HEREMemphis
Memphis
Hunting
Report
Live conditions, season status, solunar ratings, WMA profiles, and community hunting coverage for Shelby and Game Zone.
Hog: UNK
Turkey: UNK
Dove: UNK
Deer: UNK
Game Zone
First Look • Hunt Conditions
🌔
Waxing Gibbous
Illumination: 93%
11:27 am
12:36 am
90°F
8 mph
Weather as of 5:35 PM ET
Fair — bright nights keep deer nocturnal. Hunt midday movement.
Game Zone • Shelby
Memphis Hunting Season Status
Whitetail Deer
UNK
Season DatesUNK — verify with TWRA.
Bag Limit:UNK — verify with TWRA.
No verified Whitetail Deer season data seeded for this clone. Contact your operator to load TWRA canonical dates.
Do not hunt without confirmed regulations from TWRA.
Feral Hog
UNK
Season DatesUNK — verify with TWRA.
Bag Limit:UNK — verify with TWRA.
No verified Feral Hog season data seeded for this clone. Contact your operator to load TWRA canonical dates.
Do not hunt without confirmed regulations from TWRA.
Spring Turkey
UNK
Season DatesUNK — verify with TWRA.
Bag Limit:UNK — verify with TWRA.
No verified Spring Turkey season data seeded for this clone. Contact your operator to load TWRA canonical dates.
Do not hunt without confirmed regulations from TWRA.
Mourning Dove
UNK
Season DatesUNK — verify with TWRA.
Bag Limit:UNK — verify with TWRA.
No verified Mourning Dove season data seeded for this clone. Contact your operator to load TWRA canonical dates.
Do not hunt without confirmed regulations from TWRA.
Season dates shown are for Game Zone private lands. WMA dates, license requirements, and antlerless regulations may differ. Always verify current regulations with TWRA before hunting.
Report a Season Update
First Look
Memphis Hunting Weather Now
90F
Mostly Cloudy
Feels like 96°F
as of 5:35 PM ET
Wind
8 mph N
Humidity
55%
Pressure
1016 hPa
Moon
Waxing Gibbous
Location
Memphis, TN
Field Scout Tips
- Nothing is in season today — pure scouting window. Walk property lines, check trail cams, and hang stands for the opener.
- Warm day — scout creek bottoms and water sources where game will hold once seasons reopen.
- Use closed season to inventory deer, locate gobblers on the roost, and pattern hog sign for when seasons return.
Solunar Index
Memphis Hunt Conditions Today
Temperature
90°F
Too Warm
Wind Speed
8 mph
Ideal — Calm
Barometric
1016 hPa
Normal
Moon Phase
🌔
Fair
Extended Outlook
Memphis Hunt Forecast — 5 Days
TODAY
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
91° / 74°
5 mph wind • 0% humidity
STAY IN
THU
Patchy Fog then Sunny
91° / 71°
5 mph wind • 0% humidity
SLOW
FRI
Sunny
90° / 70°
8 mph wind • 0% humidity
FAIR
SAT
Sunny
92° / 71°
5 mph wind • 0% humidity
FAIR
SUN
Sunny
94° / 75°
3 mph wind • 0% humidity
FAIR
Public Hunting Lands
Memphis Tennessee Wildlife Management Areas
Six public hunting areas within reach of Memphis — from in-county dove fields to mountain bear country an hour west.
Wolf River WMA & Ghost River SNA
4,236 acres acres
Wildlife Management Area & State Natural Area
deer
turkey
squirrel
waterfowl
Bottomland hardwood forest along the Wolf River with the Ghost River section's iconic cypress-tupelo swamp boardwalk.
Multiple public access points off Bateman Rd and La Grange Rd
Field Tip
Check TWRA quota-hunt draws before planning a big-game trip.
John Tully WMA
15,500 acres acres
Wildlife Management Area
deer
turkey
waterfowl
small game
Large bottomland tract near the Mississippi River offering big-game and waterfowl hunting on managed units.
Access via local roads near Henning, TN
Field Tip
Waterfowl blinds require advance TWRA reservation in-season.
Meeman-Shelby Forest WMA & State Park
13,467 acres (state park + WMA) acres
Wildlife Management Area & State Park
deer
turkey
squirrel
Upland hardwood forest along the Mississippi River bluffs just north of Memphis, popular for archery deer hunting close to the city.
Park entrance off Bluff Rd, Millington, TN
Field Tip
Close proximity to Memphis makes it a good after-work or weekend option.
Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge
Federal refuge tract acres
National Wildlife Refuge
deer
turkey
squirrel
waterfowl
One of the last unchannelized major tributaries of the Mississippi River, protecting bottomland hardwood forest along the Hatchie River.
Refuge office/visitor contact off Highway 76 South
Field Tip
Hunting is permitted on designated refuge tracts under specific federal regulations — confirm current refuge hunt units before visiting.
Did We Miss a Spot?
Know a Memphis-area hunting land, WMA, or public access parcel that should be on this list? Let us know.
Report a Hunting SpotCommunity Reviews
Memphis Hunting Reviews
Meeman-Shelby Forest WMA
Went back to Meeman-Shelby for a small-game morning and worked the bluff trails for squirrel with a .410. Bagged four grays in the hickories overlooking the Mississippi, with a bald eagle circling the river the whole time. Underrated tract for anyone who just wants a quiet morning outdoors.
Species: Gray Squirrel
Best Spot: Hickory stand along the bluff trail
Key Gear: .410 shotgun
Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge
Drew a quota hunt at Chickasaw NWR for deer and sat a hardwood flat near a slough full of fresh rubs. A young buck came through at 8:30 followed by a group of does, but I held out for something bigger and never got the chance. Refuge is tightly managed and it shows in the deer sign everywhere.
Species: Whitetail Deer
Best Spot: Hardwood flat near slough, quota unit 2
Key Gear: .308 bolt-action, box blind
Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge
Hunted wood ducks in the flooded timber on the Hatchie with my brother and his lab, and the birds were pouring into the pin oaks right at legal light. Six woodies and a wigeon before 9am, then it went quiet. The Hatchie's bottomland hardwood is about as good as duck cover gets in West Tennessee.
Species: Wood Duck & Wigeon
Best Spot: Flooded pin oak flat, east unit
Key Gear: 12ga semi-auto, #4 steel, lab retriever
John Tully WMA
Hunted turkey on John Tully during the late season and roosted a bird the evening before near a bean field edge. Called him in on a box call just after 7am — 19 pounds, short spurs but a solid beard for a young tract like this. Access requires a bit of a hike but it thins out the crowd.
Species: Eastern Wild Turkey
Best Spot: Bean field edge, west boundary
Key Gear: 12ga pump, box call
Share Your Hunt
Hunted a Memphis-area WMA or private land? Tell us about it in 280 characters or fewer.
Community
Here We...
Bag Them Big...
Trophy harvests, personal bests, and record-book moments from Memphis hunters.
Climbed into a hickory flat on the Shelby Forest WMA side of the park on a cold front morning. He came through chasing at 9:15, stopped to scent-check at forty yards, and I made the shot count. Field-dressed him out near the loess bluff trail. That buck is the biggest the Chickasaw Bluff has given me yet.
Whitetail Deer 10-point, 181 lbs dressed
Set the decoys in a flooded timber hole off the Mississippi bottoms below Meeman-Shelby before legal light. Whistling wings started dropping through the canopy within minutes of shooting time. Limited out on drakes by 7:40. Delta timber duck hunting right at the edge of Memphis city limits is a gift not enough people use.
Wood Duck Limit of 6 drakes
Bowhunted a pinch point between two soybean fields on John Tully WMA during the late rut. He chased a doe right into the lane at fifteen yards, and the shot was true, quartering-away double-lung. Short blood trail through the beans. West Tennessee ag-country bucks like this one don't show up often on public ground.
Whitetail Deer 8-point, 161 lbs dressed
Don't Drink by the Swig...
Your favorite post-hunt watering hole. Where do you go when the hunt is done?
Got the Shelby Forest buck to the processor by early afternoon and met everybody at Ghost River downtown. Golden Ale, exposed brick, the whole crew re-hashing the chase through the hickories. Best blue-collar post-hunt spot in the city, hands down.
Ghost River Brewing -- Ghost River Golden Ale
Limited out on woodies and drove straight to Payne's on Lamar with waders still on. Chopped pork plate, cold root beer, mustard slaw dripping everywhere. Delta duck hunters and Memphis barbecue were made for each other.
Payne's Bar-B-Q -- Root beer
Field-dressed the buck at the John Tully check station, then met the crew at Wiseacre's OG Taproom on Broad. Tiny Bomb, garage doors open, retelling the rut chase for the third time. Midtown Memphis does a good job hosting a hunt-day crowd.
Wiseacre Brewing OG Taproom -- Tiny Bomb Pilsner
Coverage
Memphis Hunting News
Local — Memphis and West Tennessee / Mid-South
Coming Soon
Local
Memphis Hunting Coverage Coming Soon
Local WMA reports, season openers, deer and turkey harvest news, and West Tennessee / Mid-South hunting coverage from the HEREMemphis newsroom.
National — Whitetail, CWD, and Conservation
Coming Soon
National
National Hunting Coverage Coming Soon
Whitetail news, CWD updates, conservation legislation, gear reviews, and national hunting stories with a Memphis perspective.
More at Outdoor Sports
Fishing, camping, hiking, and all outdoor sports coverage for Memphis and West Tennessee / Mid-South, TN
Outfitters and Gear
Hunting Gear Guide
Gear reviews and picks for the Memphis hunter — boots, optics, packs, and more.
Gear Reviews — Tested for West Tennessee / Mid-South, TN Hunting
As an Amazon Associate, HERE earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability subject to change.
Icotec Nomad+ Programmable Predator Call/Decoy Combo with Bluetooth - 165 Professional Sound…
Decoy
Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Icotec Nomad+ Programmable Predator Call/Decoy Combo with Bluetooth - 165 Professional Sound….
$13.99
Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk
View on Amazon →
ATN Thor 5 Smart HD Thermal Scope w/Ultra Sensative Gen 5 Sensor, Video Rec, Built in LRF, B…
Optic / Scope
Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. ATN Thor 5 Smart HD Thermal Scope w/Ultra Sensative Gen 5 Sensor, Video Rec, Built in LRF, B….
$1676.85
Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk
View on Amazon →
Pulsar Trail 3 LRF Thermal Riflescope with Laser Range Finder and Mount
Laser Rangefinder
Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Pulsar Trail 3 LRF Thermal Riflescope with Laser Range Finder and Mount.
$2899.97
Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk
View on Amazon →
Garmin inReach® Mini 3, Rugged Compact Global Satellite Communicator with Color Touchscreen,…
GPS / Navigation
Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Garmin inReach® Mini 3, Rugged Compact Global Satellite Communicator with Color Touchscreen,….
$399.99
Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk
View on Amazon →
Vortex Optics Fury HD 5000 10x42 Laser Rangefinding Binoculars
Laser Rangefinder
Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Vortex Optics Fury HD 5000 10x42 Laser Rangefinding Binoculars.
$799.00
Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk
View on Amazon →
TACTACAM Reveal X PRO Cellular Trail Camera, Verizon and AT&T, NO Glow, Integrated GPS Track…
Trail Camera
Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. TACTACAM Reveal X PRO Cellular Trail Camera, Verizon and AT&T, NO Glow, Integrated GPS Track….
$99.99
Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk
View on Amazon →
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Learn About Gear AdvertisingGame Zone Key Dates
TN Hunting Season Calendar
Aug 22, 2026
Young Sportsman Deer Hunt (Statewide)
Ages 6-16, either-sex, private lands. TWRA confirms specific dates annually.
Sep 26, 2026
Archery Deer Season Opens
Archery deer season opens statewide. Bag limits vary by unit. Verify against current TWRA Hunt Guide.
Oct 24, 2026
Muzzleloader Deer Season Opens
Muzzleloader (blackpowder) deer season opens statewide.
Nov 21, 2026
Gun Deer Season Opens
Gun deer season opens statewide. Peak rut typically first-second week of November across Middle/East TN. Verify local zone.
Jan 3, 2027
Deer Season Closes (Most Units)
Statewide gun deer season closes on most units. Specific unit variations apply.
Mar 27–28, 2027
Young Sportsman Turkey Hunt
Statewide youth turkey hunt (hunters age 6-16). Dates estimated based on typical TWRA pattern (last weekend of March). Confirm with 2027 TWRA Hunt Guide.
Apr 3, 2027
Spring Turkey Season Opens (Statewide)
Spring turkey season opens. Bag limit 2 per season. Verify against 2027 TWRA proclamation.
May 16, 2027
Spring Turkey Season Closes
Turkey spring season closes statewide (typical 6-week pattern).
TBD — 2026-27 Dove Season
Dove Season Dates Pending TWRA Approval
TWRA approves migratory bird dates annually. Historical pattern is 3 segments Sep-Jan. 2026-27 dates will be posted at tn.gov/twra when approved.
Year-Round
Wild Hog (Private Lands)
Wild hog may be taken year-round on private land with valid TN hunting license. No bag limit. Non-target species per TWRA. Some WMA restrictions apply.
Dates reflect 2026 Tennessee hunting regulations for Game Zone. Always verify with the current TWRA Hunting and Fishing Guide. Regulations are subject to change. Hogs are legal year-round on private land with a hunting license — no closed season.
Questions and Answers
Memphis Hunting FAQ
Common questions about hunting in the Memphis area, answered.
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Deer season dates in Game Zone vary by year and land type (private vs WMA). Specific dates for Shelby have not been confirmed against current TWRA regulations for this guide — see https://www.tn.gov/twra for the current Tennessee Hunting and Fishing Guide.
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Public hunting near Memphis is listed in the WMA directory above. TWRA manages all WMAs in Tennessee; a WMA license is required in addition to a basic hunting license.
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Yes. All hunters in Tennessee need a state hunting license. Deer and turkey require an additional big game permit. Hunting on any Wildlife Management Area (WMA) requires a WMA license. Federal migratory bird hunters age 16 and older need a federal duck stamp for waterfowl. Licenses and permits are available through TWRA at https://www.tn.gov/twra or at authorized license agents throughout Shelby.
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Sunday hunting rules in Tennessee vary by land type and local ordinance. Verify with TWRA and Shelby before hunting on Sunday.
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Deer bag limits in Game Zone vary by land type (private vs WMA) and by antlered vs antlerless. Limits for Shelby have not been confirmed against current TWRA regulations for this guide — see https://www.tn.gov/twra for the current Tennessee Hunting and Fishing Guide.
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Bear hunting in Tennessee is regulated by TWRA. Bear populations and seasons vary by Game Zone. Check the current TWRA hunting guide for bear zones and tags relevant to Shelby.
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