Fort Ridge WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Fort Ridge WMA is 1,579 acres of TWRA hunting land in Haywood County, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 1. Hunters checked in 24 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 15 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 93. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Fort Ridge WMAOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 1,579 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary |
|---|---|
| County | Haywood County |
| TWRA region | Region 1 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 1 |
| Permits | WMA Small Game permit; WMA Waterfowl/Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 24 (15 antlered bucks, 3 antlerless males, 6 females) |
| Area manager | Andrew Rutherford (731) 345-9992 |
| Nearest towns | Bells (4 mi), Maury City (6 mi) and Alamo (6 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Fort Ridge 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 Fall turkey hunting.
- Turkey: April 3–April 25. One male bearded turkey, counts toward statewide bag limit.
- Turkey (Young Sportsman): Same as statewide season.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 93; 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 Fort Ridge WMA?
Hunters checked in 24 deer from Fort Ridge WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 16 deer a season, from 1 in 2015-16 to 24 in 2025-26.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 24 | 18 | 15 | 3 | 6 |
| 2024-25 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | 22 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 7 |
| 2022-23 | 21 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 6 |
| 2021-22 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 1 |
| 2020-21 | 22 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 8 |
| 2019-20 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| 2018-19 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 2017-18 | 22 | 10 | 12 | ||
| 2016-17 | 11 | 6 | 5 | ||
| 2015-16 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
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 Fort Ridge WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haywood County | 1,579 | 1 | 1,349 | 48th |
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 Fort Ridge WMA?
Highways through the area: TN 54. Nearest towns: Bells (4 miles), Maury City (6 miles), Alamo (6 miles) and Brownsville (8 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Fort Ridge WMA.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Horns Bluff Refuge (10.5 miles), South Fork Refuge (11.6 miles), Tigrett WMA (15.9 miles) and Colonel Forrest V. Durand WMA (20.6 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Fort Ridge 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 Fort Ridge WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 24 deer from Fort Ridge WMA in the 2025-26 season: 15 antlered bucks, 3 antlerless males and 6 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 16.
What county is Fort Ridge WMA in?
All of it is in Haywood County, by TWRA's boundary, in deer management Unit 1.
What permit do you need to hunt Fort Ridge 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).
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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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