Forest and WMA (4.5 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Cordell Hull 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 Cordell Hull WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 343 deer from Cordell Hull WMA in the 2025-26 season: 100 antlered bucks, 30 antlerless males and 213 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 314.
What county is Cordell Hull WMA in?
Jackson County (13,646 acres), Smith County (8,501 acres), Clay County (216 acres) and Putnam County (69 acres), measured on TWRA's boundary.
What permit do you need to hunt Cordell Hull 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.
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