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West Tennessee
Madison County Hunting
Public hunting land, 2026-27 seasons, deer and turkey harvest, and processors, taxidermists and shops in Madison County, Tennessee.
Photo: Brian Stansberry (CC BY 3.0)
Hunters checked in 2,053 deer in Madison County during the 2025-26 season, 23rd among Tennessee’s 95 counties. The county has 557 square miles of land.
Public hunting land in and near Madison County
4 public hunting areas sit at least partly inside Madison County, and 8 more are within about 45 miles. Orange markers are in the county.
Tull Bottom WMA
About 15 miles from the center of Madison County, in Chester County. 1,184 acres.
Chickasaw State Forest & WMA
About 16 miles from the center of Madison County, in Hardeman County and Chester County. 11,215 acres.
Hatchie River WMA
About 20 miles from the center of Madison County, in Hardeman County and Haywood County.
Fort Ridge WMA
About 22 miles from the center of Madison County, in Haywood County. 1,570 acres.
Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge
About 23 miles from the center of Madison County, in Haywood County. 11,556 acres.
Grays Creek WMA
About 23 miles from the center of Madison County, in Hardeman County. 288 acres.
Parker Branch WMA
About 23 miles from the center of Madison County, in Gibson County. 263 acres.
Horns Bluff Refuge
About 23 miles from the center of Madison County, in Crockett County and Gibson County. 1,890 acres.
Gear for hunting Madison County
Picks from the deer rifle hunting checklist. Buttons search Amazon for current prices.
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Blaze orange vest
Not needed on archery-only hunts, but Tennessee requires 500 sq in of orange or pink when an archery-only deer season overlaps a big game gun season such as bear, and during combined muzzleloader or gun seasons.
Blaze orange hat
The 500 sq in orange or pink requirement covers the head as well as the upper body, so a hat is part of meeting the rule.
Full-body safety harness
Tree stand falls cause many serious hunting injuries; a full-body harness worn from the ground up keeps a slip from becoming a fall.
Binoculars
Glassing the edges helps you spot deer early enough to get ready for a shot.
Madison County deer and turkey harvest
Madison County hunters reported 2,053 deer in 2025-26 and down 13% from 2024-25. The ten-season average is 2,400 deer. About 43 of the 2025-26 deer came off wildlife management areas. Spring turkey hunters checked 370 gobblers in 2026 spring, 34th 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.
What you can hunt in Madison County right now
Every 2026-27 statewide season that applies in Madison County, with what is open today marked. Tennessee hunting laws covers legal weapons, baiting, trespass and what you cannot hunt.
- Deer: August (archery only, velvet)Aug 28 to Aug 30, 2026
- Deer: ArcherySep 26 to Oct 30, 2026
- Deer: ArcheryNov 2 to Nov 6, 2026
- Deer: Young Sportsman (gun/muzzleloader/archery)Oct 31 to Nov 1, 2026
- Deer: Young Sportsman (gun/muzzleloader/archery)Jan 9 to Jan 10, 2027
- Deer: Muzzleloader/ArcheryNov 7 to Nov 20, 2026
- Deer: Straight-wall cartridge rifle (new)Nov 14 to Nov 20, 2026
- Deer: Gun/Muzzleloader/ArcheryNov 21, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027
- Turkey: Fall archerySep 26 to Oct 30, 2026
- Turkey: Fall archeryNov 2 to Nov 6, 2026
- Turkey: Fall shotgun/archeryOct 17 to Oct 30, 2026
- Turkey: Spring Young SportsmanMar 27 to Mar 28, 2027
- Turkey: Spring general seasonApr 3 to May 16, 2027
- Ducks: Wood duck & teal (September)Sep 12 to Sep 16, 2026
- Ducks: Ducks, coot & mergansers (segment 1)Nov 28 to Nov 29, 2026
- Ducks: Ducks, coot & mergansers (segment 2)Dec 5, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027
- Waterfowl: Youth waterfowl daysFeb 6, 2027
- Waterfowl: Youth waterfowl daysFeb 13, 2027
- Waterfowl: Veterans and active military daysFeb 7, 2027
- Waterfowl: Veterans and active military daysFeb 14, 2027
- Canada goose: SeptemberSep 1 to Sep 20, 2026
- Canada goose: OctoberOct 10 to Oct 22, 2026
- Canada goose: Regular (segment 1)Nov 28 to Nov 29, 2026
- Canada goose: Regular (segment 2)Dec 5, 2026 to Feb 14, 2027
- White-fronted goose: RegularNov 28 to Nov 29, 2026
- White-fronted goose: RegularDec 5, 2026 to Feb 14, 2027
- Brant: All segmentsSep 1, 2026 to Feb 14, 2027
- Light geese: Regular (same splits as Canada goose)Sep 1, 2026 to Feb 14, 2027
- Light geese: Conservation orderFeb 15 to Mar 31, 2027
- Dove: Segment 1Sep 1 to Sep 28, 2026
- Dove: Segment 2Oct 10 to Nov 1, 2026
- Dove: Segment 3Dec 8, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027
- Woodcock: Segment 1Nov 14 to Dec 6, 2026
- Woodcock: Segment 2Jan 10 to Jan 31, 2027
- Snipe: SeasonNov 14, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027
- Rails (virginia, sora): SeasonSep 1 to Nov 9, 2026
- Gallinule and moorhen: SeasonSep 1 to Nov 9, 2026
- Crow: SegmentSep 1 to Sep 7, 2026
- Crow: SegmentSep 11 to Dec 20, 2026
- Crow: SegmentJan 1 to Feb 28, 2027
- Crow: SegmentJun 11 to Jul 11, 2027
- Squirrel: Fall/winterAug 22, 2026 to Mar 15, 2027
- Squirrel: SpringMay 8 to Jun 13, 2027
- Rabbit: SeasonNov 7, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027
- Quail: SeasonNov 7, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027
- Grouse: SeasonOct 10, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027
- Raccoon: Private landsYear-round Year-round
- Raccoon: Taking seasonSep 18, 2026 to Mar 15, 2027
- Opossum: Taking seasonSep 18, 2026 to Mar 15, 2027
- Coyote: DaytimeYear-round Year-round
- Coyote: Night season (with bobcat)Jan 16 to Mar 14, 2027
- Coyote: Night season (with bobcat)Jun 5 to Aug 8, 2027
- Bobcat: Private landsSep 26 to Nov 19, 2026
- Bobcat: SeasonNov 20, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027
- Feral hog: Private land controlYear-round Year-round
From the 2026-27 TWRA guide, checked October 9, 2026. WMAs can set shorter dates; check the area listing.
Madison County hunting seasons and rules for 2026-27
Unit 1 deer limits
3 per day in Young Sportsman, archery, muzzleloader, straight-wall rifle and gun seasons. None in August hunt. Antlered deer: 2 per season statewide, 1 per day.
Madison County deer season dates
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.
Madison County is CWD-positive
Baiting and feeding are banned, whole carcasses stay inside the CWD Management Zone, and each tested antlerless deer earns an extra buck under Earn-A-Buck.
Fall turkey in Madison County
Fall turkey is open: archery with the deer archery dates and shotgun Oct 17 to 30, 2026, 1 male turkey for the fall.
From the 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide, checked October 9, 2026. Read the guide.
Legal shooting light in Madison County this week
Legal hunting hours for big and small game run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Turkey and migratory birds end at sunset.
Times calculated for the center of Madison County in Central time. Turkey and migratory bird hunting ends at sunset. Shooting hours for every county.
Deer processors, taxidermists and shops near Madison County
In Madison County first, then the counties that border it.
Listings come from TWRA, the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, state permit lists and business pages. Call before you drive; seasonal hours vary.
Hunting events in Madison County
1 upcoming event listed, checked October 2026.
Upcoming
| Date | Event | Type | Where | Sign up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2026 | Madison Co Sportsman's Dinner & Auction | Banquet | Jackson, Madison County | Buy tickets |
Shooting ranges in and near Madison County
3 ranges in Madison County, checked October 2026.
Pistol, rifle, shotgun and archery. Members only.
Upcoming matches
| Date | Event | Type | Sign up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2026 | West Tennessee Rimfire TSF NRL22 October 2026 | Precision rifle | Details |
| Oct 11, 2026 | TSF Defensive Pistol Match (2026-10-11) | IDPA | Details |
| Oct 16 to Oct 17, 2026 | CMP 2026 Tennessee State Championship (Rimfire Sporter) | Smallbore rifle | Enter |
| Oct 24, 2026 | TSF 3-Gun Rotary Match | 3-gun | Details |
| Nov 7, 2026 | TSF Metallic Silhouette Monthly Match (2026-11-07) | Smallbore rifle | Details |
| Nov 8, 2026 | TSF Defensive Pistol Match (2026-11-08) | IDPA | Details |
Counties bordering Madison County
Towns in Madison County: Hunting near Jackson.
Fishing in the same county: Madison County fishing spots.
Madison County hunting questions
Where can I hunt public land in Madison County?
Colonel Forrest V. Durand WMA, Perry Switch WMA, South Fork Waterfowl Refuge and Spring Creek Wetland PHA are inside the county. Nearby options include Tull Bottom WMA, Chickasaw State Forest & WMA and Hatchie River WMA.
How many deer were killed in Madison County?
Hunters reported 2,053 deer in Madison County in 2025-26, ranking 23rd of 95 counties.
What deer unit is Madison County in?
Madison County is in deer Unit 1 for 2026-27. 3 per day in Young Sportsman, archery, muzzleloader, straight-wall rifle and gun seasons. None in August hunt.
Is Madison County a CWD county?
Yes, it is on the CWD-positive list.
Can I bait deer in Madison County?
No. Baiting and wildlife feeding are banned in this county under the CWD rules.
Is there a fall turkey season in Madison County?
Yes. Fall archery follows the deer archery dates and fall shotgun runs Oct 17 to 30, 2026, with a limit of one male turkey.
Can I hunt bear in Madison County?
No. Counties not listed in a bear hunting zone are closed to bear hunting.
When is legal shooting light in Madison County?
Big and small game: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Turkey and migratory birds end at sunset. The table above shows this week’s times for the county.
Where can I get a deer processed in Madison County?
Listed processors in or next to Madison County include Latham's Meat Market, Spring Creek Processing and Custom Deer Processing.
Plan your Madison County hunt
Check the 2026-27 TWRA guide and each area listing before you hunt in Madison County.