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Middle Tennessee
Bedford County Hunting
Harvest history, public land, deer unit rules for 2026-27 and nearby processors for hunters working Bedford County.
Photo: mbarrison (CC BY-SA 2.0)
At 38th of 95 counties, Bedford County produced 1,734 reported deer in 2025-26 from 474 square miles of land. Divided by land area, that is near 3.7 deer per square mile. The county made up 1.1% of all deer checked in Tennessee that season.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Bedford County
Public hunting land in and near Bedford County
Inside the county line you have 2 public areas; another 8 sit within roughly 45 miles. On the map, orange means inside the county.
AEDC WMA & Woods Reservoir Refuge
Straight-line distance about 20 miles, in Coffee County and Franklin County. 32,000 acres.
Duck River Complex State Natural Area
Straight-line distance about 24 miles, in Maury County. 2,612 acres.
How many deer and turkeys Bedford County produces
1,734 deer were checked in 2025-26, which is 19% fewer than the season before. Its average since 2016-17 is 1,752. Counts ranged from 1,455 (2021-22) up to 2,142 (2024-25). Wildlife management area hunters checked 17 of them. Spring turkey hunters checked 563 gobblers in 2026 spring, 15th in the state.
Source: TWRA Hunter’s Toolbox harvest reports, county totals including WMA harvest. Deer seasons run July 1 to June 30. Recent seasons can still be revised slightly by TWRA.
Bedford County: what is in season
There is no open bear season in Bedford County. Private land baiting is allowed in Bedford County with the bait 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
- Feral hogYear-round
TWRA 2026-27 guide, checked October 28, 2026.
Seasons and limits in Bedford County, 2026-27
Deer limits in Unit 3
Does count at 3 a day in this unit for every fall and winter segment. No antlerless harvest is allowed in August. Bucks are limited to 2 a season statewide and 1 a day.
Bedford County archery, muzzleloader and gun
Archery opens Sep 26. Muzzleloader runs Nov 7 to Nov 20, 2026. Gun season runs Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027. These are statewide dates for 2026-27.
Bedford County: baiting allowed
Deer baiting on private land is legal here with the Deer Bait Privilege License, new for 2026-27. One site per 5 acres, 500 yards apart, scattered only.
Bedford County fall turkey rules
Fall turkey runs alongside deer archery, with a shotgun window of Oct 17 to 30, 2026 and a single male turkey limit.
From the 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide, checked October 28, 2026. Read the guide.
Sunrise, sunset and legal light in Bedford County
Start shooting 30 minutes before sunrise and stop 30 minutes after sunset for deer and small game; for turkeys and migratory birds the cutoff is sunset.
Times calculated for the center of Bedford County in Central time. Turkey and migratory bird hunting ends at sunset. Shooting hours for every county.
Meat processing and mounts near Bedford County
Closest to home first: Bedford County, then adjacent counties.
Listings come from TWRA, the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, state permit lists and business pages. Call before you drive; seasonal hours vary.
Burn bans and permits in Bedford County
Today's Bedford County status is on the Tennessee burn ban list.
- When a permit is needed: October 15 through May 15 each year (TCA 39-14-306(a)(1)); required for open-air fires within 500 feet of any forest, grassland or woodland.
- Who declares bans: Under TCA 39-14-306(b), the Commissioner of Agriculture, in consultation with the State Forester and at the request of county mayors, issues county burn bans.
- Fires on public land: TWRA wildlife management areas: Rule 1660-01-14-.13(5)(i) says 'No warming, camping or any type fire shall be allowed except at designated camping areas.
Practice ranges near Bedford County
No range is listed in Bedford County. These are the closest, measured from the county center.
Shooting here: rifle; pistol; long range rifle. Members only.
Shooting here: skeet; trap; shotgun. Call ahead about access.
Shooting here: trap; skeet; shotgun. Members only.
Adjacent to Bedford County
Same county, different sport: Bedford County fishing spots.
4 of the 5 bordering counties had a bigger 2025-26 deer harvest.
Bedford County hunting FAQ
How many deer were killed in Bedford County?
1,734 in 2025-26, which ranked 38th in Tennessee.
Is Bedford County in Unit 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6?
TWRA places Bedford County in Unit 3. Antlerless limit: 3 per day in the Young Sportsman, archery, muzzleloader, straight-wall rifle and gun seasons, and none during the August hunt.
What is the CWD status of Bedford County?
No, the county is clear of the CWD lists for 2026-27.
Can I bait deer in Bedford County?
On private land, yes, with the $50 resident Deer Bait Privilege License; WMAs stay off limits.
Can I hunt turkey in the fall in Bedford County?
Yes. Archery during the deer bow dates and shotgun Oct 17 to 30, 2026, one male bird.
Is Bedford County open to bear hunting?
No bear season here; the county is outside the bear zones.
What time does shooting light end in Bedford County?
See the table above for this week. The rule is sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset plus 30 for big and small game.
Where can I get a deer processed in Bedford County?
Listed processors in or next to Bedford County include Midland Deer Processing, Potts' Meats and Moore Co. Meat Processing.
Is there public hunting land in Bedford County?
Bedford County has Normandy WMA and Coy Gaither Bedford Lake. Neighboring areas include AEDC WMA & Woods Reservoir Refuge, Haley-Jaqueth WMA and Tims Ford State Park Huntable Lands.
Bedford County hunt planning
Area rules can differ from county rules, so read the listing for the spot you plan to hunt.
Other photos on this page: Dave Williss (CC BY 2.0); Flappy Pigeon (CC BY-SA 4.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); fredsharples (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); formatc1 (CC BY-SA 2.0); Ivan Radic (CC BY 2.0).