37 S.

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Forks of the River 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: “All hunting is closed from March 1 through 4th Friday in August, except for spring squirrel and spring turkey season.”

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 as noted.”

Bear

Follows the statewide season (transitional zone archery Sep 26 – Oct 23).

In the guide: “Bear: Same as statewide Bear Transition Zone. See page 72–73 for bear hunting details.”

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: “Big Game: Same as statewide seasons, except as noted.”

Dove

Sep 1, Sep 5, Sep 7

Any legal weapon.

Hunting opens at noon on Sept. 1.

In the guide: “Dove: Sept. 1 (hunting opens at noon) and Sept. 5 & 7 gate opens at 6:30 a.m.”

Sep 1, Sep 5, Sep 7

Any legal weapon. Only for youth hunters and the adults with them.

In the guide: “Youth/Adult Field: Sept. 1 (hunting opens at noon) and Sept. 5 & 7 gate opens at 6:30 a.m. Youths must be accompanied by a licensed adult who may also hunt. Youth fields will be designated and posted by the Area Manager.”

Sep 8 – Jul 31

Follows the statewide season (Sep 8–28, Oct 10 – Nov 1, Dec 8 – Jan 15).

In the guide: “Dove: The remainder of the statewide season is walk in only. All fields return to same as statewide season beginning Sept. 8 and are open to all hunters. Do not block the gate.”

Ducks and geese

Oct 1 – Jul 31

Follows the statewide seasons.

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

In the guide: “The early September waterfowl seasons are closed.”

Small game, grouse, woodcock, and raccoon

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Squirrel: Aug 29 – Feb 28, 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
  • Raccoon: Sep 18 – Feb 28

In the guide: “Small Game: Same as statewide seasons, except as noted.”

Squirrel

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

Only the spring squirrel season is open.

In the guide: “All hunting is closed from March 1 through 4th Friday in August, except for spring squirrel and spring turkey season.”

Area rules

All trails except the Perimeter Trail (the Will Skelton Greenway, Whaley Trail and Western) need a High Impact Habitat Conservation Permit for bicycling. The Perimeter Trail is open year-round; all other trails open only to hunters from Sept. 1–May 31. No hooved animal riding or motorized vehicles. Shotguns, muzzleloader and archery equipment only. Area closed one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise, except for raccoon and opossum hunters and scheduled events. Paintball guns prohibited. All animals accompanied by a non-hunting person must be leashed. Pigeon open with dove season; falconry and crow open Sept. 12 and concurrent with statewide season.

Nearby areas

Whites Mill Refuge around 15 miles away

Buffalo Springs WMA around 25 miles away

Henderson Island Refuge around 25 miles away

Oak Ridge WMA around 25 miles away

Cove 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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