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West Tennessee
Stewart County Hunting
A county guide for Stewart County hunters: public areas in and around it, deer and gobbler counts, seasons and services.
Photo: LandBetweentheLakesKYTN (Public domain)
The 2025-26 deer count for Stewart County was 1,966, good for 27th statewide, on a land area of 460 square miles and 33 square miles of water. Roughly 4.3 deer were checked for every square mile of land. Statewide, that is a 1.3% share of reported deer.
Stewart County public hunting areas
The list shows 5 in Stewart County and 7 in nearby counties. The orange markers fall within the county line.
Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (Tennessee portion)
Listed for deer, turkey, waterfowl, small game, coyote.
Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge
8,862 acres. Listed for deer, turkey, small game, waterfowl, coyote.
Gear for hunting Stewart County
From our deer rifle hunting list, four that are easy to forget.
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Stewart County harvest history
Compared with 2024-25, the 2025-26 harvest of 1,966 deer was down 20%. A typical season here, averaged over ten years, brings 2,462 deer. 2022-23 topped the decade at 2,917 deer, while 2025-26 bottomed out at 1,966. About 485 of the 2025-26 deer came off wildlife management areas. The 2026 spring turkey season produced 512 birds, ranking 20th statewide.
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.
Seasons open around Stewart County
Stewart County sits outside every bear zone. With a Deer Bait Privilege License, bait is legal on private land in Stewart 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 9, 2026.
Stewart County hunting seasons and rules for 2026-27
Stewart County antlerless limits
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. The buck limit is statewide: 2 for the season, no more than 1 per day.
Stewart County deer season dates
Bow season starts Sep 26, the muzzleloader week is Nov 7 to Nov 20, 2026, and rifle season is Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027. The county follows the statewide calendar.
Baiting in Stewart County
Private land baiting is allowed with the new Deer Bait Privilege License. Sites must be scattered bait, one per 5 acres and at least 500 yards apart.
Fall turkey status for Stewart County
You can hunt a fall gobbler here, with archery tied to the deer bow dates and shotgun Oct 17 to 30, 2026; the bag is one male.
From the 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide, checked October 9, 2026. Read the guide.
This week’s legal hunting hours, Stewart County
Big game and small game hours: half an hour before sunrise through half an hour after sunset. Turkeys, doves and waterfowl end at sunset.
Times calculated for the center of Stewart County in Central time. Turkey and migratory bird hunting ends at sunset. Shooting hours for every county.
Stewart County deer processing and shops
In Stewart 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.
Shooting ranges in and near Stewart County
1 listed inside Stewart County as of October 2026.
Call ahead about access. Disciplines: sporting clays, 3D archery and shotgun.
Upcoming matches
| Date | Event | Type | Sign up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 4 through Dec 6, 2026 | Rudolph's Revenge | Sporting clays | Details |
Counties bordering Stewart County
Hunting from a Stewart County town: Hunting near Dover.
Fishing in the same county: Stewart County fishing spots.
Neighboring counties: 4. Those with a larger deer count last season: 2.
Common questions from Stewart County hunters
Who processes deer in Stewart County?
Try Smitty's Deer Processing, Who Dat Processing and Montgomery County Meat Locker.
What WMAs are in or near Stewart County?
The county’s listed public land is Barkley WMA, Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (Tennessee portion), Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge, Stewart State Forest and Fort Campbell (Tennessee portion). Nearby options include Lick Creek WMA, Haynes Bottom WMA and New Hope WMA.
What was the Stewart County deer harvest last season?
The 2025-26 count was 1,966 deer, 27th of 95.
What deer unit is Stewart County in?
The county falls in Unit 2 this season. Units 1 to 3 allow 3 antlerless deer a day through Young Sportsman, archery, muzzleloader, straight-wall and gun seasons. The August velvet hunt allows no does.
Do CWD rules apply in Stewart County?
Not at present; it is outside both the positive list and the zone.
Is baiting legal in Stewart County?
Yes. Buy the Deer Bait Privilege License ($50 for residents) and bait only on private ground, never on a WMA.
Is fall turkey open in Stewart County?
It is open: bow during deer archery, gun Oct 17 to 30, 2026, 1 male turkey.
What bear zone is Stewart County in?
No. Counties not listed in a bear hunting zone are closed to bear hunting.
When can I start hunting in the morning in Stewart County?
Half an hour on either side of sunrise and sunset for deer and small game, with turkeys and migratory birds stopping at sunset.
More for Stewart County hunters
Before a Stewart County hunt, confirm dates in the 2026-27 guide and on the area page.
Other photos on this page: USFWS/Southeast (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region (Public domain); LandBetweentheLakesKYTN (Public domain); born1945 (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Joe Mabel (CC BY-SA 4.0).