37 S.

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Watts Bar WMA - Iron Hill Island, Long Island and Thief Neck Island Units

2026-27 season, part of Watts Bar WMA.

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 – Oct 30, Nov 2 – Jan 8, Jan 11 – Jul 31

Follows the statewide seasons, archery only.

  • Archery: Sep 26 – Oct 30, Nov 2–6
  • Muzzleloader: Nov 7–20
  • Gun: Nov 21 – Jan 3

Young Sportsman days are listed separately.

In the guide: “Iron Hill Island; Long Island Unit; Thief Neck Island Unit · Archery equipment only for deer except juveniles may use shotguns or muzzleloaders during statewide Young Sportsman hunts. Centerfire rifles prohibited.”

Oct 31 – Nov 1, Jan 9–10

Follows the statewide season (young sportsman Oct 31 – Nov 1, Jan 9–10). Only for youth hunters.

In the guide: “Iron Hill Island; Long Island Unit; Thief Neck Island Unit · Juveniles may use shotguns or muzzleloaders during statewide Young Sportsman hunts.”

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: “Iron Hill Island; Long Island Unit; Thief Neck Island Unit · Same as statewide seasons, except as noted.”

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

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Squirrel: Aug 22 – Mar 15, 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
  • 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 – Mar 15

In the guide: “Iron Hill Island; Long Island Unit; Thief Neck Island Unit · Small game hunting is open with statewide seasons, except it is shotgun-archery only. During the deer season, small game hunting is closed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday on Thief Neck Island.”

Area rules

Small game hunting is shotgun-archery only. Centerfire rifles prohibited. During the deer season, small game hunting is closed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday on Thief Neck Island. No trapping during the duck season on the Long Island Unit.

Nearby areas

Paint Rock around 6 miles away

Mt. Roosevelt WMA around 8 miles away

Luper Mountain around 15 miles away

Oak Ridge WMA around 20 miles away

Keyes-Harrison WMA 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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