There are over 100 WMAs and refuges across Tennessee managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Varying in size from 53 to 625,000 acres, all WMAs are available to the public for various outdoor activities, although certain regulations do apply.
GENERAL REGULATIONS
Acts of disorderly, obnoxious or boisterous conduct, including acts which interfere with the orderly process of hunting, are prohibited. Violators shall be removed from the area and/or prosecuted.
Alcoholic beverages: Possession of any alcoholic beverage, narcotic drug, barbiturate or marijuana while hunting within the management area is prohibited. No individual may be under the influence of these substances at any time while within a management area. The use of any alcoholic beverage is prohibited on these areas year round: Catoosa, Cheatham, Chuck Swan, Forks of the River, Laurel Hill, Pea Ridge and Prentice Cooper, except in designated camping areas.
Bag limits: Statewide bag and possession limits apply unless special exception is indicated.
Baiting: The placement or depositing of any type of food to feed or attract wildlife on WMAs is prohibited.
Dog training: Year round unless otherwise indicated.
Firearms: Use, possession or transportation of firearms, bows and arrows or other arms and ammunition is expressly prohibited except when authorized. Firearms loaded with ammunition in either the chamber or magazine may not be transported in vehicles. A muzzleloader is considered to be unloaded if the cap or primer is removed. A crossbow is considered to be unloaded if the bolt/arrow is removed from the device. See handgun carry regulations.
Horses permitted on roads and trails open to motorized traffic and other trails or routes established for their use, except as otherwise indicated. Riding off roads into fields, woods or on foot trails is prohibited unless otherwise provided.
Hunters (except raccoon, opossum, turkey, and waterfowl hunters) may not enter prior to one hour before sunrise, and they must be out of the area by one hour after sunset. Raccoon and opossum hunters must be out of the area by one hour after sunrise except on Cherokee WMA. Public access will be prohibited in the subimpoundments of Barkley Unit I, Cheatham Lake, Haynes Bottom, Old Hickory Units I and II, Camden Units I and II, Big Sandy, Gooch Unit A, Tigrett, and West Sandy from two hours after legal waterfowl shooting hours have ended until 4:00 a.m. the following day during the late duck season(s).
Hunting near private dwellings: It is unlawful to hunt, shoot at, chase or kill with or without dogs any wild animal, wild birds or waterfowl on public lands and waters within 100 yards of a visible dwelling house, without the owner’s permission, whether or not such a dwelling is on public or private lands.
Litter: No litter or sewage may be deposited in the area.
Motorized vehicles: All motorized vehicles must be muffler equipped to suppress noise and be spark-arrestor equipped to prevent fires. Operation of motorized vehicles is confined to roads not designated as closed. Off-road vehicles are restricted to roads open to other motorized traffic (except where prohibited by state or federal statute) and designated trails only. ORVs may be operated during daylight hours and at other times when participating in authorized activities. Driving off roads into woods, fields or utility right-of-ways is prohibited for all motorized vehicles. Motorized vehicles may be prohibited on any agency-owned wildlife management area if deemed necessary to protect wildlife, vegetation and/or property. Some exceptions apply. See individual WMAs for specific restrictions.
No person shall damage or remove any trees or other plants, dirt, gravel or sod from any wildlife management area or other Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency-controlled lands without specific authorization.
No species of wildlife may be harassed except those authorized to be harvested and no animal killed shall be dismembered to the extent that its species and sex cannot be identified before checking out of the area.
On WMAs open with statewide seasons, the season dates, bag limits, weapon types, and ammunition types that pertain to the county where the WMA is located apply to that WMA. Special regulations listed specifically for those WMAs still apply.
Overnight camping may be permitted on designated areas by permission from area manager, park ranger, lake manager, park superintendent or national forest supervisor. Such camping is subject to the limitation prescribed in the permit, if required. On areas where overnight camping is allowed, firearms and archery equipment must remain in camp except during legal hunting hours.
Pen-raised game birds: The release of pen-raised game birds on WMAs is prohibited unless otherwise specified.
Safety zones: Hunting is prohibited in safety zones except where provided.
Target practice is prohibited except on designated ranges. See a list of TWRA firing ranges.
Unauthorized persons are prohibited from being in the area during big game hunts except when indicated. Unauthorized persons are prohibited from being in the wildlife management area during managed turkey hunts, except on the Cherokee, North Cumberland, Tellico Lake and Land Between the Lakes wildlife management areas. Only persons having valid turkey hunt permits for the hunt date are authorized to be on the management area. Exception: A licensed hunter may accompany a hunter with a valid permit to assist him/her in calling. The assisting hunter may not have a firearm in his possession at any time and may not harvest a bird. Check with the WMA area manager before the hunt date.
Calling or attempting to call wild turkeys using any sound that mimics those made by a wild turkey is prohibited from March 1 to the opening day of the spring turkey hunts on all WMAs.
Wanton waste: Hunters are required to retrieve all crippled or dead game if possible and are prohibited from disposing of dead wildlife on WMAs.
Wheelchair-bound hunts, zones, or blinds are open to hunters who are totally and permanently confined to a wheelchair as certified by a physician. On wheelchair-bound big game hunts, each wheelchair-bound hunter must be accompanied by a non-hunting assistant (age 16 years or older), except on Cordell Hull WMA and Yuchi WMA where the assistant may also participate in hunting. On wheelchair-bound waterfowl hunts, each wheelchair-bound hunter must be accompanied by at least one, but not more than three assistants (at least one of whom must be age 16 years or older), who may also participate in hunting.
