Headwaters WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Headwaters WMA is 555 acres of TWRA hunting land in Cannon County, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 2. Hunters checked in 7 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 1 antlered buck 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 101. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Headwaters WMAOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 555 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 600 |
|---|---|
| County | Cannon County |
| TWRA region | Region 2 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 3 |
| Permits | WMA Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 7 (1 antlered buck, 1 antlerless male, 5 females) |
| Area manager | Colten Snyder (615) 571-0463 |
| Nearest towns | Woodbury (6 mi), Auburntown (7 mi) and Liberty (7 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Headwaters 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.
No ATVs permitted. Parking in designated areas only. No parking at Blanton School Road gate (May 31–Sept. 15). Use River Road Trail access/parking during Blanton School Gate closure.
Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Closed to quail hunting. Blaze orange/pink required by all users during deer muzzleloader and gun hunts.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 101; 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 Headwaters WMA?
Hunters checked in 7 deer from Headwaters WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 10 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 12 deer a season, from 4 in 2022-23 to 27 in 2017-18.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 2024-25 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| 2022-23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2021-22 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| 2020-21 | 17 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 |
| 2019-20 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 2018-19 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 2017-18 | 27 | 10 | 17 | ||
| 2016-17 | 12 | 9 | 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 Headwaters WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannon County | 555 | 3 | 999 | 70th |
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 Headwaters WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: TN 146, TN 53, TN 1 and TN 287. Nearest towns: Woodbury (6 miles), Auburntown (7 miles), Liberty (7 miles) and Centertown (8 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Headwaters WMA.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Pea Ridge WMA (1 miles), Edgar Evins State Park and WMA (9.6 miles), Maple Springs WMA (16 miles) and Percy Priest WMA (21.8 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Headwaters 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 Headwaters WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 7 deer from Headwaters WMA in the 2025-26 season: 1 antlered buck, 1 antlerless male and 5 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 10-season average is 12.
What county is Headwaters WMA in?
All of it is in Cannon County, by TWRA's boundary, in deer management Unit 3.
What permit do you need to hunt Headwaters 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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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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