Laurel Hill WMA
Directions and Description
Directions: From Columbia, take Hwy 43 to Hwy 20, follow Hwy 20 through Summertown, turn left on Hwy 240 (Turnpike Road), and take Hwy 240 to Hwy 241 (Napier Road). Turn right on Hwy 241, turn left on VFW Road, and stay straight to VFW Lake and Deer Check Station.
The deer check station address is 74 VFW Rd. Lawrenceburg TN. 38464. Check Station 931-762-4537. The check station is only open during gun hunts. Maps are outside at the check station and at all horse parking areas. WMA headquarters phone number is 931-762-5749.
Laurel Hill Lake – Address is 39 Peter Cave Rd., Lawrenceburg, TN. 38464. Laurel Hill Lake Bait Shop 931-762-7200. From 64 HWY, turn onto Chisholm Crossing Road, which becomes Brush Creek Road, and the lake entrance is on the right. Laurel Hill Lake - Lat: 35.3513°N Long: -87.53376°W VFW Lake - Lat: 35.3567°N Long: -87.4845°W
The WMA is open year-round during daylight hours; please note hunting seasons. License fees may apply.
TWRA Contact Information: Region 2 Office: 1-615-781-6622, Toll-Free: 1-800-624-7406, E-mail the office, TWRA Area Manager: Pam McDonald 1-931-762-5749
Description: Laurel Hill Wildlife Management Area is owned by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and is in northwest Lawrence County, Tennessee. It consists of 14,952 acres. Eighty-five percent of the property is mature hardwoods; the remaining acreage is managed openings of early successional grass or brushy areas, planted food, and cover plots ranging from clover, corn, milo, millet, lespedeza, native warm-season grasses, which provide hunting opportunities for deer, turkey, small game, and dove. There are 30 miles of chert gravel roads, which provide good access throughout the property. There are also approximately 30 miles of horse trails.
The Little Buffalo River runs through the middle of the property, and there are numerous other small streams that are tributaries to the Little Buffalo. There are two TWRA managed lakes within Laurel Hill WMA that provide excellent Bass, Bluegill, Catfish, and Crappie fishing opportunities. The largest is Laurel Hill Lake, which is 325 acres, and the VFW Lake is 22 acres. There is one primitive campground in the WMA for hunters, which has no electrical or water hookups. It is across the street from 276 Napier Rd., Lawrenceburg, TN 38464; no sign-in or registration is required. Laurel Hill also has 3 deer hunting blinds to assist hunters with disabilities.
ATV/UTV’s are allowed only on roads open to motor vehicle traffic. All hooved animals must be ridden on designated trails or roads open to motorized vehicles. Hooved animals and ATV riding are prohibited during all big game (deer, turkey) seasons. Hooved animal riding and ATV use are permitted only by individuals possessing a license valid to hunt the WMA OR a High Impact Habitat Conservation Permit.
The use of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
Neotropical migratory bird species are common in summer, including Summer and Scarlet Tanager, Worm-eating Warbler, and Kentucky Warbler. Cerulean Warblers also nest here, one of the few locations in the western highland rim where they can still be found nesting. Loggerhead Shrikes are rare, but regularly nest in the area. Great Blue Herons, Eastern Bluebird, and Belted Kingfishers are regularly seen year-round.
On Laurel Hill Lake, Common Loons, Mallards, Gadwall, Wood Ducks, and Bufflehead can be abundant in winter. Spring migration can yield a wide variety of migrant birds, including Magnolia Warbler, Yellow Warbler, and Bay-breasted Warbler. Wild Turkey, White-tailed Deer, squirrel, rabbit, and other game species are abundant.
Regulations & Dates
Special Use - ATVs - Hooved Animals -are allowed on roads open to motor vehicle traffic only. All hooved animals must be ridden on designated trails or roads open to motorized vehicles. Hooved animals and ATVs riding on trails and roads are prohibited during all big game seasons.
Horses and other saddle and pack animals and Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) use are permitted only by individuals possessing a valid hunting and fishing license and WMA permit or a High Impact Habitat Conservation Permit.
Unauthorized entry or presence is prohibited between sunset and sunrise.
Deer hunters in Lewis County portion of WMA must follow carcass transport restrictions. During quota hunts, call check station at 1-931-762-4537 to coordinate check-in. Contact area manager for wheelchair accessible blinds.
CWD Carcass Transportation Regulations Apply
Small game and Trapping - Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Small game hunting is closed at sunset the day before and during the young sportsman's hunt and quota hunt.
Opossum - Raccoon - Sept. 1, 2025 - Feb. 28, 2026. Bag limit two (2) raccoons per person per night. Opossum: no limit.
Special Antlered Deer Regulations apply on all deer hunts. Antlered deer must have at least four (4) antler points on one (1) side or a 15-inch minimum outside spread.
Deer (Archery) - Sept. 20 – Oct. 9, 2025. Three (3) deer, either sex, only one (1) antlered (bonus deer).
Deer (Gun - Young Sportsman) - Oct. 11–12. 2025 Two (2) deer, only one (1) may be antlered. No antler restrictions (bonus deer). WMA Check Station open.
Deer (Muzzleloader) - Oct. 16–19, 2025. Hunter quota 500. One (1) deer, antlered only (bonus deer). WMA Check Station open.
Deer (Gun) - Nov. 14–16, 2025. Hunter quota 500. One (1) deer, antlered only (bonus deer). WMA Check Station open.
Deer (Gun) - Nov. 28–30, 2025. Hunter quota 500. One (1) deer, antlered only (bonus deer). WMA Check Station open.
Deer (Gun) - Dec. 5–7, 2025. Hunter quota 500. Two (2) deer, only one (1) may be antlered. (bonus deer). WMA Check Station open.
Turkey - Same as statewide season.
Waterfowl - Same as statewide season, except hunting on Laurel Hill Lake is only open the last 2 weeks of the statewide season, Jan. 17-31, 2026, and by boat access only. VFW Lake is closed to waterfowl hunting.
Dog training - Sept. 1, 2025 – March 15, 2026, except during big game hunts, daylight hours only.
Camping - Open during deer and turkey seasons to any hunters who are actively hunting the WMA. In designated campground only.
SHIELDS FARM UNIT
Big Game Small Game, Trapping and Dog hunting - Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Centerfire rifles and handguns are prohibited.
Photos
WMA Information
Turkey Hunting Tips and FAQs
Laurel Hill turkey season dates are the same as statewide. It is included in some of the southern Tennessee counties that experienced a turkey population decline several years ago and has never recovered to historic numbers, so it has a fairly low population of turkeys, but that also means less hunting pressure. Turkey harvest on the WMA can be checked in online. Laurel Hill has great turkey habitat with mature hardwoods and scattered openings ranging from thick cover to agricultural crops and other food plots.
Deer Hunting Tips and FAQs
Laurel Hill has special deer hunt dates and antler restrictions of 4 point on one side or a 15” outside spread. Youth on the young sportsman hunt are exempt from the antler restriction. Be familiar with special laws, rules, and regulations before you go. Antler restrictions are intended to allow a hunter to harvest an older age class buck on public land, so when in doubt, let it walk. Many bucks at Laurel Hill do not have eye guards and can be an inch past their ears and still not meet the antler requirements.
You may use an ATV/side-by-side to help retrieve a harvested deer.
Scouting may be done on any day there is not a quota or youth hunt scheduled.
Dove
The dove field is located across from 276 Napier Road. You may not enter the field or reserve spots till 11:00 a.m. on opening day. We normally plant 1/3 of the field in corn, which is harvested, then top-sown with wheat; 1/3 soybean, and millet hay, which is cut and baled; and a1/3 in top-sown wheat.
Plug – no person shall hunt with a shotgun capable of holding more than 3 shells
Migratory bird permit required except for;
Landowners on their own land, disabled veterans, Tennessee residents over 65, Lifetime Sportsman License holders, military personnel on leave/furlough with papers, and youth under 16,
Licenses required
Type 01(16-64), LT, sportsman, (13-15 need jr. hunt fish trap) & WMA small game permit required except: Lifetime, sportsmen, youth under 16 & individuals over 65.
Giving someone your birds – give them a note with your name, TWRA ID #, and date. Keep limits separated while afield.
Handicap Blinds
Handicap Blinds are available and are intended for hunters with disabilities, injuries, hunters with small children, and hunters with age-related mobility issues, and will be prioritized according to needs.
Call Laurel Hill Headquarters at 931-762-5749 to reserve. If you are hunting and a blind does not have a reserved sign posted, any hunter may use them on first come first served basis, just put the reserved sign up when you arrive and take it down when you leave.
Youth Young Sportsman Hunt
Youth Young Sportsman Hunt is 2 days in mid- October, open to all youths 6-16. No quota permit required, and no antler restrictions apply. We typically have a chili and hot dog lunch on Saturday at any time after 10 a.m. at the checking station. We have door prizes for the young sportsmen if we get donations or grants to provide them. The Youth Event and Checking Station is located at 74 VFW Rd. Lawrenceburg, TN 38464. No preregistration or sign-in required. Just hunt and come see us at VFW at any time you like after 10 a.m. Youths 6-16 may participate. Youths must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult 21 or older, who must remain with the youth and also comply with blaze orange/pink regulations. Adults are not required to have a hunting license. Youths 6 and older hunting WMA must have a type 94 WMA permit, or a lifetime license; youths 13 and older must have other applicable licenses valid to deer hunt. All youths 10 and older must have successfully completed a hunter education class.
Bag limit is one deer, either sex (bonus deer), again, no antler restrictions.
Muzzleloader and Gun Hunts
Special season dates can be found in the hunting and trapping guide. These are all quota permit hunts, so you must apply online at GoOutDoorsTennessee, TWRA's customer portal, in mid- July during our application period and be awarded a permit to hunt. The quota hunt system helps us to more closely manage the deer population and hunting pressure. The deer checking station is typically open from daylight till around 2 hours after dark during all gun hunts. Harvested deer should be taken to the check station, where we weigh, measure, and take pictures for our records. We have photos and records dating back to the 1980s. This biological information is critical data for us to have for making antler restriction and population management decisions. They can be checked in on your phones, but we prefer you to use the transportation tags that came with your license, or you can print transportation tags prior to harvest and just bring the deer to the check station for us to enter. Transportation tags can be printed through your online account, in the harvest reporting section. The checking station does have a deer skinning pole for hunters' use.
Camping
Camping is only allowed in designated camping areas. No backcountry camping.
Laurel Hill has campgrounds for hunters and fishermen. Camping is free. It is primitive. There are no camping reservations; they are first-come, first-served.
1. The WMA Napier Rd campground is located across the street from 276 Napier Rd, Lawrenceburg, TN. No reservation or permission needed. There is only a Porta Potty and an outhouse on site. No electrical or water hookups. You can make campfires unless Lawrence County, Tennessee, is under a burn ban due to drought conditions. This campground does have cell phone signal. Alcohol is allowed at this location.
2. The Laurel Hill Lake campground address to Laurel Hill Lake is 35 Peter Cave Rd., Lawrenceburg, TN 38464, it is located behind the youth fishing pond. It is primitive. There is a bathroom that is open seasonally with a toilet and a sink only. It will be closed during freezing temperatures. There is no cell phone signal there. You should sign in at the lake bait shop during open hours. If they are closed when you arrive, just go ahead and pick a spot and camp, then sign in when the bait shop is open. The bait shop is closed from October to March. No alcohol is allowed, and no night fishing is permitted.
3. The VFW Lake campground is open for quota permit holders during gun hunts only. The Address is 74 VFW Rd, Lawrenceburg, TN 38464. RVs and campers over 20ft cannot make it around switchback curves around the lake to the campground, so they should stay at the other options. When you come down the hill to the lake, the checking station is the house at the lake. Turn left, there are 2 fields on the left of the road where you camp. No camping between the road and the lake. No Cell Signal. Porta Potties only, no electrical or water hookups, are at the lake. No alcohol is allowed. No night fishing is permitted.
Horse and ATV Riding
Laurel Hill, Yanahli, and Cheatham prohibit horseback and ATV recreational riding during deer and turkey hunts.
Laurel Hill has over 30 miles of horse trails. Most are through a shaded forest canopy. There are many streams through the area, and the trails run along them and cross them. There are maps at the map stations at the horse trailer parking areas at Finnie Road, Laurel Hill Lake Road, and the End of Smith Road. Maps can also be found on the TWRA GIS webpages. There is no cell signal in much of the WMA except on some ridge tops. Riding is not allowed at night.
ATVs/OHVs can only ride on roads open to motorized vehicle traffic.
A high-impact permit or license valid to hunt a WMA is required at Cheatham, Williamsport, Yanahli, Laurel Hill, and Bear Hollow WMAs in Region 2. The closest license sale location to Laurel Hill WMA is Laurel Hill Bait Shop (closed Oct-March), located at 39 Peter Cave Road, or may be purchased with a credit card at GoOutdoorsTennessee.com.
Tennessee Rule 1660-01-14-15 states- A High Impact Conservation Permit is required for riding hoofed animals, bicycling, and off-highway vehicle use on designated WMAs. Persons holding a valid hunting license with an appropriate permit to hunt on a WMA and youths under age 13 are exempt.
All horse- or mule-drawn wagons/buggies are exempt from the High impact since they can only use roads open to motorized vehicles.
OHVs that are street legal are exempt from the permits.
In those OHVs that are not street legal, only one person in the OHV is required to have a permit.
License/permit info
There are many TWRA license options available that meet the legal requirement, and you can choose based on what works best for you, based upon if you hunt and fish or not. Typically, even if you do not hunt or fish, it is cheaper to purchase the hunting licenses.
Fishing
Laurel Hill WMA has 2 TWRA Agency Lakes on site. Laurel Hill Lake, which is 325 acres. VFW Lake is 22 acres. The lakes are open 30 minutes before sunrise till official sunset. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
There are two agency lakes within Laurel Hill WMA that provide excellent Bass, Bluegill, Catfish, and Crappie fishing opportunities. The agency lakes are for fishing only and not for recreational use or boating. Special fish creel and size limits apply. Laurel Hill Lake has a bait shop that is open seasonally. A TWRA Lake fishing permit is required in addition to a fishing license. All Tennessee residents ages 16-64, and nonresidents ages 16 and older, must have a TWRA Lake Fishing permit. The annual fishing permit is valid at all TWRA agency lakes. Residents 65 and older do not need a lake permit but do need a fishing license. Permits and licenses may be purchased at GoOutdoorsTennessee.com.
Laurel Hill WMA also has the Little Buffalo River running through the middle of the WMA. An applicable fishing license is required. No fishing at night. No camping along or on the river.
Trout are stocked at four low water bridges normally once a month from March to June. The stocking locations are at Finnie Road, Burns Bottoms Road, CC Road, and Laurel Hill Road crossings. See the TWRA Trout stocking webpage for the most up-to-date information on trout fishing.
The Little Buffalo River headwaters are just a few miles upstream from the WMA, so the river is typically too low to kayak or canoe without quite a bit of dragging through the WMA. But it is allowed, and the north end of the WMA is the deepest stretch of the river.
