Old Hickory WMA
Site Directions: Access is primarily via water, but a couple 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
Site Description: Of the 6,000 acres of Old Hickory WMA, only 1,000 acres are accessible from public access locations. The remainder are 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. Public access is via gravel roads, which can be driven or walked.
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.
See Old Hickory-Lock 5 Refuge and Old Hickory Lake Dam and vicinity and site details pages for other locations in the area.
NOTE: Please refer to TWRA Hunting Guide about hunting seasons and public access dates. Access dates vary by site.
For more information:
Birds of Old Hickory Lake from eBird submissions
Submit your data to eBird and help us add to the list of birds seen at this site
Be sure to check out our Safety Tips page for important information regarding viewing wildlife in these areas.
