Henderson Island Refuge: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Henderson Island Refuge is 243 acres of TWRA hunting land in Jefferson County, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 4. Hunters checked in 14 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 3 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 115. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Henderson Island RefugeOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 243 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 525 |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| TWRA region | Region 4 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 6 |
| Permits | WMA Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 14 (3 antlered bucks, 4 antlerless males, 7 females) |
| Area manager | David Sams (423) 235-4882 |
| Nearest towns | Dandridge (2 mi), Baneberry (9 mi) and Jefferson City (9 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Henderson Island Refuge?
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.
Closed to all forms of use and trespass from Nov. 15– last day of Feb. Public entry and fishing permitted while in the main river channel passing through the refuge. Horses prohibited. Nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service required for small game hunting as posted. All small game hunting is Youth/Adult only. Youths must be accompanied by a licensed adult, age 21 years or older, who may also hunt. Blaze orange/pink required by small game hunters during big game muzzleloader and gun hunts (excluding spring turkey).
Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. All small game hunting and dog training, excluding raccoon and opossum, closes at 4 p.m. Quail season is closed.
- Bear: Same as statewide Bear Transition Zone. See page 72–73 for bear hunting details.
- Rabbit: Nov. 1–14.
- Dog training: Rabbit and Quail - Oct. 1–Nov. 14. All other: March 1–Oct. 31.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 115; 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 Henderson Island Refuge?
Hunters checked in 14 deer from Henderson Island Refuge in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 10 deer a season, from 5 in 2018-19 to 15 in 2022-23.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 2024-25 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 2023-24 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| 2022-23 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 7 |
| 2021-22 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| 2020-21 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| 2019-20 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 2017-18 | 10 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 2016-17 | 9 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 2015-16 | 8 | 1 | 7 |
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 Henderson Island Refuge in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 243 | 6 | 1,212 | 56th |
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 Henderson Island Refuge?
Highways within 5 miles: TN 92, I-40, TN 9 and US 70. Nearest towns: Dandridge (2 miles), Baneberry (9 miles), Jefferson City (9 miles) and New Market (10 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Henderson Island Refuge.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Rankin WMA (10.8 miles), Buffalo Springs WMA (15.5 miles), North Cherokee WMA (15.7 miles) and Lick Creek Bottoms WMA (18.9 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Henderson Island Refuge 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 Henderson Island Refuge last season?
Hunters checked in 14 deer from Henderson Island Refuge in the 2025-26 season: 3 antlered bucks, 4 antlerless males and 7 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 10.
What county is Henderson Island Refuge in?
All of it is in Jefferson County, by TWRA's boundary, in deer management Unit 6.
What permit do you need to hunt Henderson Island Refuge?
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).
Get a Tennessee hunt plan when they open
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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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