Old Hickory Lake - Lock 5 Refuge

Directions: Travel on Hwy 231 north of Lebanon and just after crossing the Cumberland River, there is an access road on the right (east side).  Access on the east side of Hwy 231-  Lat-Long: 36.30374, -86.26255  North Dickerson Chapel Rd access- Lat-Long: 36.30789, -86.23384   South Dickerson Chapel Rd access-  Lat-Long: 36.30298, -86.23336

The WMA is open year-round during daylight hours, with access dependent on hunting seasons.   The refuge is closed to all trespass from November 15th through the last day of February.  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: Michael Bobel 1-615-444-6673

Description: The WMA is located in Trousdale and Wilson Counties Tennessee, is approximately 900 acres and consists of a tree-lined river and creek banks with cultivated fields that are subject to flooding in the winter.  The main waterfowl area consists of five ponds totaling around 41 acres (1 acre, 1 acre, 7 acres, 12 acres, and 20 acres) on the north side of the Cumberland River at the Hunter's Point Bridge.  These ponds are planted in milo (millet if the season is wet and planting is delayed) and flooded in the fall to provide a refuge for waterfowl in the winter.

Some other areas have gates that can be closed to retain rainfall to provide other wet sites.  Gravel roads for driving and walking are available at these locations.  Waterfowl are abundant in winter with Mallards being the most common species.  Mid-winter counts average >2000 individuals annually.  American Coots are also very common in the area. 

Officer Hunter Daniels Named Mississippi Flyway Waterfowl Enforcement Officer of the Year

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Wildlife Officer Hunter Daniels has received the honor of being named Mississippi Flyway Waterfowl Enforcement Officer of the Year. The Mississippi Flyway Council annually recognizes full-time law enforcement officers who make outstanding contributions to the protection of waterfowl in the flyway states.

Daniels’s assigned work area is Wilson County which is one of the top waterfowl hunting destinations in Middle Tennessee. Currently, there are 134 public duck blinds on Old Hickory Wildlife Management Area. Parts of Old Hickory WMA are located within Wilson County and are managed primarily for waterfowl hunting.  Officer Daniels routinely assists other officers on Percy Priest Lake and Cheatham Reservoir with law enforcement efforts. In addition to waterfowl enforcement efforts, he patrols Old Hickory Lake during the summer, one of the top visited lakes in Tennessee.

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Photo: Hunter Daniels holds his award for being named Mississippi Flyway Waterfowl Enforcement Officer of the Year. He is flanked by Region I Major Brian Elkins (left) and Col. Darren Rider, and Region II Major Jeff Skelton.

Old Hickory Lake Fish Habitat Improvement Work Continues

Fisheries crews are working hard on Old Hickory Lake to deploy fish habitat structures to enhance the aging natural habitat in the lake.

Using a large pontoon and conveyor rollers to offload the payload, a variety of different structures are being placed at predetermined locations for optimal impact to fish habitat. Structures vary in size and are designed to resemble bushes and trees in the underwater landscape.

This habitat work is a combination of the Bill Dance Signature Lakes project and the Bass Pro Shops Habitat Grant awarded to TWRA for the enhancement of Habitat on Old Hickory Lake. Crews will continue to add habitat structures throughout the summer and work will conclude in the fall of 2023 with the deployment of several large rock reefs.   

Structures known as “jacks” are thrown individually into Old Hickory Lake. Conveyor rollers allow the crew to deploy “spider” structures at one time to create a large brush-like mass on the lake floor. The Tennessee Towers are 10 feet tall and 10 feet wide and are designed to resemble standing timber.