Tellico Lake WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Tellico Lake WMA is 5,700 acres of TWRA hunting land in Monroe, Loudon and Blount counties, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 3. Hunters checked in 187 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 72 antlered bucks among them (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). The first deer hunt in TWRA's 2026-27 guide for the area: Deer (Archery), Sept. 19–20. Hunter quota 30 each hunt.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: TWRA's 2026-27 guide, page 110. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Tellico Lake WMAOther TWRA hunting landsNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 5,700 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 8,000 |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County, Loudon County, Blount County |
| TWRA region | Region 3 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 5, Unit 6 |
| Permits | WMA Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 187 (72 antlered bucks, 18 antlerless males, 97 females) |
| Area manager | Mitch Clure (423) 884-6767 |
| Nearest towns | Vonore (next to it), Greenback (3 mi) and Madisonville (6 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Tellico Lake 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.
Field trial permit required. Wild hogs may be taken during any deer hunt by legal deer hunters.
Same as statewide season, except as noted. Wild hogs may be taken during any deer hunt by legal deer hunters. No blinds or decoys left overnight.
Tellico West Unit (the portion of Tellico Reservoir Development Agency Industrial Park at LTRM 18.0 on the South side of Tellico Reservoir)
Tellico West Unit closed to small game hunting.
- Deer (Archery): Sept. 19–20. Hunter quota 30 each hunt. Two (2) deer, no more than one (1) antlered (bonus deer).
- Deer (Archery): Oct. 10–11. Hunter quota 30 each hunt. Two (2) deer, no more than one (1) antlered (bonus deer).
- Deer (Archery): Nov. 14–15. Hunter quota 30 each hunt. Two (2) deer, no more than one (1) antlered (bonus deer).
- Deer (Archery): Dec. 12–13. Hunter quota 30 each hunt. Two (2) deer, no more than one (1) antlered (bonus deer).
- Turkey (Young Sportsman): March 27–28. Hunter quota 5. One (1) male bearded turkey. Counts toward statewide bag limit.
- Turkey (Young Sportsman): April 10–11. Hunter quota 5. One (1) male bearded turkey. Counts toward statewide bag limit.
McGhee-Carson Unit (that peninsula of Ft. Loudoun State Historic Park at LTRM 21.0)
All small game hunting is for Young Sportsman (ages 6–16 only). Each youth must be accompanied by a non hunting adult 21 or older. For small game hunting either the youth or the adult must possess a WMA small game permit. For big game hunting youth must possess a WMA big game permit.
- Dove: Sept. 1, 5, 7. Opens at noon on Sept. 1, all day Sept. 5 & 7. Youths must be accompanied by a licensed adult, 21 or older, who may also hunt.
- Rabbit, Squirrel: Nov. 21-22, Nov. 28-29, Dec. 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27, Jan. 2-3, Jan. 9-10. Bag limit three (3) rabbits per day. Shotguns only.
- Deer (Shotgun only - Young-Sportsman): Nov. 14–15. Hunter quota 35. One (1) antlered or antlerless deer. (Bonus deer).
- Turkey (Young Sportsman): March 27–28. Hunter quota five (5). One (1) male bearded turkey. Counts toward statewide bag limit.
- Turkey (Young Sportsman): April 10–11. Hunter quota five (5). One (1) male bearded turkey. Counts toward statewide bag limit.
- Dog training: Sept. 1–March 15. Closed during field trials and big game hunts. Daylight hours only. Dog Field Trials - Field Trial Permit Required. Sept. 1– April 30. Trials must be scheduled with Area Manager and special field trial permit must be obtained from the TWRA Region III Office at least 30 days before trial dates. Field trial gallery, must be kept out of standing or planted crops by marshals provided by sponsoring clubs. Horses permitted during dog training and field trials.
Chota Refuge Unit (that portion from LTRM 26.0 upstream to the Hiwassee - Alcoa Powerline at LTRM 29.7)
Wild hogs may be taken during any deer or bear hunt by legal deer or bear hunters. Same as statewide, except as noted. Closed to all forms of use and trespass from Nov. 15 through last day of Feb., except in designated observation areas. Wild hogs may be taken during any deer or bear hunt by legal deer or bear hunters. All seasons closed during the refuge closure dates. Steel shot is required for doves. Nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service required for small game hunting as posted.
- Rabbit, Quail: Oct. 31–Nov. 6.
- Dog training: March 1–Oct. 31. Dog Field Trials - March 1–Oct. 31. Field Trial Permit Required. Trials must be scheduled with Area Manager and special field trial permit must be obtained from the TWRA Region III Office at least 30 days before trial dates.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 110; 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 Tellico Lake WMA?
Hunters checked in 187 deer from Tellico Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 176 deer a season, from 26 in 2015-16 to 294 in 2020-21.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 187 | 90 | 72 | 18 | 97 |
| 2024-25 | 175 | 83 | 70 | 13 | 92 |
| 2023-24 | 161 | 93 | 79 | 14 | 68 |
| 2022-23 | 180 | 94 | 82 | 12 | 86 |
| 2021-22 | 252 | 150 | 132 | 18 | 102 |
| 2020-21 | 294 | 154 | 132 | 22 | 140 |
| 2019-20 | 233 | 129 | 108 | 21 | 104 |
| 2018-19 | 236 | 126 | 108 | 18 | 110 |
| 2017-18 | 156 | 79 | 77 | ||
| 2016-17 | 34 | 23 | 11 | ||
| 2015-16 | 26 | 18 | 8 |
Source: TWRA Hunter's Toolbox, Deer Harvests by County / WMA, adding its rows for Tellico Lake and Tellico Lake 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 Tellico Lake WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | 4,355 | 6 | 1,141 | 63rd |
| Loudon County | 1,251 | 5 | 1,519 | 40th |
| Blount County | 95 | 6 | 944 | 75th |
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 Tellico Lake WMA?
Highways through the area: TN 115, US 129 and TN 72. Nearest towns: Vonore (next to it), Greenback (3 miles), Madisonville (6 miles) and Philadelphia (8 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Tellico Lake WMA.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: South Cherokee WMA (next to it), Foothills WMA (next to it), Kyker Bottoms Refuge (1.3 miles) and Paint Rock WMA (15.3 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Tellico Lake WMA in 2026-27?
TWRA's 2026-27 guide lists these deer hunts for Tellico Lake WMA: Deer (Archery), Sept. 19–20; Deer (Archery), Oct. 10–11; Deer (Archery), Nov. 14–15; Deer (Archery), Dec. 12–13; Deer (Shotgun only - Young-Sportsman), Nov. 14–15. Each hunt's limits and rules are above.
How many deer were killed on Tellico Lake WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 187 deer from Tellico Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season: 72 antlered bucks, 18 antlerless males and 97 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 176.
What county is Tellico Lake WMA in?
Monroe County (4,355 acres), Loudon County (1,251 acres) and Blount County (95 acres), measured on TWRA's boundary.
What permit do you need to hunt Tellico Lake 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).
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.
Tennessee hunting All Tennessee WMAs Monroe County deer harvest Loudon County deer harvest Blount County deer harvest