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Plateau Tennessee
Rhea County Hunting
Where to hunt in Rhea County, what the 2026-27 rules are, how many deer and turkeys came out of it, and who processes and mounts game nearby.
Photo: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain)
With 1,921 deer reported in 2025-26, Rhea County ranked 30th of 95 counties for deer harvest. It spans 315 square miles of land and 21 square miles of water. Per square mile, hunters took about 6.1 deer. Its share of the statewide check-in was 1.3%.
Rhea County and nearby public land
5 public hunting areas sit at least partly inside Rhea County, and 8 more are within about 45 miles. Orange markers are in the county.
Chickamauga WMA
TWRA lists deer, turkey, waterfowl, small game here. It covers 4,000 acres.
Hiwassee Refuge
TWRA lists deer, turkey, waterfowl, dove, small game here. It covers 6,000 acres.
Yuchi Refuge
TWRA lists deer, turkey, waterfowl, dove, small game here. It covers 2,634 acres.
Fall Creek Falls State Park
21 miles away in Bledsoe County and Van Buren County, 20,000 acres.
Fall Creek Falls State Natural Area
24 miles away in Van Buren County and Bledsoe County, 16,181 acres.
Scott's Gulf Centennial Wilderness State Park PHA
25 miles away in White County and Van Buren County, 6,500 acres.
Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness WMA
26 miles away in White County and Van Buren County, 17,000 acres.
Before you head to Rhea County
Four items from the deer rifle hunting checklist.
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Harvest numbers for Rhea County
The 2025-26 deer total was 1,921, down 4% on the 2,001 of 2024-25. The ten-season average is 1,754 deer. The best season in the chart was 2022-23 with 2,042, and the lowest was 2017-18 with 1,393. Public WMA ground accounted for 325 deer in 2025-26. Gobbler hunters added 215 birds in 2026 spring, a 77th place finish.
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 Rhea County right now
There is no open bear season in Rhea County. Private land baiting is allowed in Rhea 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 9, 2026.
What the 2026-27 regulations mean in Rhea County
Rhea County deer bag
Doe limits run by season in this unit: archery 4, youth 2, muzzleloader and straight-wall 2, gun 2, and none in the August velvet hunt. You get 2 antlered deer for the season statewide, taken 1 per day at most.
When deer season opens in Rhea County
The deer year opens to archery on Sep 26, moves to muzzleloader for Nov 7 to Nov 20, 2026 and to gun for Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027.
Rhea County bait license
Baiting deer on private property is legal under the 2026-27 bait license; piles and feeders are out, scattered bait only, 500 yards apart, 1 site per 5 acres.
Rhea County fall turkey season
The county is open for fall turkey, archery on the deer archery dates plus shotgun from Oct 17 to 30, 2026, one male turkey total.
From the 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide, checked October 9, 2026. Read the guide.
Legal shooting light in Rhea County this week
Shooting light opens 30 minutes ahead of sunrise and closes 30 minutes past sunset for big and small game, but turkey and dove or duck hunters quit at sunset.
Times calculated for the center of Rhea County in Eastern time. Turkey and migratory bird hunting ends at sunset. Shooting hours for every county.
Rhea County processors and taxidermists
Local Rhea County shops come first, then the ring of counties around it.
Listings come from TWRA, the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, state permit lists and business pages. Call before you drive; seasonal hours vary.
Ranges for sighting in around Rhea County
1 range in Rhea County, checked October 2026.
Pistol · rifle · shotgun. Call ahead about access.
Counties around Rhea County
Rhea County town guides: Hunting near Dayton.
Lakes and streams here: Rhea County fishing spots.
Of its 5 neighbors, 3 out-harvested Rhea County last season.
Rhea County hunting questions
What deer processors serve Rhea County?
Watts Bar Wildlife Artistry, Ross Custom Slaughtering and Oakes Processing are listed in or beside the county.
What public areas can I hunt from Rhea County?
Chickamauga WMA, Hiwassee Refuge, Watts Bar WMA, Yuchi Refuge and Whites Creek PHA are inside the county. The nearest outside the county are Harp WMA, Bledsoe State Forest and Fall Creek Falls State Park.
What is the deer harvest in Rhea County?
2025-26: 1,921 deer, 30th statewide.
How many does can I take in Rhea County?
It is in Unit 5. Doe limits run by season in this unit: archery 4, youth 2, muzzleloader and straight-wall 2, gun 2, and none in the August velvet hunt.
Does Rhea County have chronic wasting disease?
No. It is outside the CWD Management Zone for 2026-27.
Do I need a bait license in Rhea County?
You may bait private land after buying the $50 resident bait license. WMA baiting remains illegal.
What is the fall turkey limit in Rhea County?
Yes. The fall bag is one male turkey, archery or the Oct 17 to 30, 2026 shotgun segment.
Does Rhea County have a bear season?
No, it is not part of any bear hunting zone.
What are legal hunting hours in Rhea County?
Big and small game: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. The table above shows this week’s times for the county.
Next steps for Rhea County
Double check the current guide and any quota hunt dates for the area you pick.
Other photos on this page: Dave Williss (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain); PierreSelim (CC BY 3.0); GerryT (CC BY 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); Ethan Prater (CC BY 2.0).