Forks of the River WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
Forks of the River WMA is 615 acres of TWRA hunting land in Knox County, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 4. Hunters checked in 27 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 10 antlered bucks among them (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). For the area's seasons, TWRA's guide says: Same as statewide seasons, except as noted.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: TWRA's 2026-27 guide, page 114. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
Forks of the River WMAOther TWRA hunting landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 615 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary; the guide lists 648 |
|---|---|
| County | Knox County |
| TWRA region | Region 4 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 5 |
| Permits | WMA Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit; High Impact Conservation Permit (riding) |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 27 (10 antlered bucks, 3 antlerless males, 14 females) |
| Area manager | Matt Jellicorse (423) 587-7037 |
| Nearest towns | Knoxville (5 mi), Rockford (8 mi) and Alcoa (11 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Forks of the River WMA?
TWRA's 2026-27 guide prints these rules and seasons for the area. Where it says statewide seasons, the statewide dates and the county's deer management unit limits apply.
All trails on the area used for bicycling require the High Impact Habitat Conservation Permit except the Perimeter Trail. The Perimeter trail is defined as the Will Skelton Greenway, Whaley Trail, and Western. Perimeter Trail: The Perimeter Trail is open year round. All other trails open only to hunters from Sept. 1–May 31 . No hooved animal riding or motorized vehicles. Shotguns, Muzzleloader and Archery equipment only. Area closed one (1) hour after sunset to one (1) hour before sunrise, except for raccoon and opossum hunters and scheduled events. Paintball guns and accessories prohibited. All animals accompanied by a non-hunting person are required to be leashed.
Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. All hunting is closed from March 1 through 4th Friday in August, except for spring squirrel and spring turkey season. The early September waterfowl seasons are closed.
- Bear: Same as statewide Bear Transition Zone. See page 72–73 for bear hunting details.
- Dove: Sept. 1 (hunting opens at noon) and Sept. 5 & 7 gate opens at 6:30 a.m. The remainder of the statewide season is walk in only. All fields return to same as statewide season beginning Sept. 8 and are open to all hunters. Do not block the gate.
- Youth/Adult Field: Sept. 1 (hunting opens at noon) and Sept. 5 & 7 gate opens at 6:30 a.m. Youths must be accompanied by a licensed adult who may also hunt. Youth fields will be designated and posted by the Area Manager. Pigeon - open with dove season. Falconry and Crow - Opens Sept. 12 and runs concurrent with statewide season.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 114; TWRA's page for the area. Read every rule in the guide before you go: the guide is the final word.
How many deer are taken on Forks of the River WMA?
Hunters checked in 27 deer from Forks of the River WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 15 deer a season, from 3 in 2015-16 to 27 in 2025-26.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 27 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 14 |
| 2024-25 | 25 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 11 |
| 2023-24 | 19 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 6 |
| 2022-23 | 23 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 7 |
| 2021-22 | 15 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 6 |
| 2020-21 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| 2019-20 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 10 |
| 2018-19 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | 9 | 6 | 3 | ||
| 2016-17 | 5 | 2 | 3 | ||
| 2015-16 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Source: TWRA Hunter's Toolbox, Deer Harvests by County / WMA, read October 2026. These are deer hunters reported at check-in. Before 2018-19 the Toolbox counts every male as antlerless, so only the male total is shown for those seasons.
Which county is Forks of the River WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 615 | 5 | 1,607 | 36th |
Acres measured by FilledTag on TWRA hunting lands layer (HuntingAllowed) and the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. County harvest: TWRA Hunter's Toolbox, Deer Harvests by County / WMA. Units: TWRA deer management unit counties.
How do you get to Forks of the River WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: I-40, TN 168, US 70 and TN 71. Nearest towns: Knoxville (5 miles), Rockford (8 miles), Alcoa (11 miles) and Louisville (14 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for Forks of the River WMA.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Foothills WMA (21.3 miles), Cove Creek WMA (22.6 miles) and Henderson Island Refuge (22.8 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on Forks of the River WMA in 2026-27?
TWRA's guide says: Same as statewide seasons, except as noted. That means the statewide dates: archery from September 26, 2026, muzzleloader from November 7 and gun from November 21, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
How many deer were killed on Forks of the River WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 27 deer from Forks of the River WMA in the 2025-26 season: 10 antlered bucks, 3 antlerless males and 14 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 15.
What county is Forks of the River WMA in?
All of it is in Knox County, by TWRA's boundary, in deer management Unit 5.
What permit do you need to hunt Forks of the River WMA?
TWRA's guide lists these for the area: WMA Small Game permit; Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit; High Impact Conservation Permit (riding). Lifetime and Annual Sportsman License holders are exempt from WMA permits (guide, page 11).
Get a Tennessee hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Tennessee are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Tennessee included.
Where these numbers come from
- Area rules, seasons, size and manager: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide.
- Deer harvest on the area and by county: TWRA Hunter's Toolbox, Deer Harvests by County / WMA.
- Boundary: TWRA hunting lands layer (HuntingAllowed). Counties, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer. National forest and refuges: U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
FilledTag is not part of Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Numbers are copied from TWRA or measured from public maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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