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Chickamauga WMA - Cottonport, Washington Ferry, Shelton Bottoms and Other Units

2026-27 season, part of Chickamauga WMA. Cottonport, Washington Ferry, Shelton Bottoms, Mud Creek, New Bethal, Moon Island, Goodfield Creek, Gillespie Bend, Ledford Island, Agency Creek, Sugar Creek and South Mouse Creek units. Check the area map for exact boundaries.

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: “Cottonport, Washington Ferry, Shelton Bottoms, Mud Creek, New Bethal, Moon Island, Goodfield Creek, Gillespie Bend, Ledford Island, Agency Creek, Sugar Creek, South Mouse Creek Units · Same as statewide hunting and trapping seasons. Closed to quail hunting.”

Turkey

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: “Cottonport, Washington Ferry, Shelton Bottoms, Mud Creek, New Bethal, Moon Island, Goodfield Creek, Gillespie Bend, Ledford Island, Agency Creek, Sugar Creek, South Mouse Creek Units · Same as statewide hunting and trapping seasons. Closed to quail hunting.”

Quail

Closed this season.

In the guide: “Closed to quail hunting.”

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

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Squirrel: Aug 22 – Mar 15, May 8 – Jun 13
  • Rabbit: Nov 7 – Feb 28
  • 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
  • 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
  • Raccoon: Sep 18 – Mar 15

In the guide: “Cottonport, Washington Ferry, Shelton Bottoms, Mud Creek, New Bethal, Moon Island, Goodfield Creek, Gillespie Bend, Ledford Island, Agency Creek, Sugar Creek, South Mouse Creek Units · Same as statewide hunting and trapping seasons. Closed to quail hunting.”

Area rules

No waterfowl hunters on the units from two hours after shooting hours until 4 a.m. during the duck season(s). The Big Game icon includes bear, but these units span counties in and out of the bear zones; bear follows the transitional zone archery season only on units in Bradley County and McMinn County west of Hwy. 411 (page 72).

Nearby areas

Hiwassee Refuge around 2 miles away

Yuchi Refuge around 10 miles away

Harp around 20 miles away

Charlotte Ann Finnell Neal WMA around 25 miles away

North Chickamauga Creek 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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