Home › Tennessee › Public land › Big Sandy WMA
WMA · West Tennessee
Big Sandy WMA
Wildlife management area, 2,370 acres, in Henry County and Benton County. Management falls to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain)
Getting to Big Sandy WMA
Parking, trailheads and gates near Big Sandy WMA
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 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 Big Sandy WMA
River-bottom hardwoods, cropland and swamps along the Big Sandy River and Kentucky Lake, managed with TVA, which floods the area for wintering waterfowl in late October. ATVs are not permitted; sub-impoundments have special waterfowl-season access rules.
Big Sandy WMA is listed for deer, turkey, waterfowl, dove and small game. For deer limits, Henry County puts it in Unit 1. Because Henry County is CWD-positive, carcass movement and baiting are restricted.
Maps, dates and permit requirements are on the official area page.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Big Sandy WMA
2026-27 seasons on Big Sandy WMA
What can be hunted here under the current guide, and the county rules that come with it.
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.
Waterfowl
Statewide, 2026-27 hunting for this species spans Sep 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027. Area seasons are sometimes shorter than the statewide ones.
Dove
Statewide, 2026-27 hunting for this species spans Sep 1, 2026 to Jul 11, 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. That includes squirrel, rabbit and other small game the area permits. Area seasons are sometimes shorter than the statewide ones.
Unit 1 deer limits
In this unit the antlerless limit is 3 a day for Young Sportsman, archery, muzzleloader, straight-wall and gun seasons; the August hunt takes none. Two antlered deer per season is the statewide cap, with 1 allowed per day.
Henry 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 28, 2026. Each WMA has its own dates and rules in the guide; the area listing wins where it differs.
Big Sandy WMA season check
No bear zone covers Henry County. Henry County is CWD positive, so carcass and feeding rules apply. Henry 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 28, 2026.
Nearby hunting land and the Big Sandy WMA map
The orange marker is Big Sandy 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: Camden (11 mi), Paris (11 mi), Waverly (21 mi).
New Hope WMA
Roughly 6 straight-line miles from Big Sandy WMA, in Benton County. Listed at 88 acres.
West Sandy WMA
Roughly 7 straight-line miles from Big Sandy WMA, in Henry County. Listed at 4,319 acres.
Lick Creek WMA
Roughly 10 straight-line miles from Big Sandy WMA, in Benton County. Listed at 198 acres.
Harmon Creek WMA
Roughly 12 straight-line miles from Big Sandy WMA, in Benton County. Listed at 983 acres.
Camden WMA
Roughly 16 straight-line miles from Big Sandy WMA, in Benton County. Listed at 3,682 acres.
Sergeant Lee Russell Refuge
Roughly 19 straight-line miles from Big Sandy WMA, in Carroll County. Listed at 570 acres.
Hunting services near Big Sandy WMA
These are in Henry County and Benton 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 Big Sandy WMA
Figures cover entire counties; area-only harvest is not broken out. The ranking puts Henry County #5 out of 95 for deer harvest.
| County | Deer 2023-24 | Deer 2024-25 | Deer 2025-26 | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry County | 3,432 | 3,782 | 3,137 | #5 of 95 |
| Benton County | 1,454 | 1,771 | 1,435 | #50 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 Big Sandy WMA
Which species can be hunted on Big Sandy WMA?
You can hunt deer, turkey, waterfowl, dove and small game, on the dates the area listing gives rather than the statewide calendar.
Where exactly is Big Sandy WMA?
TWRA places Big Sandy WMA in its West region; the ground is in Henry County and Benton County. For access points and a map, use the area listing.
Do I need a WMA permit to hunt Big Sandy 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 Big Sandy WMA?
Big Sandy WMA covers about 2,370 acres, the figure on the managing agency's page.
Which antlerless unit applies on Big Sandy WMA?
Henry County is in deer Unit 1. Archery, muzzleloader, straight-wall rifle, gun and Young Sportsman hunters may each take 3 antlerless deer per day here. The August hunt has no antlerless allowance.
Are hunts on Big Sandy 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 Big Sandy WMA in a CWD county?
Yes. Being a CWD-positive county, Henry has a baiting ban and carcass transport rules.
Where do I take a deer from Big Sandy WMA for processing?
Nearby processors on our list: Barrett's Deer Processing, J D's Deer Processing and Singleton's Deer Processing & Custom Slaughter. Call to confirm they are taking deer, as many run seasonally.
Are there other WMAs near Big Sandy WMA?
On the map, the closest are New Hope WMA (about 6 miles), West Sandy WMA (about 7 miles) and Lick Creek WMA (about 10 miles).
Before you hunt Big Sandy WMA
Read the 2026-27 TWRA guide and the Big Sandy WMA listing before each trip; dates and limits change yearly.