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Middle Tennessee
Wayne County Hunting
Wayne County WMAs and public ground, harvest by season, the 2026-27 dates and limits, and local meat processors and shops.
Photo: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0)
Wayne County sits in Middle Tennessee with 734 square miles of land, and its 2025-26 deer check-in of 2,015 put it 25th in the state. The harvest density was close to 2.7 deer for each square mile. It accounted for 1.3% of the statewide deer harvest.
Public areas for Wayne County hunters
Wayne County holds 3 listed public areas, with 8 others inside a 45 mile radius. Orange pins mark areas inside the county.
Walker Branch State Natural Area
Located in Hardin County, around 26 miles from mid-county. 520 acres.
Packing list for Wayne County
Start with these from the deer rifle hunting list.
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Wayne County deer harvest by season
Deer check-ins went from 2,843 in 2024-25 to 2,015 in 2025-26, a 29% drop. Over ten seasons the county averaged 2,858 deer a year. High mark: 3,587 in 2018-19. Low mark: 2,015 in 2025-26. TWRA counts 193 of those deer as WMA harvest. In 2026 spring, 503 turkeys came out of the county (22nd 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 Wayne County
Wayne County sits outside every bear zone. Wayne County is left out of the fall turkey season. CWD has been found in Wayne County. Bait and feeders are off limits in Wayne 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 12, 2026.
Wayne County deer, turkey and bear rules
Unit 2 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 Wayne 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 Wayne 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, Wayne County
The fall turkey season does not open here.
From the 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide, checked October 12, 2026. Read the guide.
Wayne 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 Wayne County in Central time. Turkey and migratory bird hunting ends at sunset. Shooting hours for every county.
Hunting services around Wayne County
Ordered by county: Wayne 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.
Gun ranges in and around Wayne County
Nothing is listed within the county line; the nearest ones are shown with miles from the county center.
Call ahead about access, with trap.
Open to the public, with pistol, rifle, plus shotgun.
Hunt the counties next to Wayne County
Towns in Wayne County: Hunting near Waynesboro.
If you fish too, see Wayne County fishing spots.
There are 5 counties on the Wayne County line; 1 checked more deer than it did.
Questions about hunting Wayne County
Where can I hunt public land in Wayne County?
Inside the county: Browntown WMA, Eagle Creek WMA and Tie Camp WMA. Just beyond the line you will find Laurel Hill Lake, Laurel Hill WMA and Cypress Pond Refuge.
How many deer were checked in Wayne County?
Hunters reported 2,015 deer in Wayne County in 2025-26, ranking 25th of 95 counties.
What unit sets the deer limits for Wayne County?
Unit 2 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.
Is Wayne County in the CWD zone?
Yes. TWRA lists it as CWD-positive.
What are the bait rules in Wayne County?
Baiting is not allowed; the county is under the CWD feeding ban.
Is there a fall turkey season in Wayne County?
Closed. Only the spring season applies here.
Can I hunt bear in Wayne County?
Not open. Only counties in a listed bear zone have a season.
How early can I shoot in Wayne County?
From a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset for most game; the weekly table above has the exact times.
Where can I drop off a deer in Wayne County?
Options close by include Stults Custom Cuts, Grant's Butcher Shop & Deer Processing and Troyer's Processing.
Getting ready to hunt Wayne County
Check the 2026-27 TWRA guide and each area listing before you hunt in Wayne County.
Other photos on this page: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); Intermountain Region US Forest Service (Public domain); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); Virginia State Parks staff (CC BY 2.0); James St. John (CC BY 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0).