Home › Tennessee › Public land › Mullins Island PHA
Public hunting area · East Tennessee
Mullins Island PHA
A public hunting area in Cocke County. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) manages it.
Photo: Don Sniegowski (CC BY 3.0)
Getting to Mullins Island PHA
Parking, trailheads and gates near Mullins Island PHA
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Hunting on Mullins Island PHA
Small Public Hunting Area in Cocke County, mapped at about 31 acres in TWRA's GIS layer.
Hunting access: No WMA permit required; general WMA regulations apply and seasons are statewide.
Mullins Island PHA is listed for deer, turkey and small game. For deer limits, Cocke County puts it in Unit 6.
Before going, open the agency page for this area, which lists dates, permits and the map.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Mullins Island PHA
What is open on Mullins Island PHA in 2026-27
Species open on this ground, their statewide windows, and the local deer and county rules.
Deer
Statewide, 2026-27 hunting for this species spans Aug 28, 2026 to Jan 10, 2027. Area seasons are sometimes shorter than the statewide ones.
Turkey
Statewide, 2026-27 hunting for this species spans Sep 26, 2026 to May 16, 2027. Area seasons are sometimes shorter than the statewide ones.
Small game
Statewide, 2026-27 hunting for this species spans Aug 22, 2026 to Jun 13, 2027. Applies to squirrel, rabbit and any other small game this area opens. Area seasons are sometimes shorter than the statewide ones.
Unit 6 bag limits
Archery hunters may take 4 antlerless deer, the muzzleloader and straight-wall week allows 2, gun season 2, and Young Sportsman 2 across its four days. The August hunt allows none, and changing counties inside the unit does not add more. Statewide, hunters may take 2 antlered deer a season and 1 a day.
Blaze orange
The law calls for 500 square inches of blaze orange or fluorescent pink, worn on the upper body and head, for big game. Turkey and archery-only hunts are the exceptions.
Statewide dates and limits from the 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide, checked October 28, 2026. Each WMA has its own dates and rules in the guide; the area listing wins where it differs.
Open seasons for Mullins Island PHA
Zone BHZ1 and BHZ2 bear dates apply in Cocke County. Cocke County allows deer bait on private land with a Deer Bait Privilege License.
- 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
- Bear
- Feral hogYear-round
TWRA 2026-27 guide, checked October 28, 2026.
Mullins Island PHA on the map
Orange marks Mullins Island PHA, set at the rough center taken from the TWRA hunting map. Public hunting areas within about 70 miles are marked in gold. Closest towns: Morristown (7 mi), Newport (14 mi), Rogersville (19 mi).
Lick Creek Bottoms WMA
Roughly 6 straight-line miles from Mullins Island PHA, in Greene County. Covers 1,400 acres.
Rankin WMA
Roughly 7 straight-line miles from Mullins Island PHA, in Cocke County and Hamblen County. Covers 1,975 acres.
Henderson Island Refuge
Roughly 18 straight-line miles from Mullins Island PHA, in Jefferson County. Covers 525 acres.
Nolichucky WMA
Roughly 19 straight-line miles from Mullins Island PHA, in Greene County. Covers 1,000 acres.
Buffalo Springs WMA
Roughly 21 straight-line miles from Mullins Island PHA, in Grainger County. Covers 342 acres.
Martha Sundquist State Forest
Roughly 27 straight-line miles from Mullins Island PHA, in Cocke County. Covers 2,001 acres.
Businesses that serve Mullins Island PHA hunters
Each one is in Cocke County or a county next to it.
Distances are straight-line estimates. Hours change by season, so call ahead. Full services directory.
How many deer come out of the Mullins Island PHA area
Read these as county numbers, since the area’s own harvest is not reported separately. By reported deer harvest, Cocke County places #81 among 95 counties.
| County | Deer 2023-24 | Deer 2024-25 | Deer 2025-26 | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cocke County | 773 | 780 | 826 | #81 of 95 |
Total reported deer harvest by county, WMA harvest included, from TWRA Hunter’s Toolbox reports. Seasons run July 1 to June 30.
Questions about Mullins Island PHA
How large is Mullins Island PHA?
The managing agency does not publish an acreage for Mullins Island PHA.
What county is Mullins Island PHA in?
It lies in Cocke County, which TWRA counts as East Tennessee. See the official listing for maps and entry points.
What animals can you hunt on Mullins Island PHA?
Deer, turkey and small game are listed. Follow the area's own dates, which may be narrower than statewide.
How many deer can I take on Mullins Island PHA?
Unit 6, because the area is mainly in Cocke County. Gun season allows 2 antlerless deer, muzzleloader and straight-wall week 2, archery 4 and the four Young Sportsman days 2 combined. No antlerless deer may be taken in the August hunt, and hunting a second county in the unit does not add to the total.
What paperwork do I need for Mullins Island PHA?
No WMA permit required; general WMA regulations apply and seasons are statewide. Permits here come from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). A Tennessee hunting license is still needed.
Which public areas are closest to Mullins Island PHA?
Try Lick Creek Bottoms WMA (about 6 miles), Rankin WMA (about 7 miles) and Henderson Island Refuge (about 18 miles).
Are there quota hunts on Mullins Island PHA?
No quota hunts are listed for this area in the current guide. Check the area listing each year, since that can change.
Where do I check in a deer or turkey?
Deer and turkey are checked in by midnight of the day of harvest, before they leave the state, by app (TWRA On The Go), online or at a check station.
Is Mullins Island PHA in the CWD zone?
Not for 2026-27: Cocke County is outside the CWD Management Zone and not CWD-positive.
Where can I drop off a deer near Mullins Island PHA?
Close options include Mantooth's Custom Meat Cutting, Carter Custom Meats and Buckeye's Custom Meat Cutting. Many open only during deer season, so call first.
Get ready for Mullins Island PHA
Before you hunt, compare the 2026-27 TWRA guide with the Mullins Island PHA listing. Both change from season to season.