South Fork Refuge: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
South Fork Refuge is 977 acres of TWRA hunting land in Madison County, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 1. Hunters checked in 7 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 6 antlered bucks among them (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). For the area's seasons, TWRA's guide says: Same as statewide seasons, except closed to all activities from Nov. 15- Feb. 15.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: TWRA's 2026-27 guide, page 96. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
South Fork RefugeOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 977 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 778 |
|---|---|
| County | Madison 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 | 7 (6 antlered bucks, 0 antlerless males, 1 female) |
| Area manager | Andrew Rutherford (731) 345-9992 |
| Nearest towns | Jackson (3 mi), Gadsden (8 mi) and Three Way (8 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on South Fork 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.
Same as statewide seasons, except closed to all activities from Nov. 15- Feb. 15. All hunting other than waterfowl is prohibited during the duck season occurring Nov.-Feb. No access during refuge closure dates except for waterfowl hunters on open hunt days. Closed to Fall turkey season.
- Turkey: April 3–April 25. One (1) male bearded turkey, counts toward statewide bag limit.
- Turkey (Young Sportsman): Same as statewide season and bag limit.
- Waterfowl: Same as statewide seasons except, waterfowl hunting on Saturday and Sunday only during duck season occurring in Nov.-Feb. Goose seasons to coincide with statewide seasons after the Youth/Military Waterfowl Season. Walkin only, except in high water where access can be obtained via the South Forked Deer River by boat. No blinds, decoys, materials may be left overnight. All hunting shall cease at 3 p.m. except the last day of the season when hunting closes at sunset. No access before 4 a.m. or after 5 p.m. No access during refuge closure dates except for waterfowl hunters on open hunt days.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 96; 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 South Fork Refuge?
Hunters checked in 7 deer from South Fork Refuge in the 2025-26 season. Over the 9 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 3 deer a season, from 1 in 2021-22 to 7 in 2025-26.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 2 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2015-16 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
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 South Fork Refuge in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 977 | 1 | 2,010 | 21st |
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 South Fork Refuge?
Highways within 5 miles: I-40, TN 20, US 412 and TN 1. Nearest towns: Jackson (3 miles), Gadsden (8 miles), Three Way (8 miles) and Bells (8 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for South Fork Refuge.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Colonel Forrest V. Durand WMA (5.8 miles), Perry Switch WMA (10.4 miles), Fort Ridge WMA (11.6 miles) and Spring Creek WMA (12.3 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on South Fork Refuge in 2026-27?
TWRA's guide says: Same as statewide seasons, except closed to all activities from Nov. 15- Feb. 15. 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 South Fork Refuge last season?
Hunters checked in 7 deer from South Fork Refuge in the 2025-26 season: 6 antlered bucks, 0 antlerless males and 1 female, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 9-season average is 3.
What county is South Fork Refuge in?
All of it is in Madison County, by TWRA's boundary, in deer management Unit 1.
What permit do you need to hunt South Fork Refuge?
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).
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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