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WMA · West Tennessee
Reelfoot WMA
24,000 acres of wildlife management area in Lake County and Obion County. Managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).
Photo: Guillaume Capron (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Hunting Reelfoot WMA
Cultivated fields, shrub and early successional forest, bottomland hardwoods, cypress swamp and marsh around Reelfoot Lake. A Reelfoot Preservation Permit is required (with some license exemptions); closed to turkey hunting except the youth spring hunt, and deer is archery-only from Nov. 21.
Some units inside it have their own pages: Reelfoot Lake State Natural Area.
Hunters come to Reelfoot WMA for deer, turkey, waterfowl and small game. Deer rules follow Unit 1 because the area is mainly in Lake County. Lake County is in the CWD Management Zone, so carcass and baiting rules apply.
Maps, dates and permit requirements are on the official area page.
Reelfoot WMA: gear to bring
Four picks from the deer rifle hunting checklist, with links to current prices.
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2026-27 seasons on Reelfoot WMA
What can be hunted here under the current guide, and the county rules that come with it.
Deer
Statewide season dates for 2026-27: Aug 28, 2026 to Jan 10, 2027. The area listing can cut that window down.
Turkey
Statewide season dates for 2026-27: Sep 26, 2026 to May 16, 2027. The area listing can cut that window down.
Waterfowl
Statewide season dates for 2026-27: Sep 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027. The area listing can cut that window down.
Small game
Statewide season dates for 2026-27: Aug 22, 2026 to Jun 13, 2027. That includes squirrel, rabbit and other small game the area permits. The area listing can cut that window down.
Unit 1 deer limits
Antlerless deer: 3 per day in the Young Sportsman, archery, muzzleloader, straight-wall rifle and gun seasons, and none in the August hunt. Two antlered deer per season is the statewide cap, with 1 allowed per day.
Lake County and CWD
Whole carcasses may not leave the CWD Management Zone, and baiting and feeding are banned in these counties. Earn-A-Buck applies in CWD-positive counties.
Hunter orange
Wear at least 500 square inches of fluorescent orange or pink above the waist and on the head when hunting big game; archery-only and turkey hunts are exempt.
Statewide dates and limits from the 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide, checked October 9, 2026. Each WMA has its own dates and rules in the guide; the area listing wins where it differs.
Reelfoot WMA season check
No bear zone covers Lake County. Only spring turkey is open in Lake County. Lake County sits in the CWD management zone. Lake County is a no bait county.
- Deer
- Turkey
- Ducks
- Waterfowl
- Canada goose
- White-fronted goose
- Brant
- Light geese
- Dove
- Woodcock
- Snipe
- Rails (virginia, sora)
- Gallinule and moorhen
- Crow
- Squirrel
- Rabbit
- Quail
- Grouse
- RaccoonYear-round
- Opossum
- CoyoteYear-round
- Bobcat
- Feral hogYear-round
TWRA 2026-27 guide, checked October 9, 2026.
Nearby hunting land and the Reelfoot WMA map
The orange marker is Reelfoot WMA (approximate center from the TWRA hunting map). Each gold marker is another public hunting area inside a 70 mile radius. Nearby towns by straight-line distance: Tiptonville (6 mi), Union City (18 mi), Dyersburg (26 mi).
Reelfoot Lake State Natural Area
Lake County and Obion County, about 1 miles from here in a straight line. Listed at 18,000 acres.
Black Bayou Refuge
Lake County, about 2 miles from here in a straight line. Listed at 1,350 acres.
Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge
Obion County, about 3 miles from here in a straight line.
Reelfoot-Indian Creek Watershed Lakes
Obion County, about 7 miles from here in a straight line.
Lake Isom National Wildlife Refuge
Lake County and Obion County, about 8 miles from here in a straight line. Listed at 1,850 acres.
Hunting services near Reelfoot WMA
These are in Lake County and Obion County or an adjoining county.
Distances are straight-line estimates. Hours change by season, so call ahead. Full services directory.
Deer harvest in the counties around Reelfoot WMA
Figures cover entire counties; area-only harvest is not broken out. The ranking puts Lake County #95 out of 95 for deer harvest.
| County | Deer 2023-24 | Deer 2024-25 | Deer 2025-26 | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County | 252 | 186 | 205 | #95 of 95 |
| Obion County | 1,279 | 1,262 | 1,294 | #57 of 95 |
Total reported deer harvest by county, WMA harvest included, from TWRA Hunter’s Toolbox reports. Seasons run July 1 to June 30.
What hunters ask about Reelfoot WMA
Which species can be hunted on Reelfoot WMA?
You can hunt deer, turkey, waterfowl and small game, on the dates the area listing gives rather than the statewide calendar.
Where exactly is Reelfoot WMA?
TWRA places Reelfoot WMA in its West region; the ground is in Lake County and Obion County. For access points and a map, use the area listing.
Do I need a WMA permit to hunt Reelfoot WMA?
Hunters 16 to 64 need a WMA permit or an annual sportsman license to hunt TWRA wildlife management areas, on top of the right hunting licenses. Federal refuges and some areas add their own permits.
How many acres is Reelfoot WMA?
Reelfoot WMA covers about 24,000 acres, the figure on the managing agency's page.
Which antlerless unit applies on Reelfoot WMA?
Lake County is in deer Unit 1. Hunters in this unit get 3 antlerless deer per day in all regular seasons (Young Sportsman, archery, muzzleloader, straight-wall rifle and gun), but zero in the August hunt.
Are hunts on Reelfoot WMA drawn by quota?
The guide shows no quota hunts here at present; confirm in the area listing each season.
What is the deadline to check in big game?
Big game must be checked in the same day, by midnight, through TWRA On The Go, online or at a station, and before leaving the state.
Is Reelfoot WMA in a CWD county?
CWD rules apply: Lake County is in the zone, so baiting is banned and carcass movement is limited.
Where do I take a deer from Reelfoot WMA for processing?
Nearby processors on our list: Brown's Meat Plant. Call to confirm they are taking deer, as many run seasonally.
Are there other WMAs near Reelfoot WMA?
On the map, the closest are Reelfoot Lake State Natural Area (about 1 miles), Black Bayou Refuge (about 2 miles) and Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge (about 3 miles).
Before you hunt Reelfoot WMA
Read the 2026-27 TWRA guide and the Reelfoot WMA listing before each trip; dates and limits change yearly.