A search for a new high-mass resonance decaying to a $\tau$ lepton and a neutrino is reported. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. The search utilizes hadronically decaying $\tau$ leptons. An interpretation of results is shown in the context of a $W'$ boson predicted in the sequential standard model (SSM), and also nonuniversal gauge interaction model (NUGIM), in which the $W'$ boson decays preferentially to fermions of the third generation. In addition, a model-independent limit is shown, allowing the results to be interpreted in other models giving the same final state with similar kinematic distributions.