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East Tennessee
Hunting Near Townsend, TN
The nearest public hunting areas to Townsend, the seasons and deer unit that cover it, and local shops and processors.
Photo: Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0)
Public hunting land near Townsend
From Townsend, the shortest trip to public land is Whites Mill Refuge at about 8 miles. About 20,243 acres of public ground sit within 30 miles of town. At 37,000 acres, Oak Ridge WMA (34 miles) is the largest within reach. Miles in the table are measured in a straight line, so expect the drive to be longer.
| Area | Distance | Type | Acres | Species | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whites Mill Refuge | 8 mi | WMA | 53 | waterfowl | Blount |
| Foothills WMA | 16 mi | WMA | 10,000 | deer, turkey, small game, bear, hogs | Blount |
| Forks of the River WMA | 19 mi | WMA | 648 | deer, turkey, dove, small game, bear | Knox |
| Kyker Bottoms Refuge | 21 mi | WMA | 525 | deer, turkey, small game, hogs | Blount |
| Fort Loudoun WMA | 21 mi | WMA | 492 | waterfowl | Knox |
| Tellico Lake WMA | 22 mi | WMA | 8,000 | deer, turkey, dove, small game, bear | Monroe, Loudon |
| Henderson Island Refuge | 29 mi | WMA | 525 | deer, turkey, small game, bear | Jefferson |
| Tellico Ranger District, Cherokee NF | 31 mi | National Forest | n/a | deer, turkey, waterfowl, dove, small game | Monroe |
| Oak Ridge WMA | 34 mi | WMA | 37,000 | deer, turkey, waterfowl, coyote | Anderson, Roane |
| Buffalo Springs WMA | 38 mi | WMA | 342 | deer, turkey, dove, small game, bear | Grainger |
| Rankin WMA | 40 mi | WMA | 1,975 | deer, turkey, waterfowl, small game, hogs | Cocke, Hamblen |
| Paint Rock Refuge | 41 mi | WMA | 1,600 | deer, turkey, small game | Roane |
| Martha Sundquist State Forest | 42 mi | State Forest | 2,001 | bear | Cocke |
| Watts Bar WMA | 43 mi | WMA | 3,880 | deer, turkey, waterfowl, small game | Roane, Rhea |
Closest wildlife areas to Townsend
Open any of these for quota hunts, maps and area regulations.
What is open near Townsend in 2026-27
Deer limits around Townsend
Blount County is in Unit 6. Antlerless limits: Young Sportsman 2 for the four days, archery 4, the muzzleloader and straight-wall week 2, gun 2, none in August. Crossing into another county in the same unit does not reset the count.
Blount County bait and CWD
No CWD rules apply; baiting private land requires the Deer Bait Privilege License.
Licenses
For residents 16 to 64, the Annual Sportsman ($165) bundles every hunting privilege plus WMA access. Hunter education applies if you were born on or after Jan. 1, 1969.
Statewide dates from the 2026-27 TWRA guide, checked October 28, 2026.
Blount County near Townsend: what is in season
Blount County hunters follow zone BHZ2 bear rules. With a Deer Bait Privilege License, bait is legal on private land in Blount 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
- Bear
- Feral hogYear-round
TWRA 2026-27 guide, checked October 28, 2026.
Sunrise and legal light in Townsend
Sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset plus 30 minutes is the window for big and small game.
Calculated for Townsend in Eastern time.
Meat processing and mounts near Townsend
We start in Blount County and work outward.
Closest gun ranges to Townsend
Closest first, measured as the crow flies from town.
Shooting here: pistol. Open to the public.
Shooting here: pistol and rifle. Members only.
Shooting here: archery and 3D archery. Open to the public.
Townsend hunting FAQ
How many public areas can I reach from Townsend?
14 within 75 miles, 7 of them closer than 30.
What county covers Townsend?
Blount County. Blount County hunting covers harvest history and regulations.
What deer unit applies to Townsend?
Unit 6, through Blount County. The unit decides how many does you can take.
When does deer season open near Townsend?
Archery opens Sep 26, 2026 and gun season runs Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027 statewide.
Can I hunt turkey in fall near Townsend?
Blount County allows fall turkey by bow and by shotgun Oct 17 to 30, limit one male.
Who processes deer near Townsend?
Try Broken Wing Meat Processing and Rick Hill Taxidermy & Processing.
Do I need a WMA permit to hunt near Townsend?
Hunters aged 16 to 64 need one on WMAs; the Annual Sportsman license already includes it.
How does Blount County rank for deer?
The county ranked 78th with 1,001 deer in 2025-26.
How far is public land from Townsend?
Whites Mill Refuge is about 8 miles from Townsend in a straight line.
Townsend hunt planning
Towns close by: Hunting near Maryville, Hunting near Gatlinburg, Hunting near Sevierville.
Other photos on this page: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); ilouque (CC BY 2.0); Russ (CC BY 2.0); vastateparksstaff (CC BY 2.0).