37 S.

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North Cumberland 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, elk, dove, ducks and geese, small game, grouse, woodcock, raccoon, furbearers, coyote, and hogs

Closed Aug 1–28, Mar 1 – Jul 31.

In the guide: “Closed to hunting March 1 through the 4th Friday in Aug., except for spring turkey. Closed to spring squirrel and fall turkey hunting.”

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: “Deer (Archery): Bag limit of one (1) antlerless and one (1) antlered (counts toward statewide bag limit). Deer (Muzzleloader/Gun Combined): Bag limit of one (1) antlerless and one (1) antlered. Deer (Gun - Young Sportsman): Dates and bag limit same as statewide season.”

Bear

Follows the statewide season (zone 4 archery Sep 26 – Oct 23), archery only.

In the guide: “Bear: Same as statewide Bear Hunt Zone 4. Archery season dates only. See page 72–73 for bear hunting details.”

Elk

Sep 26 – Oct 16

Any legal weapon. Quota hunt.

The 2026 elk hunting dates are Sept. 26–Oct. 16 (page 70); permits were drawn in Feb. 2026.

In the guide: “Elk hunting by quota permit only. Information on page 70.”

Turkey

Follows the statewide seasons.

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

In the guide: “Spring Turkey: Only one (1) male bearded turkey allowed during the first 14 days of the statewide turkey season, not to exceed two (2) for the entire season.”

Small game, grouse, woodcock, dove, ducks and geese, and raccoon

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Squirrel: Aug 29 – Feb 28
  • Rabbit: Nov 7 – Feb 28
  • Quail: Nov 7 – Jan 15
  • 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 – Feb 28

In the guide: “Small Game: Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Closed to spring squirrel and fall turkey hunting.”

Area rules

Hazards associated with mining (deep and strip) exist on this area. OHV operators and passengers under 18 must wear a helmet; OHVs, hooved animals, bicycles and other vehicles only on roads marked "open to vehicular traffic"; hooved animal riding and bicycling need a High Impact Habitat Conservation Permit, and OHV riders a North Cumberland OHV Riding Permit or Sportsman Supplemental Permit. Organized competition events are prohibited. During daylight hours in deer and elk gun and muzzleloader seasons, everyone except waterfowl hunters outside a vehicle or camp must wear blaze orange/pink. Camping is permitted on the entire area. Wild hogs may be taken during any hunt with devices legal for that hunt; chasing with dogs not permitted. Coyote hunting with centerfire weapons only during deer gun seasons by licensed deer hunters; archery deer hunters must wear blaze orange/pink in the elk zones during the firearms elk hunts. Beaver trapping in designated compartments only. Ed Carter Unit: antlered deer must have at least four (4) points on one antler or a fifteen-inch outside spread. Dog training Sept. 1–March 15. Shooting range open daylight hours 7 days a week (permit required).

Nearby areas

North Cumberland WMA - Otey Mills Refuge within this area

Cove Creek WMA around 15 miles away

Chuck Swan State Forest around 20 miles away

Oak Ridge WMA around 25 miles away

Catoosa WMA around 30 miles away

Pickett State Forest around 35 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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