37 S.

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Catoosa 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, bear, dove, ducks and geese, rabbit, quail, grouse, woodcock, raccoon, furbearers, coyote, and hogs

Closed Aug 1–28, Mar 1 – Jul 31.

In the guide: “Closed to all hunting March 1–fourth Friday in August, except during turkey and spring squirrel seasons.”

Deer and bear

Oct 3–11

Archery.

In the guide: “Deer/Bear (Archery): Oct. 3–Oct. 11. Archery equipment only. Area check stations operated. Entire area open. Two (2) deer no more than one (1) antlered. Bears may be taken with any weapon legal for the hunt. One (1) bear.”

Deer

Oct 24–25

Firearms. Only for youth hunters.

In the guide: “Deer (Gun - Young Sportsman): Oct. 24–25. Two (2) deer, no more than one (1) antlered.”

Oct 29–31

Muzzleloader, buck only. Quota hunt, 2000 hunters drawn.

1,000 hunters at each of the Genesis and Bicolor check stations.

In the guide: “Deer (Muzzleloader): Oct. 29–31. Station quota per hunt: Genesis 1,000; Bicolor 1,000. One (1) deer, antlered only.”

Nov 12–14

Firearms, buck only. Quota hunt, 2000 hunters drawn.

1,000 hunters at each of the Genesis and Bicolor check stations.

In the guide: “Deer (Gun): Nov. 12–14. Station quota: Genesis 1,000; Bicolor 1,000. One (1) deer, antlered only.”

Nov 19–21

Firearms, buck only. Quota hunt, 2000 hunters drawn.

1,000 hunters at each of the Genesis and Bicolor check stations.

In the guide: “Deer (Gun): Nov. 19–21. Station quota: Genesis 1,000; Bicolor 1,000. One (1) deer, antlered only.”

Dec 3–5

Firearms, buck only.

In the guide: “Deer (Gun): Dec. 3–5. Non-quota. Entire area open. One (1) deer, antlered only.”

Turkey

Mar 27–28

Any legal weapon. Only for youth hunters.

In the guide: “Turkey (Young Sportsman): March 27–28. One (1) male bearded turkey.”

Apr 3 – May 2

Any legal weapon.

In the guide: “Turkey: April 3–May 2. One male bearded turkey per day, counts toward statewide bag limit of 2.”

Small game, grouse, woodcock, dove, and ducks and geese

Closed Oct 3–11, Oct 24–25, Oct 29–31, Nov 12–14, Nov 19–21, Dec 3–5, Dec 9–13, Dec 16–20.

Closed from sunset the day before; open by day until then.

In the guide: “Small game closes at sunset the day before and during scheduled big game hunts. Trapping and small game hunting closed during wild hog control season.”

Quail

Closed this season.

In the guide: “Closed to quail hunting.”

Squirrel

Closed Aug 1–28, Mar 1 – May 7, Jun 14 – Jul 31.

Only the spring squirrel season is open.

In the guide: “Closed to all hunting March 1–fourth Friday in August, except during turkey and spring squirrel seasons.”

Squirrel, rabbit, grouse, woodcock, dove, and ducks and geese

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Squirrel: Aug 29 – Oct 2, Oct 12–23, Oct 26–28, Nov 1–11, Nov 15–18, Nov 22 – Dec 2, Dec 6–8, Dec 14–15, Dec 21 – Feb 28, May 8 – Jun 13
  • Rabbit: Nov 7–11, Nov 15–18, Nov 22 – Dec 2, Dec 6–8, Dec 14–15, Dec 21 – Feb 28
  • Grouse: Oct 12–23, Oct 26–28, Nov 1–11, Nov 15–18, Nov 22 – Dec 2, Dec 6–8, Dec 14–15, Dec 21 – Feb 28
  • Woodcock: Nov 15–18, Nov 22 – Dec 2, Dec 6, Jan 10–31
  • Dove: Sep 1–28, Oct 12–23, Oct 26–28, Nov 1, Dec 8, Dec 14–15, Dec 21 – Jan 15
  • Ducks and teal: Sep 12–16, Nov 28–29, Dec 6–8, Dec 14–15, Dec 21 – Jan 31
  • Geese: Sep 1–20, Oct 12–22, Nov 28–29, Dec 6–8, Dec 14–15, Dec 21 – Feb 14

In the guide: “Small Game: Same as statewide season, except closes at sunset the day before and during scheduled big game hunts, unless otherwise noted. Trapping and small game hunting closed during wild hog control season. Closed to quail hunting and dog training.”

Raccoon

Closed Oct 2–11, Oct 23–25, Oct 28–31, Nov 11–14, Nov 18–21, Dec 2–5, Dec 8–13, Dec 15–20.

The night before each hunt, too.

In the guide: “Small game closes at sunset the day before and during scheduled big game hunts. Trapping and small game hunting closed during wild hog control season.”

Nov 1 – Dec 31

Any legal weapon.

In the guide: “Opossum - Raccoon: Nov. 1 to sunrise Dec. 31, except closes at sunset the day before and during scheduled big game hunts.”

Hogs

Dec 9–13, Dec 16–20

Any legal weapon.

Participants must wear 500 square inches of fluorescent orange/pink. Any legal weapon for deer, bear or elk. Legal hours 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Hogs must be taken whole to the checking stations.

In the guide: “Wild Hog (Control Season - Dogs Permitted): Dec. 9–13, 16–20. Entire area open. No limit, either sex.”

Area rules

Hooved animal riding, bicycling and OHV use need a hunting and fishing license and WMA permit or a High Impact Habitat Conservation Permit; OHVs from the fourth Saturday in August to the second Sunday in June. Enter only through designated access points. During big game hunts the area is only open to legal big game hunters (and anglers during the Catoosa turkey season). Hunters must check out deer and wild hogs at WMA check stations in operation; brucellosis is present in Catoosa hogs. Closed to all users Feb. 1–the last Friday in March, except Cumberland Trail corridor users, walk-in anglers, and walk-in hunters and trappers through the last day of February. On all hunts, antlered deer must have at least four (4) points on one antler or a fifteen inch outside spread; wild hogs may be taken during any deer hunt by legal deer hunters. Coyotes may be taken during big game hunts with any weapon legal for that hunt. Dogs are not permitted during the spring squirrel season. Closed to quail hunting and dog training. Trapping Dec. 15–last day of Feb. Shooting ranges at Genesis Checking Station and Peavine Campground. Camping for big game hunters in designated areas.

Nearby areas

Catoosa WMA - Crooked Fork Unit within this area

Catoosa WMA - Pine Orchard Unit within this area

Keyes-Harrison WMA around 7 miles away

Luper Mountain around 10 miles away

Mt. Roosevelt WMA around 15 miles away

Skinner Mountain around 25 miles away

Watts Bar WMA around 25 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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