HEREChattanooga
Chattanooga
Hunting
Report
Live conditions, season status, solunar ratings, WMA profiles, and community hunting coverage for Hamilton and Game Zone.
Hog: UNK
Turkey: UNK
Dove: UNK
Deer: UNK
Game Zone
First Look • Hunt Conditions
🌒
Waxing Crescent
Illumination: 49%
11:00 am
12:30 am
93°F
6 mph
Weather as of 4:05 PM ET
Good — increasing moonlight; deer active morning and evening.
Game Zone • Hamilton
Chattanooga Hunting Season Status
Whitetail Deer
UNK
Season DatesUNK — verify with TWRA.
Bag Limit:UNK — verify with TWRA.
No verified Whitetail Deer season data seeded for this clone. Contact your operator to load TWRA canonical dates.
Do not hunt without confirmed regulations from TWRA.
Feral Hog
UNK
Season DatesUNK — verify with TWRA.
Bag Limit:UNK — verify with TWRA.
No verified Feral Hog season data seeded for this clone. Contact your operator to load TWRA canonical dates.
Do not hunt without confirmed regulations from TWRA.
Spring Turkey
UNK
Season DatesUNK — verify with TWRA.
Bag Limit:UNK — verify with TWRA.
No verified Spring Turkey season data seeded for this clone. Contact your operator to load TWRA canonical dates.
Do not hunt without confirmed regulations from TWRA.
Mourning Dove
UNK
Season DatesUNK — verify with TWRA.
Bag Limit:UNK — verify with TWRA.
No verified Mourning Dove season data seeded for this clone. Contact your operator to load TWRA canonical dates.
Do not hunt without confirmed regulations from TWRA.
Season dates shown are for Game Zone private lands. WMA dates, license requirements, and antlerless regulations may differ. Always verify current regulations with TWRA before hunting.
Report a Season Update
First Look
Chattanooga Hunting Weather Now
93F
Clear
Feels like 99°F
as of 4:05 PM ET
Wind
6 mph WSW
Humidity
46%
Pressure
1021 hPa
Moon
Waxing Crescent
Location
Chattanooga, TN
Field Scout Tips
- Nothing is in season today — pure scouting window. Walk property lines, check trail cams, and hang stands for the opener.
- Warm day — scout creek bottoms and water sources where game will hold once seasons reopen.
- Use closed season to inventory deer, locate gobblers on the roost, and pattern hog sign for when seasons return.
Solunar Index
Chattanooga Hunt Conditions Today
Temperature
93°F
Too Warm
Wind Speed
6 mph
Ideal — Calm
Barometric
1021 hPa
High — Active
Moon Phase
🌒
Good
Extended Outlook
Chattanooga Hunt Forecast — 5 Days
TODAY
Sunny
98° / 77°
3 mph wind • 0% humidity
FAIR
MON
Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
99° / 76°
3 mph wind • 0% humidity
STAY IN
TUE
Sunny
95° / 72°
3 mph wind • 0% humidity
FAIR
WED
Sunny
97° / 75°
3 mph wind • 0% humidity
FAIR
THU
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
95° / 73°
3 mph wind • 0% humidity
STAY IN
Public Hunting Lands
Chattanooga Tennessee Wildlife Management Areas
Six public hunting areas within reach of Chattanooga — from in-county dove fields to mountain bear country an hour west.
Prentice Cooper State Forest & WMA
26,000 acres acres
State Forest & Wildlife Management Area
deer
turkey
small game
Rugged plateau terrain overlooking the Tennessee River Gorge, popular for both big-game hunting and the Signal Mountain-area trail network.
Access via Cummings Hwy / Suck Creek Rd, Chattanooga
Field Tip
The gorge overlooks near Snooper's Rock make a good scouting stop before hunting season.
Raccoon Mountain WMA
Smaller tract adjacent to Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage facility acres
Wildlife Management Area
deer
turkey
small game
Managed area around TVA's Raccoon Mountain pumped-storage reservoir, offering hardwood-ridge hunting close to the city.
Access via Cummings Hwy / Raccoon Mountain Rd
Field Tip
Coordinate visits around TVA facility operating hours near the reservoir access roads.
North Chickamauga Creek WMA
Gorge-corridor tract acres
Wildlife Management Area
deer
turkey
small game
Steep gorge terrain along North Chickamauga Creek, contiguous with the Cumberland Trail State Park corridor.
Access via Montlake Rd, Soddy-Daisy, TN
Field Tip
Combine with a Cumberland Trail hike to scout ridge lines before hunting season opens.
Did We Miss a Spot?
Know a Chattanooga-area hunting land, WMA, or public access parcel that should be on this list? Let us know.
Report a Hunting SpotCommunity Reviews
Chattanooga Hunting Reviews
Cherokee WMA South (Ocoee District)
Hunted grouse in the Ocoee District with a young pointer and had two good flushes along an old logging grade through thick mountain laurel. Tough walking but the dog worked beautifully and the scenery along the Ocoee gorge made the effort worthwhile.
Species: Ruffed Grouse
Best Spot: Old logging grade, Ocoee gorge area
Key Gear: 20ga side-by-side, English Pointer
Prentice Cooper State Forest/WMA
Went back to Prentice Cooper for a late-season gun hunt and sat a saddle between two ridges where deer funnel through during cold weather. Took a nice eight-point at 70 yards right at last light. This place holds some of the best public-land bucks in the Chattanooga area if you're willing to hike.
Species: Whitetail Deer
Best Spot: Ridge saddle, central tract
Key Gear: .308 bolt-action, climbing stand
Chickamauga WMA
Hunted ducks in a flooded backwater pocket on Chickamauga WMA with my son and our retriever. Decoyed a nice mixed bag of woodies and mallards right after sunrise before the wind shifted and pushed the birds out. Access by boat only but that keeps the pressure light.
Species: Wood Duck & Mallard
Best Spot: Flooded backwater pocket, west unit
Key Gear: 12ga semi-auto, #4 steel, golden retriever
Bear Hollow Mountain WMA
Hunted black bear on Bear Hollow Mountain WMA during the archery season and glassed a bear working an oak flat from a distance before it moved off into thicker cover. Didn't get a shot but the sign — scat, claw marks on beech trees — was everywhere. Definitely a serious bear tract.
Species: Black Bear
Best Spot: Oak flat below the ridge line, central tract
Key Gear: Compound bow, ground blind
Share Your Hunt
Hunted a Chattanooga-area WMA or private land? Tell us about it in 280 characters or fewer.
Community
Here We...
Bag Them Big...
Trophy harvests, personal bests, and record-book moments from Chattanooga hunters.
Hunted a hardwood bench above a spring seep on Cherokee WMA's South Unit during opening week. He stepped out mid-morning working a scrape forty yards below the stand. One shot, twenty-yard recovery through the ferns. That buck is the biggest Southeast Tennessee public land has given me in years.
Whitetail Deer 10-point, 179 lbs dressed
Worked a creek bottom below the Prentice Cooper rim at last light after finding fresh rooting for two days straight. He came in loud, full of attitude, at thirty yards. Dropped him in his tracks near Suck Creek. One less hog rooting up the gorge bottoms, and a freezer full of meat to show for it.
Wild Hog 230 lb boar
Bowhunted a bottleneck between two ridgelines on the South Unit of Cherokee WMA during the peak rut. He worked a scrape line for ten minutes before stepping into the lane at nineteen yards. Clean pass-through, short blood trail through the hardwoods. Public ground on the south end of Cherokee still produces mature bucks for hunters who climb.
Whitetail Deer 8-point, 158 lbs dressed
Don't Drink by the Swig...
Your favorite post-hunt watering hole. Where do you go when the hunt is done?
Dropped the buck at the processor and headed to Heaven & Ale on the Southside. German lager in the biergarten, the South Unit scrape-line story getting longer with every telling. A good Cherokee WMA buck deserves a good biergarten finish.
Heaven & Ale -- German lager
Loaded the hog and drove to Chattanooga Brewing Company, one of the city's oldest craft breweries. Cherokee Red Ale, patio seating, the Suck Creek charge getting louder with every retelling. Prentice Cooper hunts deserve an old-school Chattanooga finish.
Chattanooga Brewing Company -- Cherokee Red Ale
Field-dressed the buck and drove into St. Elmo for Naked River Brewing at the base of Lookout Mountain. Hazy IPA, mountain views, the rut chase getting retold for the third time. Cherokee WMA hunts always end better with a St. Elmo beer.
Naked River Brewing Company -- Hazy IPA
Coverage
Chattanooga Hunting News
Local — Chattanooga and Southeast Tennessee
Coming Soon
Local
Chattanooga Hunting Coverage Coming Soon
Local WMA reports, season openers, deer and turkey harvest news, and Southeast Tennessee hunting coverage from the HEREChattanooga newsroom.
National — Whitetail, CWD, and Conservation
Coming Soon
National
National Hunting Coverage Coming Soon
Whitetail news, CWD updates, conservation legislation, gear reviews, and national hunting stories with a Chattanooga perspective.
More at Outdoor Sports
Fishing, camping, hiking, and all outdoor sports coverage for Chattanooga and Southeast Tennessee, TN
Outfitters and Gear
Hunting Gear Guide
Gear reviews and picks for the Chattanooga hunter — boots, optics, packs, and more.
Gear Reviews — Tested for Southeast Tennessee, TN Hunting
As an Amazon Associate, HERE earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability subject to change.
Icotec Nomad+ Programmable Predator Call/Decoy Combo with Bluetooth - 165 Professional Sound…
Decoy
Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Icotec Nomad+ Programmable Predator Call/Decoy Combo with Bluetooth - 165 Professional Sound….
$13.99
Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk
View on Amazon →
ATN Thor 5 Smart HD Thermal Scope w/Ultra Sensative Gen 5 Sensor, Video Rec, Built in LRF, B…
Optic / Scope
Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. ATN Thor 5 Smart HD Thermal Scope w/Ultra Sensative Gen 5 Sensor, Video Rec, Built in LRF, B….
$1676.85
Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk
View on Amazon →
Pulsar Trail 3 LRF Thermal Riflescope with Laser Range Finder and Mount
Laser Rangefinder
Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Pulsar Trail 3 LRF Thermal Riflescope with Laser Range Finder and Mount.
$2899.97
Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk
View on Amazon →
Garmin inReach® Mini 3, Rugged Compact Global Satellite Communicator with Color Touchscreen,…
GPS / Navigation
Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Garmin inReach® Mini 3, Rugged Compact Global Satellite Communicator with Color Touchscreen,….
$399.99
Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk
View on Amazon →
Vortex Optics Fury HD 5000 10x42 Laser Rangefinding Binoculars
Laser Rangefinder
Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Vortex Optics Fury HD 5000 10x42 Laser Rangefinding Binoculars.
$799.00
Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk
View on Amazon →
TACTACAM Reveal X PRO Cellular Trail Camera, Verizon and AT&T, NO Glow, Integrated GPS Track…
Trail Camera
Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. TACTACAM Reveal X PRO Cellular Trail Camera, Verizon and AT&T, NO Glow, Integrated GPS Track….
$99.99
Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk
View on Amazon →
Outfitter, Guide Service, or Hunting Retailer?
Get featured in the Essential Gear section and reach active hunters across the HERE City Network — 100+ cities.
Learn About Gear AdvertisingGame Zone Key Dates
TN Hunting Season Calendar
Aug 22, 2026
Young Sportsman Deer Hunt (Statewide)
Ages 6-16, either-sex, private lands. TWRA confirms specific dates annually.
Sep 26, 2026
Archery Deer Season Opens
Archery deer season opens statewide. Bag limits vary by unit. Verify against current TWRA Hunt Guide.
Oct 24, 2026
Muzzleloader Deer Season Opens
Muzzleloader (blackpowder) deer season opens statewide.
Nov 21, 2026
Gun Deer Season Opens
Gun deer season opens statewide. Peak rut typically first-second week of November across Middle/East TN. Verify local zone.
Jan 3, 2027
Deer Season Closes (Most Units)
Statewide gun deer season closes on most units. Specific unit variations apply.
Mar 27–28, 2027
Young Sportsman Turkey Hunt
Statewide youth turkey hunt (hunters age 6-16). Dates estimated based on typical TWRA pattern (last weekend of March). Confirm with 2027 TWRA Hunt Guide.
Apr 3, 2027
Spring Turkey Season Opens (Statewide)
Spring turkey season opens. Bag limit 2 per season. Verify against 2027 TWRA proclamation.
May 16, 2027
Spring Turkey Season Closes
Turkey spring season closes statewide (typical 6-week pattern).
TBD — 2026-27 Dove Season
Dove Season Dates Pending TWRA Approval
TWRA approves migratory bird dates annually. Historical pattern is 3 segments Sep-Jan. 2026-27 dates will be posted at tn.gov/twra when approved.
Year-Round
Wild Hog (Private Lands)
Wild hog may be taken year-round on private land with valid TN hunting license. No bag limit. Non-target species per TWRA. Some WMA restrictions apply.
Dates reflect 2026 Tennessee hunting regulations for Game Zone. Always verify with the current TWRA Hunting and Fishing Guide. Regulations are subject to change. Hogs are legal year-round on private land with a hunting license — no closed season.
Questions and Answers
Chattanooga Hunting FAQ
Common questions about hunting in the Chattanooga area, answered.
-
Deer season dates in Game Zone vary by year and land type (private vs WMA). Specific dates for Hamilton have not been confirmed against current TWRA regulations for this guide — see https://www.tn.gov/twra for the current Tennessee Hunting and Fishing Guide.
-
Public hunting near Chattanooga is listed in the WMA directory above. TWRA manages all WMAs in Tennessee; a WMA license is required in addition to a basic hunting license.
-
Yes. All hunters in Tennessee need a state hunting license. Deer and turkey require an additional big game permit. Hunting on any Wildlife Management Area (WMA) requires a WMA license. Federal migratory bird hunters age 16 and older need a federal duck stamp for waterfowl. Licenses and permits are available through TWRA at https://www.tn.gov/twra or at authorized license agents throughout Hamilton.
-
Sunday hunting rules in Tennessee vary by land type and local ordinance. Verify with TWRA and Hamilton before hunting on Sunday.
-
Deer bag limits in Game Zone vary by land type (private vs WMA) and by antlered vs antlerless. Limits for Hamilton have not been confirmed against current TWRA regulations for this guide — see https://www.tn.gov/twra for the current Tennessee Hunting and Fishing Guide.
-
Bear hunting in Tennessee is regulated by TWRA. Bear populations and seasons vary by Game Zone. Check the current TWRA hunting guide for bear zones and tags relevant to Hamilton.
ITS ALL HERE! Hunting News Near You!