37 S.

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North Cherokee WMA

2026-27 season. Along the Tennessee-North Carolina state line north of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 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

No antlerless deer during the gun season.

In the guide: “Deer: Dates are same as statewide season except as noted. Antlered bag limit is two (2) and counts toward statewide bag limit. Deer (Archery): Bag limit of four (4) antlerless. Deer (Muzzleloader): Bag limit of one (1) antlerless. Deer (Gun - Young Sportsman): Bag limit of two (2) antlerless. Deer (Gun): Closed to antlerless hunting.”

Bear

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Zone 1 with hounds: Oct 3–5, Oct 10–11, Nov 9–16, Nov 30 – Dec 16
  • Zone 1 archery: Oct 3–23
  • Zone 1 young sportsman: Oct 31 – Nov 1
  • Zone 1 gun: Nov 21–24

In the guide: “Bear: Same as Bear Hunt Zone 1 season, except closed Sept. 26–Oct. 2.”

Closed Sep 26 – Oct 2.

In the guide: “Bear: Closed Sept. 26–Oct. 2.”

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: “Turkey: Same as statewide season.”

Dove, grouse, quail, rabbit, and squirrel

Aug 1 – Apr 30

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Dove: Sep 1–28, Oct 10 – Nov 1, Dec 8 – Jan 15
  • Grouse: Oct 10 – Feb 28
  • Quail: Nov 7 – Jan 15
  • Rabbit: Nov 7 – Feb 28
  • Squirrel: Aug 22 – Mar 15

In the guide: “Dove, Grouse, Quail, Rabbit, Snipe, Squirrel, Trapping: Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Spring squirrel season is closed.”

Squirrel

Closed May 8 – Jun 13.

The statewide spring squirrel season.

In the guide: “Spring squirrel season is closed.”

Raccoon

Oct 2 – Feb 28

Any legal weapon.

In the guide: “Opossum, Raccoon: Oct. 2–last day in February.”

Area rules

Some roads may be closed Dec. 15–March 31. Wild hogs may be taken on any big game hunt with the methods and firearms legal for that hunt, except not in the bear reserves during bear season. Safety zone: no hunting within 150 yards of developed recreation areas, campsites, residences, buildings, occupied areas, or across or on a National Forest system road. No ATV or OHV on property owned or leased by TWRA. Only pointing breed dogs are permitted in the bear reserves one day before and during bear hunts that allow dogs; during bear hunts without hounds, small game hunters in the reserves are limited to two dogs per vehicle. Small game hunters (except raccoon and opossum hunters at night) must wear blaze orange/pink during big game muzzleloader and gun hunts. Fox closed in Washington County. Bobcat with dogs is prohibited. Dog training prohibited unless otherwise specified; electronic tracking devices with dogs are illegal March 1–Aug. 15. Bear dog training Sept. 8–Oct. 3 (no bears harvested, no weapons, not in bear reserves or during spring season). The bear reserves have their own listing.

Nearby areas

North Cherokee WMA - Bear Reserves within this area

Nolichucky WMA around 30 miles away

Joachim Bible Waterfowl Refuge Unit around 40 miles away

Lick Creek Bottoms around 45 miles away

Kyles Ford WMA around 45 miles away

Rankin WMA around 50 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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