Old Hickory WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Old Hickory WMA is 5,181 acres of TWRA hunting land in Wilson, Trousdale and Sumner counties, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 2. Hunters checked in 336 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 115 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 101. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Old Hickory WMAOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 5,181 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary |
|---|---|
| County | Wilson County, Trousdale County, Sumner County |
| TWRA region | Region 2 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 2, 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 | 336 (115 antlered bucks, 29 antlerless males, 192 females) |
| Area manager | Michael Bobel (629) 215-1384 |
| Nearest towns | Hartsville/Trousdale County (next to it), Gallatin (3 mi) and Lebanon (5 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Old Hickory 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.
WMA consists of 6,000 huntable acres in narrow strips of land along the 21,700 acres of water on Old Hickory Lake. Of the 6,000 acres only 1,000 acres have public land access. The remaining 5,000 acres are primarily accessible by water. UNIT I HIGHWAY 109 UPSTREAM TO RIVER MILE 267 EXCLUDING LOCK 5 REFUGE
Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Small game hunting is closed after 3 p.m. during the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb. The sub-impoundment units as posted are closed to all types of activity five (5) days prior to the opening of the first segment of the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb. Raccoon and opossum hunting, trapping and fishing are prohibited in sub-impoundments during the late waterfowl season.
- Dove: Sept. 5 on Barton’s Creek. Youth only (6–16), must be accompanied by a licensed nonhunting adult.
- Dove: Sept. 6 and every Wednesday and Friday, Saturday, Sunday during the first segment of the statewide season.
- Turkey: Same as statewide spring 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.
- Waterfowl: Same as statewide season. Hunting is permitted only from registered blind sites and staked temporary blind sites during the duck/goose season occurring in Nov.–Feb. Legal shooting hours end at 3 p.m. except on the last day of each season segement when statewide hours apply.
- Waterfowl (wheelchair-bound only blind site): Applications must be received by the TWRA Region II Office by noon on Oct. 23. Persons holding a permit for another blind are not eligible.
- Dog training: Sept. 1–March 15, except closed during duck seasons. UNIT II HWY. 109 DOWNSTREAM TO OLD HICKORY DAM Same as statewide seasons, except centerfire rifles prohibited.
- Turkey: Same as statewide spring 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.
- Waterfowl: Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Hunting from registered blind sites only, except during the early duck season. All goose hunting is from registered blinds only. UNIT III FROM RIVER MILE 267 UPSTREAM TO THE OLD LOCK 6 SITE AT RIVER MILE 281 Same as statewide seasons, except as noted.
- Turkey: Same as statewide spring 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.
- Waterfowl: Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Hunting from temporary blinds only. Decoys must be picked up each day.
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 Old Hickory WMA?
Hunters checked in 336 deer from Old Hickory WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 245 deer a season, from 75 in 2015-16 to 418 in 2022-23.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 336 | 144 | 115 | 29 | 192 |
| 2024-25 | 341 | 162 | 144 | 18 | 179 |
| 2023-24 | 352 | 172 | 133 | 39 | 180 |
| 2022-23 | 418 | 196 | 150 | 46 | 222 |
| 2021-22 | 296 | 147 | 130 | 17 | 149 |
| 2020-21 | 275 | 130 | 106 | 24 | 145 |
| 2019-20 | 172 | 84 | 70 | 14 | 88 |
| 2018-19 | 155 | 76 | 68 | 8 | 79 |
| 2017-18 | 173 | 74 | 99 | ||
| 2016-17 | 102 | 39 | 63 | ||
| 2015-16 | 75 | 31 | 44 |
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 WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson County | 2,430 | 3 | 2,768 | 7th |
| Trousdale County | 2,125 | 3 | 683 | 84th |
| Sumner County | 626 | 2 | 3,572 | 1st |
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 WMA?
Highways through the area: TN 141. Nearest towns: Hartsville/Trousdale County (next to it), Gallatin (3 miles), Lebanon (5 miles) and Hendersonville (5 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Old Hickory WMA.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Old Hickory Lock 5 Refuge (next to it), Percy Priest WMA (9.3 miles), Cordell Hull WMA (10.8 miles) and Cordell Hull Refuge (22.4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Old Hickory 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 Old Hickory WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 336 deer from Old Hickory WMA in the 2025-26 season: 115 antlered bucks, 29 antlerless males and 192 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 245.
What county is Old Hickory WMA in?
Wilson County (2,430 acres), Trousdale County (2,125 acres) and Sumner County (626 acres), measured on TWRA's boundary.
What permit do you need to hunt Old Hickory 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.
Tennessee hunting All Tennessee WMAs Wilson County deer harvest Trousdale County deer harvest Sumner County deer harvest