Tumbleweed WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Tumbleweed WMA is 5,777 acres of TWRA hunting land in Lake and Dyer counties, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 1. Hunters checked in 37 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 25 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 97. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Tumbleweed WMAOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 5,777 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary |
|---|---|
| County | Lake County, Dyer 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 | 37 (25 antlered bucks, 1 antlerless male, 11 females) |
| Area manager | Josh Emerson (731) 285-6124 |
| Nearest towns | Ridgely (4 mi), Tiptonville (11 mi) and Dyersburg (12 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Tumbleweed 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.
Hunters (except raccoon, opossum, and turkey hunters) may not enter WMA prior to two (2) hours before sunrise and be off WMA by one (1) hour after sunset or legal hunting/shooting time.
Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Closed to Fall turkey hunting.
- Dove: Same as statewide season. Hunting permitted from designated fields only.
- Turkey: Two (2) weekly quota hunts (Tue–Wed and Fri–Sun) each week of Spring turkey season. Hunter quota 12. One (1) male bearded turkey per hunt, counts toward statewide bag limit.
- Turkey (Young Sportsman): Same as statewide season.
- Waterfowl: Hunting from temporary blinds only. No blinds, blind materials, boats, or decoys may be left overnight.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 97; 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 Tumbleweed WMA?
Hunters checked in 37 deer from Tumbleweed WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 43 deer a season, from 19 in 2015-16 to 71 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 37 | 26 | 25 | 1 | 11 |
| 2024-25 | 49 | 33 | 28 | 5 | 16 |
| 2023-24 | 71 | 39 | 32 | 7 | 32 |
| 2022-23 | 34 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 15 |
| 2021-22 | 39 | 23 | 21 | 2 | 16 |
| 2020-21 | 45 | 26 | 21 | 5 | 19 |
| 2019-20 | 43 | 31 | 24 | 7 | 12 |
| 2018-19 | 44 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 21 |
| 2017-18 | 52 | 20 | 32 | ||
| 2016-17 | 39 | 16 | 23 | ||
| 2015-16 | 19 | 14 | 5 |
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 Tumbleweed WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County | 5,209 | 1 | 134 | 95th |
| Dyer County | 568 | 1 | 733 | 82nd |
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 Tumbleweed WMA?
Highways through the area: TN 181 and TN 79. Nearest towns: Ridgely (4 miles), Tiptonville (11 miles), Dyersburg (12 miles) and Newbern (14 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Tumbleweed WMA.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: White Lake Refuge (3.1 miles), Bogota WMA (3.2 miles), Thorny Cypress WMA (4.5 miles) and Ernest Rice Sr. WMA (8 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Tumbleweed 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 Tumbleweed WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 37 deer from Tumbleweed WMA in the 2025-26 season: 25 antlered bucks, 1 antlerless male and 11 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 43.
What county is Tumbleweed WMA in?
Lake County (5,209 acres) and Dyer County (568 acres), measured on TWRA's boundary.
What permit do you need to hunt Tumbleweed 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).
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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