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West Tennessee
Shelby County Hunting
Shelby County WMAs and public ground, harvest by season, the 2026-27 dates and limits, and local meat processors and shops.
Photo: cricketsblog (CC BY 2.0)
Shelby County sits in West Tennessee with 753 square miles of land and 29 square miles of water, and its 2025-26 deer check-in of 1,295 put it 56th in the state. The harvest density was close to 1.7 deer for each square mile. It accounted for 0.8% of the statewide deer harvest.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Shelby County
Public areas for Shelby County hunters
Shelby County holds 4 listed public areas, with 7 others inside a 45 mile radius. Orange pins mark areas inside the county.
Meeman-Shelby Forest WMA & State Park
13,000 acres with deer, turkey, waterfowl, small game, hogs on the list.
Wolf River WMA & Ghost River SNA
4,236 acres with deer, turkey, waterfowl, dove, small game on the list.
Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge
Located in Lauderdale County and Tipton County, around 32 miles from mid-county.
Wolf River State Forest PHA
Located in Fayette County, around 34 miles from mid-county. 5,488 acres.
Sunk Lake State Natural Area (North Unit)
Located in Lauderdale County, around 38 miles from mid-county.
Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge
Located in Haywood County, around 44 miles from mid-county. 11,556 acres.
Shelby County deer harvest by season
Deer check-ins went from 1,413 in 2024-25 to 1,295 in 2025-26, a 8% drop. Over ten seasons the county averaged 1,325 deer a year. High mark: 1,496 in 2022-23. Low mark: 1,136 in 2019-20. TWRA counts 42 of those deer as WMA harvest. In 2026 spring, 236 turkeys came out of the county (70th in Tennessee).
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.
Open seasons for Shelby County
Bear hunting is closed in Shelby County. Fall turkey is not open in Shelby County. Shelby County carries CWD carcass rules. No baiting or feeding is allowed in Shelby 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.
Shelby County deer, turkey and bear rules
Unit 1 deer limits
The daily antlerless limit is 3 across Young Sportsman, archery, muzzleloader, straight-wall rifle and gun hunts. August is bucks only. Antlered deer: 2 per season statewide, 1 per day.
2026-27 deer dates for Shelby County
2026-27 schedule: bows Sep 26, muzzleloaders Nov 7 to Nov 20, 2026, rifles and shotguns Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027, same as the rest of Tennessee.
CWD rules in Shelby County
As a positive county it falls under the bait and feeding ban and the carcass export limits, and Earn-A-Buck applies.
Fall gobbler hunting, Shelby County
The fall turkey season does not open here.
From the 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide, checked October 28, 2026. Read the guide.
Shelby County shooting hours this week
The window for big and small game is sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset plus 30. Turkeys and migratory birds close at sunset itself.
Times calculated for the center of Shelby County in Central time. Turkey and migratory bird hunting ends at sunset. Shooting hours for every county.
Hunting services around Shelby County
Ordered by county: Shelby first, then its neighbors.
Listings come from TWRA, the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, state permit lists and business pages. Call before you drive; seasonal hours vary.
Shelby County hunting events
3 upcoming events on file (November 2026 check).
Upcoming
| Date | Event | Type | Where | Sign up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 19, 2026 | Memphis Sportsman's Dinner & Auction | Banquet | Cordova, Shelby County | Buy tickets |
| Mar 19 to Mar 20, 2027 | 2027 Tennessee State Volunteer Celebration | Event | Memphis, Shelby County | Sign up |
| Jul 30 to Aug 1, 2027 | Ducks Unlimited Expo (DUX) 2027 | Expo | Memphis, Shelby County | Get tickets |
Burning rules in Shelby County
The Tennessee burn ban page shows Shelby County today.
- Permit season: 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.
- Public land fires: 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.
Gun ranges in and around Shelby County
Shelby County has 4 ranges listed, checked November 2026.
Open to the public, with pistol and rifle.
Members only, with trap, skeet, sporting clays, rifle, pistol, shotgun, plus long range rifle.
Open to the public, with pistol and rifle.
Upcoming matches
| Date | Event | Type | Sign up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 13, 2026 | Pistol Clinic | Clinic | Details |
| Nov 14, 2026 | USPSA Match, Memphis Sport Shooting Association | USPSA | Enter |
| Nov 15, 2026 | ATA Trap Shoot, Memphis Sport Shooting Association | Trap | Enter |
| Nov 15, 2026 | MSSA November ATA | Trap | Details |
| Nov 18, 2026 | West TN IDPA (2026-11-18) | IDPA | Details |
| Nov 21, 2026 | MSSA Military & Police Service Pistol Games Match and Service Pistol EIC | Event | Enter |
Hunt the counties next to Shelby County
Towns in Shelby County: Hunting near Memphis.
If you fish too, see Shelby County fishing spots.
There are 2 counties on the Shelby County line; 1 checked more deer than it did.
Questions about hunting Shelby County
How early can I shoot in Shelby County?
From a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset for most game; the weekly table above has the exact times.
Can I hunt bear in Shelby County?
Not open. Only counties in a listed bear zone have a season.
Where can I hunt public land in Shelby County?
Inside the county: Eagle Lake Refuge, Meeman-Shelby Forest WMA & State Park, Presidents Island WMA and Wolf River WMA & Ghost River SNA. Just beyond the line you will find Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge, Wolf River State Forest PHA and John Tully WMA.
Where can I drop off a deer in Shelby County?
Options close by include Holt Farms, Southern Meat Market and Taylor Made Meat Processing.
What unit sets the deer limits for Shelby County?
Unit 1 covers the county for 2026-27. This is one of the liberal units: 3 does a day in each of the youth, archery, muzzleloader, straight-wall and gun seasons, none in August.
How many deer were checked in Shelby County?
Hunters reported 1,295 deer in Shelby County in 2025-26, ranking 56th of 95 counties.
What are the bait rules in Shelby County?
Baiting is not allowed; the county is under the CWD feeding ban.
Is Shelby County in the CWD zone?
Yes. TWRA lists it as CWD-positive.
Is there a fall turkey season in Shelby County?
Closed. Only the spring season applies here.
Getting ready to hunt Shelby County
Check the 2026-27 TWRA guide and each area listing before you hunt in Shelby County.
Other photos on this page: bgautrea (CC BY-SA 2.0); USDAgov (Public domain); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); LandBetweentheLakesKYTN (Public domain).