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Knox County Hunting
Public hunting land, 2026-27 seasons, deer and turkey harvest, and processors, taxidermists and shops in Knox County, Tennessee.
Photo: ruthdaniel3444 (CC BY 2.0)
Hunters checked in 1,669 deer in Knox County during the 2025-26 season, 42nd among Tennessee’s 95 counties. The county has 508 square miles of land and 18 square miles of water. Spread over the land area, the harvest comes to roughly 3.3 deer a square mile. That count was 1.1% of the state total.
WMAs and public land near Knox County
Public options start with 2 inside Knox County, then 8 within about 45 miles. Areas in the county are drawn in orange.
Chuck Swan State Forest & WMA
In Union County and Campbell County, roughly 24 miles out. 24,705 acres.
Knox County deer and turkey harvest
Knox County hunters reported 1,669 deer in 2025-26, up 10% from 2024-25. For context, the 2016-17 to 2025-26 average is 1,412. Its strongest year on record here is 2025-26 at 1,669; its weakest is 2017-18 at 1,189. Of that total, 62 were taken on wildlife management areas. 295 turkeys were reported in 2026 spring, which put the county 55th of 95.
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.
Knox County season check
Knox County is in bear hunting zone Transitional. Private land baiting is allowed in Knox 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
- Bear
- Feral hogYear-round
TWRA 2026-27 guide, checked October 28, 2026.
Knox County seasons, limits and CWD status
Unit 5: what you can take
Here the antlerless bag is set per segment, 4 in archery and 2 each in the youth hunt, the muzzleloader and straight-wall week, and gun season. Limits are per unit, not per county. Statewide buck rule: 1 a day and 2 for the year.
Knox County deer calendar
Gun hunters get Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027; muzzleloader hunters get Nov 7 to Nov 20, 2026; bowhunters start Sep 26. No county-specific dates apply.
Can you bait in Knox County
With the Deer Bait Privilege License you may bait private ground here, limited to one scattered site per 5 acres with 500 yards of spacing.
Fall turkey in Knox County
Bowhunters can take a fall turkey during deer archery, and the fall shotgun segment is Oct 17 to 30, 2026. The limit is one male bird.
Bear hunting in Knox County
The county is in bear zone Transitional (Anderson (east of I-75, south of Old Lake City Hwy and Dutch Valley Rd), Bradley, Campbell (south of Hwy 63, east of I-75), Claiborne (east of 25E, south of Hwy 63), Grundy, Marion, Hamblen, Hamilton, Grainger, Jefferson (west of Hwy 411), Knox, Loudon, McMinn (west of Hwy 411), Sequatchie, Union).
From the 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide, checked October 28, 2026. Read the guide.
Knox County legal light by day
Deer, bear and small game can be hunted from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset; turkey and migratory bird hunting stops at sunset.
Times calculated for the center of Knox County in Eastern time. Turkey and migratory bird hunting ends at sunset. Shooting hours for every county.
Where to process a deer in Knox County
Listings inside Knox County lead, followed by bordering counties.
Listings come from TWRA, the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, state permit lists and business pages. Call before you drive; seasonal hours vary.
Before you burn in Knox County
See the Tennessee county list for Knox County today.
- Permits: 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.
- Ban orders: 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.
- Campfires while hunting: 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.
Knox County shooting ranges
The county has 2 ranges on this list, checked October 2026.
Open to the public. Listed for pistol and rifle.
Open to the public. Listed for pistol / rifle / archery / shotgun.
Upcoming matches
| Date | Event | Type | Sign up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2026 | Women Only Basic Handgun Course (Level 2) | Clinic | Register |
| Dec 2, 2026 | NJROTC Area 8 SEC Division Qualifier | Youth match | Details |
| From Dec 5 to Dec 6, 2026 | RK Gun Show Knoxville | Gun show | Details |
Next door to Knox County
County seats and towns here: Hunting near Knoxville.
For the off season, try Knox County fishing spots.
Knox County borders 8 counties, and 2 of them reported more deer in 2025-26.
Knox County: quick answers
How does Knox County rank for deer?
It ranked 42nd with 1,669 deer checked in 2025-26.
What are the antlerless limits in Knox County?
Knox County is in deer Unit 5 for 2026-27. Here the antlerless bag is set per segment, 4 in archery and 2 each in the youth hunt, the muzzleloader and straight-wall week, and gun season. Limits are per unit, not per county.
Is Knox County a CWD county?
No. Knox County is not CWD-positive and is not in the CWD Management Zone for 2026-27.
Is deer feeding allowed in Knox County?
With the Deer Bait Privilege License, yes, but only on private land; it costs residents $50.
Does Knox County allow fall gobbler hunting?
Open. Shotgun hunters get Oct 17 to 30, 2026 and bowhunters the deer archery dates, limit one male.
Are bears hunted in Knox County?
Yes, in Transitional. Zone rules and dog seasons differ, so check the bear zone dates.
When is legal shooting light in Knox County?
Use the times in the band above, worked out from local sunrise and sunset with the 30 minute buffer.
Where do I take a deer to be cut up in Knox County?
Nearby processors on the list: Broken Wing Meat Processing, Adam's Taxidermy & Processing and Coldwater Farms.
Does Knox County have a WMA?
Public areas within the county line: Forks of the River WMA and Fort Loudoun WMA. Within a short drive: Oak Ridge WMA, Whites Mill Refuge and Cove Creek WMA.
Before you hunt Knox County
Each WMA can set its own hunts and quotas, so open its page as well as the statewide seasons.
Other photos on this page: Russ (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain); bgautrea (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); Ben Sutherland (CC BY 2.0); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); GA-Kayaker (CC BY 2.0); Dave Williss (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); ilouque (CC BY 2.0).