37 S.

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C. M. Gooch WMA

2026-27 season.

Check before you hunt. Confirm these dates in 2026-2027 Tennessee Fishing, Hunting & Trapping Guide. Seasons, closures and area rules can change.

Deer

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Archery: Sep 26 – Oct 30, Nov 2–6
  • Young sportsman: Oct 31 – Nov 1, Jan 9–10
  • Muzzleloader: Nov 7–20
  • Gun: Nov 21 – Jan 3

In the guide: “Big Game: Same as statewide seasons, except the area inside the TWRA maintained levee of Unit A and all of Unit E are closed during the waterfowl seasons. Closed to fall turkey hunting.”

Turkey

Mar 27–28

Follows the statewide season (spring young sportsman Mar 27–28). Only for youth hunters.

In the guide: “Turkey (Young Sportsman): Same as statewide season.”

Apr 3–25

Any legal weapon.

In the guide: “Turkey: April 3–April 25. One male bearded turkey, counts toward statewide bag limit.”

Ducks and geese

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Ducks and teal: Sep 12–16, Nov 28–29, Dec 5 – Jan 31
  • Geese: Sep 1–20, Oct 10–22, Nov 28–29, Dec 5 – Feb 14

Hunting closes at 3 p.m. on Units A and E, except the last day of each segment and the remaining goose seasons. Unit E hunts are drawn: opening weekends, Monday–Thursday, and Friday–Sunday.

In the guide: “Waterfowl: Same as statewide season, except Gooch waterfowl hunting closes at 3 p.m. on Units A and E. Waterfowl hunting on the last day of each segment of the duck and remaining goose seasons closes at sunset.”

Small game, grouse, woodcock, dove, and raccoon

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Squirrel: Aug 22 – Mar 15, May 8 – Jun 13
  • Rabbit: Nov 7 – Feb 28
  • Quail: Nov 7 – Jan 15
  • Grouse: Oct 10 – Feb 28
  • Woodcock: Nov 14 – Dec 6, Jan 10–31
  • Dove: Sep 1–28, Oct 10 – Nov 1, Dec 8 – Jan 15
  • Raccoon: Sep 18 – Mar 15

In the guide: “Small Game: Same as statewide seasons, except the area inside the TWRA maintained levee of Unit A and all of Unit E are closed during the waterfowl seasons.”

Area rules

Inside the TWRA levee of Unit A and all of Unit E are closed during the waterfowl seasons, and to all activities five days before each opening of the duck season (Nov.-Feb.). Only waterfowl may be hunted inside the Unit A levee and in Unit E during the waterfowl season. No permanent blinds; all materials removed from Unit E daily. Unit E is allocated by computer draw, with temporary blinds at numbered stakes.

Nearby areas

Three Rivers WMA around 3 miles away

Hop-In Refuge around 8 miles away

Obion River WMA around 10 miles away

Big Cypress Tree State Natural Area around 15 miles away

Maness Swamp Refuge around 15 miles away

Most WMAs are open with statewide seasons except as noted in their listing; on those, the season dates, bag limits and legal weapons of the county the WMA is in apply. WMAs marked BG, SG or WF need a Big Game, Small Game or Waterfowl WMA permit on top of the license (Sportsman and Lifetime license holders are exempt). The August archery deer hunt is closed on WMAs open with statewide seasons, except certain Unit 1 WMAs. On WMAs open with statewide seasons, quail season runs Nov. 7 to Jan. 15. Hunters may not enter more than two hours before sunrise and must be out one hour after sunset. Legal hours are 30 minutes before legal sunrise to 30 minutes after legal sunset, except turkey and migratory birds, which end at official sunset. Youths may hunt ducks and geese Feb. 6 and 13, and veterans and active military Feb. 7 and 14. A light goose conservation season runs Feb. 15 to Mar. 31 with a free permit. Unless a listing says otherwise, furbearers may be taken on any scheduled big game or small game hunt that coincides with a statewide furbearer season, with the weapons legal for that hunt (page 81).

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