Watts Bar WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Watts Bar WMA is 122 acres of TWRA hunting land in Roane and Rhea counties, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 3. Hunters checked in 68 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 27 antlered bucks among them (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). For the area's seasons, TWRA's guide says: Same as statewide season, except as noted.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: TWRA's 2026-27 guide, page 111. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Watts Bar WMAOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 122 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 3,880 |
|---|---|
| County | Roane County, Rhea County |
| TWRA region | Region 3 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 5 |
| Permits | WMA Small Game permit; WMA Waterfowl/Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 68 (27 antlered bucks, 7 antlerless males, 34 females) |
| Area manager | Rob Klippel (423) 693-6791 |
| Nearest towns | Kingston (3 mi), Rockwood (4 mi) and Spring City (7 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Watts Bar 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.
Same as statewide season, except as noted. Waterfowl hunting allowed from temporary blinds only. No blinds, blind materials, boats, or decoys may be left overnight.
- Dog training: Sept. 1–March 15. IRON HILL ISLAND; LONG ISLAND UNIT;
Thief Neck Island Unit
Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Small game hunting is open with statewide seasons, except it is shotgun-archery only. During the deer season, small game hunting is closed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday on Thief Neck Island. Archery equipment only for deer except juveniles may use shotguns or muzzleloaders during statewide Young Sportsman hunts. Centerfire rifles prohibited. Same as statewide season, except no trapping during the duck season on the Long Island Unit.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 111; 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 Watts Bar WMA?
Hunters checked in 68 deer from Watts Bar WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 56 deer a season, from 13 in 2016-17 to 89 in 2020-21.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 68 | 34 | 27 | 7 | 34 |
| 2024-25 | 47 | 26 | 25 | 1 | 21 |
| 2023-24 | 50 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 27 |
| 2022-23 | 78 | 31 | 29 | 2 | 47 |
| 2021-22 | 81 | 29 | 21 | 8 | 52 |
| 2020-21 | 89 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 44 |
| 2019-20 | 77 | 38 | 30 | 8 | 39 |
| 2018-19 | 50 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 29 |
| 2017-18 | 53 | 28 | 25 | ||
| 2016-17 | 13 | 4 | 9 | ||
| 2015-16 | 13 | 8 | 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 Watts Bar WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roane County | 91 | 5 | 2,052 | 19th |
| Rhea County | 31 | 5 | 1,596 | 37th |
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 Watts Bar WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: TN 58, TN 1, US 70 and I-40. Nearest towns: Kingston (3 miles), Rockwood (4 miles), Spring City (7 miles) and Harriman (8 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Watts Bar WMA.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Paint Rock WMA (1.7 miles), McGlothlin-Largen WMA (2.7 miles), Mount Roosevelt WMA (3.6 miles) and Chickamauga WMA (6.5 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Watts Bar WMA in 2026-27?
TWRA's guide says: Same as statewide season, 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 Watts Bar WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 68 deer from Watts Bar WMA in the 2025-26 season: 27 antlered bucks, 7 antlerless males and 34 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 56.
What county is Watts Bar WMA in?
Roane County (91 acres) and Rhea County (31 acres), measured on TWRA's boundary.
What permit do you need to hunt Watts Bar 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
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 Roane County deer harvest Rhea County deer harvest