South Cherokee WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and map
South Cherokee WMA is 296,394 acres of TWRA hunting land in Monroe, Polk and McMinn counties, measured on TWRA's boundary, in its Region 3. Hunters checked in 232 deer from the area in the 2025-26 season, 224 antlered bucks among them (TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox). The first deer hunt in TWRA's 2026-27 guide for the area: Deer/Bear (Archery), Sept. 19–Oct. 1. One (1) deer, antlered or antlerless, counts toward statewide bag limit.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: TWRA's 2026-27 guide, page 105. Harvest: TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox, 2015-16 to 2025-26.
South Cherokee WMAOther TWRA hunting landsNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 296,394 acres, measured on TWRA's boundary |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County, Polk County, McMinn County |
| TWRA region | Region 3 |
| Deer management unit | Unit 5, Unit 6 |
| Permits | Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit |
| Deer checked in, 2025-26 | 232 (224 antlered bucks, 2 antlerless males, 6 females) |
| Area manager | Mitch Clure (423) 884-6767 |
| Nearest towns | Tellico Plains (next to it), Copperhill (2 mi) and Ducktown (2 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on South Cherokee 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.
Includes former Ocoee and Tellico Units. Bear reserves are closed to all big game hunting when the bear season (dogs permitted) is open on the South Cherokee. It is illegal to possess firearms with any breed of dog other than pointing breeds during daylight hours, excluding bear season, except as provided. A Non-quota Big Game permit or Sportsman License is required to hunt the non-quota big game hunts. Some roads normally open to public travel may be closed from Dec. 15–March 31. Wild hog may be taken during any deer or bear hunt with no limit. During gun and muzzleloader Big Game hunts all wild hog hunters must comply with the blaze orange/pink requirements. A bear hunter who has filled the daily or seasonal limit may continue to carry a firearm and take wild hogs where incidental taking is allowed. Closed to all hunting March 1 through August 22, except turkey season. Same as statewide, except as noted. Small game hunters, except raccoon and opossum hunters, must wear 500 square inches of blaze orange/ pink during big game muzzleloader and gun hunts. Spring squirrel season is closed. Small game hunting in bear reserves and party hunt area during scheduled party hunts prohibited one (1) day before and during bear (dogs permitted) hunts. Dogs permitted for squirrel hunting outside of bear reserves during bear dog hunts and Jan. 1–last day of February. Squirrel hunters utilizing dogs during bear hunts are limited to a maximum of two (2) dogs per vehicle. Season open on groundhog, fox and skunk during any small game hunt with weapons legal for that small game hunt. Bobcat may be taken on any scheduled big game or small game hunt that coincides with the statewide bobcat season with weapon legal for that scheduled hunt. Bobcat and coyote may be taken on any hunt with weapon legal for that hunt. Bobcat hunting with dogs is prohibited.
- Deer/Bear (Archery): Sept. 19–Oct. 1. One (1) deer, antlered or antlerless, counts toward statewide bag limit. One (1) bear either sex outside the bear reserve.
- Deer (Muzzleloader): Oct. 26–Nov. 1. One (1) deer, antlered only (deer counts towards statewide bag limit).
- Deer (Gun - Young Sportsman): Oct. 24–25. One (1) deer, antlered or antlerless (deer counts towards state wide bag limit).
- Deer (Gun): Nov. 21–29, Dec. 14–28. Two (2) deer, antlered only (deer counts towards statewide bag limit).
- Bear (Gun - Dogs Permitted): Five (5) hunts: Oct. 3–4, Oct. 10–16, Nov. 2–6, Nov. 30–Dec. 13, Dec. 31–Jan. 3. One (1) bear, either sex (bear counts towards statewide bag limit). Hunting confined to that area outside the Ocoee and Tellico Bear Reserves. Bear Party-Dog Hunts (Gun - Dogs Permitted) - Four (4) hunts: Oct. 3–4, Oct. 10–11, Nov. 2–3, Nov. 30– Dec. 1. Quota party dog hunts, 75 permits per party. One (1) party permitted in each of the following areas: Upper Tellico, Lower Tellico, Upper Bald River, and Lower Bald River. One (1) bear, either sex (bear counts towards statewide bag limit). Party-Dog Area closed during scheduled quota party-dog hunts. See below for more details. Non-hunting juveniles under the age of 13 may accompany an adult hunter (18 years old or older) who has a valid party-hunt permit. Juveniles must also comply with all regulations specified for permitted hunters.
- Opossum, Raccoon: Outside of Tellico and Ocoee Bear Reserves Nov. 7–19, Jan. 4–Feb. 28. Inside Tellico and Ocoee Bear Reserves Jan. 4–31, hunters are limited to a maximum of two (2) dogs per vehicle. The only legal weapons on a raccoon hunt are .22 caliber short and long rifles.
- Bear Dog Training Season: Sept. 9–18. No bears may be harvested. No weapons may be possessed. No training in bear reserves.
- Turkey: Same as statewide spring turkey season.
- Trapping: Jan. 1–through last day of Feb.
- Shooting Range: Open daylight hours only. See tnwildlife.org for details. Safety Zone - On the Cherokee WMA, hunting or discharging a firearm is prohibited within 150 yards of a developed recreation area, campsite, residence, building, occupied area, across or on a National Forest system road. Contact the appropriate U.S. Forest Service office for more information. Horseback riding - Horseback riding on properties owned by the U.S. Forest Service shall be the same as U.S. Forest Service regulations. Contact the U.S. Forest Service (423-476-9700). On those properties owned or leased by the TWRA, horseback riding is only allowed upon roads opened for vehicle travel. No riding off road into openings, fields, trails or through streams. Electric Bikes - All electric bicycles are classified as motorized vehicles under 36CFR212 and therefore are not permitted: on gated roads restricting motorized vehicles; on trails or areas designated as non-motorized; or in Wilderness Areas. For more information, please contact U.S. Forest Service (423) 476-9700.
- Dog training: Dog training prohibited unless otherwise specified. The use or possession of any electronic tracking devices from March 1–Aug. 15 is illegal. Hunting of coyotes with dogs is prohibited.
- Camping: On Forest Service sites, available seasonally.
Source: TWRA 2026-27 Tennessee Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Guide, page 105; 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 South Cherokee WMA?
Hunters checked in 232 deer from South Cherokee WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 11 seasons the Toolbox shows, the area averaged 174 deer a season, from 94 in 2018-19 to 232 in 2025-26.
| Season | Deer checked in | Males | Antlered | Antlerless males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 232 | 226 | 224 | 2 | 6 |
| 2024-25 | 196 | 190 | 189 | 1 | 6 |
| 2023-24 | 170 | 167 | 164 | 3 | 3 |
| 2022-23 | 150 | 135 | 132 | 3 | 15 |
| 2021-22 | 191 | 185 | 183 | 2 | 6 |
| 2020-21 | 171 | 159 | 157 | 2 | 12 |
| 2019-20 | 166 | 160 | 158 | 2 | 6 |
| 2018-19 | 94 | 90 | 85 | 5 | 4 |
| 2017-18 | 181 | 178 | 3 | ||
| 2016-17 | 186 | 179 | 7 | ||
| 2015-16 | 177 | 165 | 12 |
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 South Cherokee WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer unit | County deer off WMAs, 2025-26 | Rank of 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | 151,033 | 6 | 1,141 | 63rd |
| Polk County | 141,443 | 6 | 330 | 94th |
| McMinn County | 3,731 | 5 | 1,755 | 30th |
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 South Cherokee WMA?
Highways through the area: TN 165, US 64, TN 30 and TN 384. Nearest towns: Tellico Plains (next to it), Copperhill (2 miles), Ducktown (2 miles) and Benton (2 miles). Directions and the area map are on TWRA's page for South Cherokee WMA.
The closest other TWRA hunting lands with a page here: Tellico Lake WMA (next to it), Foothills WMA (next to it), Fourth Fractional Township WMA (next to it) and Charlotte Anne Finnell Neal WMA (4.1 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt deer on South Cherokee WMA in 2026-27?
TWRA's 2026-27 guide lists these deer hunts for South Cherokee WMA: Deer/Bear (Archery), Sept. 19–Oct. 1; Deer (Muzzleloader), Oct. 26–Nov. 1; Deer (Gun - Young Sportsman), Oct. 24–25; Deer (Gun), Nov. 21–29, Dec. 14–28. Each hunt's limits and rules are above.
How many deer were killed on South Cherokee WMA last season?
Hunters checked in 232 deer from South Cherokee WMA in the 2025-26 season: 224 antlered bucks, 2 antlerless males and 6 females, by TWRA's Hunter's Toolbox. The 11-season average is 174.
What county is South Cherokee WMA in?
Monroe County (151,033 acres), Polk County (141,443 acres) and McMinn County (3,731 acres), measured on TWRA's boundary.
What permit do you need to hunt South Cherokee WMA?
TWRA's guide lists these for the area: Big Game (Non-Quota/WMA) or quota permit. Lifetime and Annual Sportsman License holders are exempt from WMA permits (guide, page 11).
Get a Tennessee hunt plan when they open
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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.
Tennessee hunting All Tennessee WMAs Monroe County deer harvest Polk County deer harvest McMinn County deer harvest