37 S.

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South Fork Refuge

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, turkey, dove, small game, grouse, woodcock, raccoon, furbearers, coyote, and hogs

Closed Nov 15 – Feb 15.

In the guide: “Same as statewide seasons, except closed to all activities from Nov. 15–Feb. 15. All hunting other than waterfowl is prohibited during the duck season occurring Nov.–Feb.”

Deer

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Archery: Sep 26 – Oct 30, Nov 2–6
  • Young sportsman: Oct 31 – Nov 1
  • Muzzleloader: Nov 7–14

In the guide: “Big Game: Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Closed to Fall turkey season.”

Turkey

Mar 27–28

Follows the statewide season (spring young sportsman Mar 27–28). Only for youth hunters.

In the guide: “Turkey (Young Sportsman): Same as statewide season and bag limit.”

Apr 3–25

Any legal weapon.

In the guide: “Turkey: April 3–April 25. One male bearded turkey, counts toward statewide bag limit.”

Ducks and geese

Aug 1 – Nov 14

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Ducks and teal: Sep 12–16
  • Geese: Sep 1–20, Oct 10–22

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

Nov 28 – Feb 14

Follows the statewide seasons, Saturdays and Sundays only, shooting ends at 3 pm.

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

In the guide: “Waterfowl: Waterfowl hunting on Saturday and Sunday only during duck season occurring in Nov.–Feb. Goose seasons to coincide with statewide seasons after the Youth/Military Waterfowl Season. All hunting shall cease at 3 p.m. except the last day of the season when hunting closes at sunset.”

Small game, grouse, woodcock, dove, and raccoon

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Squirrel: Aug 22 – Nov 14, Feb 16 – Mar 15, May 8 – Jun 13
  • Rabbit: Nov 7–14, Feb 16–28
  • Quail: Nov 7–14
  • Grouse: Oct 10 – Nov 14, Feb 16–28
  • Woodcock: Nov 14
  • Dove: Sep 1–28, Oct 10 – Nov 1
  • Raccoon: Sep 18 – Nov 14, Feb 16 – Mar 15

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

Area rules

Walk-in only, except in high water when access can be had from the South Fork Forked Deer River by boat. No blinds, decoys or materials may be left overnight. No access before 4 a.m. or after 5 p.m. No access during refuge closure dates except for waterfowl hunters on open hunt days.

Nearby areas

Colonel Forrest V. Durand around 6 miles away

Spring Creek around 15 miles away

Fort Ridge around 15 miles away

Horns Bluff Refuge around 20 miles away

Parker Branch around 20 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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