Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge is 554 acres of TWRA hunting land in Wilson and Trousdale counties, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 2. Hunters checked in 5 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 3 antlered bucks among them (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). The first deer hunt in TWRA's 2026-27 guide for the area: Deer (Young Sportsman, Archery/Muzzleloader Only), Oct. 17–18, 24–25, Nov. 7–8. All hunters must comply with blaze orange/pink requirements.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: TWRA's 2026-27 guide, page 102. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Old Hickory Lock 5 RefugeOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 554 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 900 |
|---|---|
| County | Wilson County, Trousdale 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 | 5 (3 antlered bucks, 0 antlerless males, 2 females) |
| Area manager | Michael Bobel (629) 215-1384 |
| Nearest towns | Hartsville/Trousdale County (7 mi), Lebanon (8 mi) and Gallatin (12 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Old Hickory Lock 5 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.
Public use, including all forms of trespass, is prohibited from Nov. 15 to the last day of February. Public entry and fishing permitted while on the main river channel passing through the refuge. Closed to waterfowl hunting. OLD HICKORY LOCK 5 REFUGE (NORTH OF THE CUMBERLAND RIVER)
Same as statewide seasons, except as noted.
- Turkey: Same as statewide 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. OLD HICKORY LOCK 5 REFUGE (SOUTH OF THE CUMBERLAND RIVER) BOAT ACCESS ONLY Deer, Turkey (Young Sportsman, Archery Only) - Sept. 19–20, 26–27, Oct. 3–4, 10–11.
- Deer (Young Sportsman, Archery/Muzzleloader Only): Oct. 17–18, 24–25, Nov. 7–8. All hunters must comply with blaze orange/pink requirements.
- Turkey (Young Sportsman, Archery/Shotgun Only): Oct. 10–11, 17–18, 24–25. All hunters must comply with blaze orange/pink requirements.
- Turkey (Young Sportsman Only): Same as statewide turkey 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.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 102; 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 Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge?
Hunters checked in 5 deer from Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 9 deer a season, from 1 in 2015-16 to 17 in 2019-20.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 2024-25 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 2023-24 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2021-22 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| 2020-21 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | 17 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 5 |
| 2018-19 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | 17 | 10 | 7 | ||
| 2016-17 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 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 Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson County | 344 | 3 | 2,768 | 7th |
| Trousdale County | 210 | 3 | 683 | 84th |
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 Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge?
Highways within 5 miles: TN 10, TN 141, US 231 and TN 25. Nearest towns: Hartsville/Trousdale County (7 miles), Lebanon (8 miles), Gallatin (12 miles) and Watertown (15 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Old Hickory WMA (next to it), Cordell Hull WMA (14.7 miles), Percy Priest WMA (17.9 miles) and Edgar Evins State Park and WMA (25.4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge in 2026-27?
TWRA's 2026-27 guide lists these deer hunts for Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge: Deer (Young Sportsman, Archery/Muzzleloader Only), Oct. 17–18, 24–25, Nov. 7–8. Each hunt's limits and rules are above.
How many deer were killed on Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge last season?
Hunters checked in 5 deer from Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge in the 2025-26 season: 3 antlered bucks, 0 antlerless males and 2 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 9.
What county is Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge in?
Wilson County (344 acres) and Trousdale County (210 acres), measured on TWRA's boundary.
What permit do you need to hunt Old Hickory Lock 5 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
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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