37 S.

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Cheatham Lake 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

Aug 1 – Nov 27, Feb 15 – Jul 31

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Archery: Sep 26 – Oct 30, Nov 2–6
  • Young sportsman: Oct 31 – Nov 1
  • Muzzleloader: Nov 7–20
  • Gun: Nov 21–27

In the guide: “Big Game: Hunting on remainder of Cheatham Lake WMA same as statewide season, except during the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb. when hunting is open only on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and the first and last day of each segment of the late statewide duck season.”

Nov 28 – Feb 14

Follows the statewide seasons, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only.

  • Young sportsman: Jan 9–10
  • Gun: Nov 28 – Jan 3

In the guide: “Big Game: Hunting on remainder of Cheatham Lake WMA same as statewide season, except during the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb. when hunting is open only on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and the first and last day of each segment of the late statewide duck season.”

Turkey

Aug 1 – Nov 27, Feb 15 – Jul 31

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Fall archery: Sep 26 – Oct 30, Nov 2–6
  • Fall shotgun: Oct 17–30
  • Spring young sportsman: Mar 27–28
  • Spring: Apr 3 – May 16

In the guide: “Big Game: Hunting on remainder of Cheatham Lake WMA same as statewide season, except during the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb. when hunting is open only on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and the first and last day of each segment of the late statewide duck season.”

Dove

Aug 1 – Nov 27, Feb 15 – Jul 31

Follows the statewide season (Sep 1–28, Oct 10 – Nov 1).

In the guide: “Dove: Same as statewide. Hunting permitted from designated fields only.”

Nov 28 – Feb 14

Follows the statewide season (Dec 8 – Jan 15), Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only.

Wednesdays through Sundays during the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb., like the rest of the area.

In the guide: “Dove: Same as statewide. Hunting permitted from designated fields only.”

Ducks and geese

Aug 1 – Nov 27

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Ducks and teal: Sep 12–16
  • Geese: Sep 1–20, Oct 10–22

In the guide: “Waterfowl: Same as statewide season.”

Aug 1 – Nov 27, Feb 15 – Jul 31

Follows the statewide seasons. Quota hunt. Only for mobility-impaired hunters.

  • Ducks and teal: Sep 12–16
  • Geese: Sep 1–20, Oct 10–22

In the guide: “Waterfowl (wheelchair-bound only blind site): Applications must be received by the TWRA Region II Office by noon on Oct. 23.”

Nov 28 – Feb 14

Follows the statewide seasons, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only.

  • Ducks and teal: Nov 28–29, Dec 5 – Jan 31
  • Geese: Nov 28–29, Dec 5 – Feb 14

In the guide: “Waterfowl: Waterfowl hunting is permitted only from registered blind sites and from staked temporary blind sites during the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb.”

Nov 28 – Feb 14

Follows the statewide seasons, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only. Quota hunt. Only for mobility-impaired hunters.

  • Ducks and teal: Nov 28–29, Dec 5 – Jan 31
  • Geese: Nov 28–29, Dec 5 – Feb 14

In the guide: “Waterfowl (wheelchair-bound only blind site): Applications must be received by the TWRA Region II Office by noon on Oct. 23.”

Small game, grouse, woodcock, and raccoon

Aug 1 – Nov 27, Feb 15 – Jul 31

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Squirrel: Aug 22 – Nov 27, Feb 15 – Mar 15, May 8 – Jun 13
  • Rabbit: Nov 7–27, Feb 15–28
  • Quail: Nov 7–27
  • Grouse: Oct 10 – Nov 27, Feb 15–28
  • Woodcock: Nov 14–27
  • Raccoon: Sep 18 – Nov 27, Feb 15 – Mar 15

In the guide: “Big Game: Hunting on remainder of Cheatham Lake WMA same as statewide season, except during the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb. when hunting is open only on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and the first and last day of each segment of the late statewide duck season.”

Nov 28 – Feb 14

Follows the statewide seasons, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only.

  • Squirrel, rabbit, grouse, and raccoon: Nov 28 – Feb 14
  • Quail: Nov 28 – Jan 15
  • Woodcock: Nov 28 – Dec 6, Jan 10–31

In the guide: “Big Game: Hunting on remainder of Cheatham Lake WMA same as statewide season, except during the duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb. when hunting is open only on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and the first and last day of each segment of the late statewide duck season.”

Area rules

Sycamore Creek upstream from the railroad trestle, Harpeth River upstream from Highway 49 and Johnson Creek upstream from Johnson Creek Bridge are same as statewide seasons, access by boat only. All activities are prohibited in waterfowl impoundments on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, and posted sub-impoundment units are closed five days before the first duck segment (Nov.-Feb.). Harpeth Island, Marks Creek and Bluff Creek wade-in areas are not restricted to registered or staked temporary sites. Night hunting, trapping and fishing are prohibited in waterfowl impoundments during the waterfowl season.

Nearby areas

Cheatham Lake - Pardue Pond Refuge and Dyson Ditch Refuge around 2 miles away

Cheatham WMA around 7 miles away

Shelton Ferry WMA around 10 miles away

Cedar Hill Swamp around 20 miles away

Haynes Bottom WMA around 20 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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