37 S.

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North Chickamauga Creek WMA

2026-27 season. Hixson, Lake Carolyn, Rogers, Sutton, Thrasher Bottoms, Vandergriff, Poe Branch and Varner 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

Aug 1 – Jan 31

Follows the statewide seasons, archery only, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only.

  • 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: “Deer: Hunting with archery equipment only. Archery hunters must comply with blaze orange/pink requirements during the statewide deer gun and muzzleloader seasons.”

Aug 1 – Jan 31

Follows the statewide seasons, archery only, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only. Only for mobility-impaired hunters.

  • 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: “Deer (Archery - Wheelchair-bound Hunter Only) - Varner Unit Wheelchair Accessible Blind Site Only: Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Hunting only allowed on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. To reserve blind call the Region 3 office.”

Bear

Follows the statewide season (transitional zone archery Sep 26 – Oct 23), Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only.

The Big Game icon includes bear; Hamilton County is in the bear transitional zone (page 72).

In the guide: “Big Game: Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. All hunting ends on Jan. 31. Hunting only allowed on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.”

Turkey

Follows the statewide seasons, archery only, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only, shooting ends at noon.

  • Fall archery: Sep 26 – Oct 30, Nov 2–6
  • Fall shotgun: Oct 17–30

In the guide: “Turkey: Hunting ends at noon each day. Fall turkey season is archery only.”

Follows the statewide seasons, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only, shooting ends at noon.

  • Spring young sportsman: Mar 27–28
  • Spring: Apr 3 – May 16

In the guide: “Turkey: Hunting ends at noon each day.”

Follows the statewide seasons, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only, shooting ends at noon. Only for mobility-impaired hunters.

  • 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 (Wheelchair-bound Hunter Only - Varner Unit Wheelchair Accessible Blind Site Only): Same as statewide season, except as noted. Hunting only allowed on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Turkey hunting ends at noon each day. Shotguns loaded with No. 4 shot or smaller only.”

Dove

Sep 1

Any legal weapon, hunting starts at noon.

In the guide: “Dove: Sept. 1 and every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday of the statewide dove season. Dove hunting from noon to sunset on Sept. 1.”

Sep 2 – Jan 31

Follows the statewide season (Sep 2–28, Oct 10 – Nov 1, Dec 8 – Jan 15), Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only.

In the guide: “Dove: Sept. 1 and every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday of the statewide dove season.”

Ducks and geese

Aug 1 – Jan 31

Follows the statewide seasons, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only, shooting ends at noon.

  • 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 – Jan 31

In the guide: “Waterfowl: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and the first and last day of the statewide season and the youth waterfowl season. Waterfowl hunting ends at noon each day, including the youth waterfowl season. Hunting from temporary blinds only.”

Aug 1 – Jan 31

Follows the statewide seasons, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only, shooting ends at noon. Only for mobility-impaired hunters.

  • 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 – Jan 31

In the guide: “Waterfowl (Wheelchair-bound Hunter Only - Varner Unit Wheelchair Accessible Blind Site Only): Same as statewide season, except as noted. Hunting only allowed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Hunting ends at noon each day.”

Jan 31

Follows the statewide season (ducks, geese, and teal Jan 31), shooting ends at noon.

In the guide: “Waterfowl: the first and last day of the statewide season.”

Quail

Closed this season.

In the guide: “Closed to quail hunting.”

Squirrel, rabbit, grouse, woodcock, and raccoon

Aug 1 – Jan 31

Follows the statewide seasons, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only.

  • Squirrel: Aug 22 – Jan 31
  • Rabbit: Nov 7 – Jan 31
  • Grouse: Oct 10 – Jan 31
  • Woodcock: Nov 14 – Dec 6, Jan 10–31
  • Raccoon: Sep 18 – Jan 31

In the guide: “Big Game, Small Game: Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. All hunting ends on Jan. 31, except spring squirrel season and spring turkey season. Hunting only allowed on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, unless exception is indicated. Closed to quail hunting.”

Squirrel

May 1 – Jul 31

Follows the statewide season (May 8 – Jun 13), Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only.

In the guide: “Big Game, Small Game: All hunting ends on Jan. 31, except spring squirrel season and spring turkey season. Hunting only allowed on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.”

Area rules

No motorized vehicles outside parking areas. Units closed after sunset except to opossum and raccoon hunters. Trespass prohibited by non-hunters/non-anglers on hunt days. Hixson, Rogers, Varner and Vandergriff units are closed to all forms of trespass except hunting and trapping during the late waterfowl seasons. Shotguns loaded with No. 4 shot or smaller only (except waterfowl); waterfowl shotguns with No. 2 shot or smaller. Rabbit bag limit three (3) per day. No dove hunters or dove hunting equipment on dove fields before 7 a.m. on opening day. Trapping Friday before Thanksgiving–Jan. 31. Dog training (all breeds) Sept. 1–Jan. 31; Hixson, Rogers, Varner and Vandergriff units closed to dog training from the first opening day of the late duck season until its end.

Nearby areas

North Chickamauga Creek WMA - Patton Unit within this area

Prentice Cooper State Forest around 10 miles away

Hiwassee Refuge around 20 miles away

Chickamauga WMA around 25 miles away

Charlotte Ann Finnell Neal WMA around 30 miles away

Fall Creek Falls State Park around 30 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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