Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area is 11,948 acres of TWRA hunting land in Fayette and Shelby counties, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 1. Hunters checked in 92 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 55 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 98. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural AreaOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 11,948 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 11,200 |
|---|---|
| County | Fayette County, Shelby 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 | 92 (55 antlered bucks, 5 antlerless males, 32 females) |
| Area manager | Brandon Gilbert (901) 878-0855 |
| Nearest towns | La Grange (next to it), Piperton (next to it) and Moscow (next to it) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area?
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.
Does not include Wolf River State Forest (managed by TN Div. of Forestry, see page 87). Special Use - Ghost River Natural Area is open same as Wolf River WMA. Hunting or access to hunt from the boardwalk structure is prohibited.
Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Closed to quail hunting. Closed to Fall turkey hunting. All small game hunting is closed during Young Sportsman deer hunts.
- Turkey: Two (2) weekly quota hunts (Tue–Wed and Fri–Sun) each week of Spring turkey season. Hunter quota 25 per hunt for Units 1 & 2 combined. One (1) male bearded turkey per hunt, counts toward statewide bag limit.
- Turkey (Young Sportsman): Same as statewide season and bag limit.
Unit I (that portion South of Hwy. 57)
- Dove: Sept. 1 at noon and every day thereafter during the remainder of the statewide dove seasons.
- Rabbit: Nov. 1–Jan. 31.
- Waterfowl: Waterfowl hunting closes at 3 p.m. each day of the regular statewide waterfowl seasons, except the last day of duck seasons and remaining goose seasons when hunting closes at sunset. Temporary blinds only.
- Shooting range: Shooting range open for rifle sight-in during the whole month of Oct. See tnwildlife.org for more details. Coordinates of the range are (GPS N35.0026.63, W89.1759.93).
- Dog training: Nov. 1 - Jan. 31.
Unit II (that portion North of Hwy. 57)
Same as statewide season, except as noted. Closed to Fall turkey hunting.
- Waterfowl: Waterfowl hunting closes at 3 p.m. each day of the regular statewide waterfowl seasons, except the last day of duck seasons and remaining goose seasons when hunting closes at sunset. Temporary blinds only.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 98; 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 Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area?
Hunters checked in 92 deer from Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 122 deer a season, from 69 in 2015-16 to 185 in 2018-19.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 92 | 60 | 55 | 5 | 32 |
| 2024-25 | 71 | 49 | 44 | 5 | 22 |
| 2023-24 | 108 | 68 | 62 | 6 | 40 |
| 2022-23 | 137 | 84 | 71 | 13 | 53 |
| 2021-22 | 115 | 80 | 64 | 16 | 35 |
| 2020-21 | 170 | 99 | 83 | 16 | 71 |
| 2019-20 | 170 | 100 | 81 | 19 | 70 |
| 2018-19 | 185 | 81 | 67 | 14 | 104 |
| 2017-18 | 126 | 61 | 65 | ||
| 2016-17 | 104 | 52 | 52 | ||
| 2015-16 | 69 | 36 | 33 |
Source: TWRA Hunter's Toolbox, Deer Harvests by County / WMA, adding its rows for Wolf River and Ghost River SNA Unit 1 and Wolf River and Ghost River SNA Unit 2, 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 Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County | 11,595 | 1 | 2,161 | 16th |
| Shelby County | 351 | 1 | 1,253 | 53rd |
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 Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area?
Highways within 5 miles: TN 57, TN 385, TN 196 and TN 193. Nearest towns: La Grange (next to it), Piperton (next to it), Moscow (next to it) and Rossville (2 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Gray's Creek WMA (23 miles), Presidents Island WMA (24.3 miles), Eagle Lake Refuge (25.1 miles) and Meeman-Shelby Forest WMA (27.1 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area 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 Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area last season?
Hunters checked in 92 deer from Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area in the 2025-26 season: 55 antlered bucks, 5 antlerless males and 32 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 122.
What county is Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area in?
Fayette County (11,595 acres) and Shelby County (351 acres), measured on TWRA's boundary.
What permit do you need to hunt Wolf River WMA and Ghost River State Natural Area?
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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