Old Hickory WMA

Site Directions: Access is primarily via water, but a couple of good areas can be accessed by vehicle. Barton Creek can be accessed from Denny Rd. The Headquarters area can be accessed via Canoe Branch Rd.

Headquarters via Canoe Branch Rd- Lat-Long: 36.34462, -86.28169

Barton Creek via Denny Rd - Lat-Long: 36.29860, -86.35861

Hours: daylight hours

Seasonality: year-round

Fees: none

Regulations

Areas consist of 6,000 huntable acres in narrow strips of land along the 21,700 acres of water on Old Hickory Lake.
Of the 6,000 acres, only 1,000 acres have public land access.
The remaining 5,000 acres are primarily accessible by water.

Unit I

Highway 109 upstream to River Mile 267, Excluding Lock 5 Refuge

Big Game, Small Game, and Trapping - Same as statewide seasons, except as noted.

Dove - Sept. 3, 2022, on Barton’s Creek. Youth only (6-16), must be accompanied by a licensed non-hunting adult. Hunting begins at 6 a.m.

Dove - Sept. 5, 2022, and every Wednesday and Friday-Sunday thereafter during the first segment of the statewide season.

Turkey - Same as statewide spring season.

Waterfowl - Hunting is permitted only from registered blind sites and staked temporary blind sites during the duck/goose season occurring in Nov. - Feb. Same as statewide season, except waterfowl hunting, shall cease at 3 p.m. (CST) during the late duck season, except hours same as statewide on the last day of each segment of the duck/goose season occurring in Nov. - Feb.

Waterfowl (wheelchair-bound only blind site) - Applications must be received by the TWRA Region II Office by noon on the fourth. Friday in October. Persons holding a permit for another blind are not eligible. Old Hickory Wheelchair Blind Application must be received at the Region II office, (615) 781-6622.

Dog training - Sept. 1 - March 15, except closed during duck seasons.

Quail - Nov. 6, 2022 - Jan. 15, 2023

Unit II

Hwy. 109 downstream to Old Hickory Dam

Big Game, Small Game, and Trapping - Same as statewide seasons, except as noted.

Quail - Nov. 6, 2022 - Jan. 15, 2023

Turkey - Same as statewide spring season.

Waterfowl Hunting same as statewide seasons, except as noted.

Hunting from registered blind sites only, except during the early duck season.

All goose hunting is from registered blinds only.

Unit III

From River Mile 267 upstream to the old Lock 6 site at River Mile 281

Big Game, Small Game, and Trapping - Same as statewide seasons, except as noted.

Turkey - Same as statewide spring season.

Quail - Nov. 6, 2022 - Jan. 15, 2023

Waterfowl Hunting same as statewide seasons, except as noted.

Hunting from registered blind sites only, except during the early duck season.

All goose hunting is from registered blinds only.

Site Description

Site Description: Of the 6,000 acres of Old Hickory WMA, only 1,000 acres are accessible from public access locations. The remainder is accessible only by boat.

There are patches of hardwood forest of oak, hickory, and maple, and riparian forest of Black Willow and sycamore along the shoreline of parts of the lake. These forested areas are mixed with cropland that is flooded for waterfowl in winter.

There is public access via gravel roads, which can be driven or walked.

Old Hickory WMA is part of The Cordell Hull Conservation Opportunity Area

Wildlife to Watch: Waterfowl are abundant in winter.

Early successional birds are common in summer, including Indigo Bunting, Northern Cardinal, Eastern Towhee, and Yellow-breasted Chat.

Sparrows of various species may be seen throughout the winter.

There are approximately a dozen heron rookeries around Old Hickory Lake.