Chickamauga WMA

BRADLEY/HAMILTON/MCMINN/MEIGS/RHEA COUNTIES • 4,000 ACRES

SODDY CREEK, SALE CREEK

Big Game, Small Game, Trapping  are the same as statewide seasons, except as noted. Closed to quail hunting. Deer hunting with archery equipment only. Archery hunters must comply with blaze orange requirements during the statewide deer gun or muzzleloader seasons. Shotguns loaded with No. 4 shot or smaller only (except waterfowl). 

Waterfowl hunting is restricted to the use of shotguns loaded with No. 2 shot or smaller.

COTTONPORT, WASHINGTON FERRY, SHELTON BOTTOMS, MUD CREEK, NEW BETHAL, MOON ISLAND, GOODFIELD CREEK, GILLESPIE BEND, LEDFORD ISLAND, AGENCY CREEK, SUGAR CREEK, SOUTH MOUSE CREEK UNITS

Big Game, Small Game. Trapping are same as statewide hunting and trapping seasons.

No waterfowl hunters permitted on Units from two hours after legal shooting hours have ended until 4 a.m. the following day during the duck season(s).

Closed to quail hunting.

CANDIES CREEK, JOHNSON BOTTOMS, ROGERS CREEK, YELLOW CREEK UNITS

Big Game, Small Game, and Trapping are the same as statewide seasons, except units closed to all forms of trespass including fishing, trapping and hunting for all species except waterfowl (excluding Candies Creek Upland Unit) from the first opening day of the late duck season until the last day of the late duck season and on the day before and during the Youth Waterfowl hunts. Closed to quail hunting.

CANDIES CREEK UPLAND UNIT

WMA Property east of Candies Creek and west of Lower River Road. Big Game and small game same as statewide hunting and trapping seasons.

Waterfowl - Waterfowl hunting is permitted on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and the first and last day of the duck season. Waterfowl hunting ends at 3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday only. No waterfowl hunters or other activities permitted on units from two hours after legal shooting hours have ended until 4 a.m. the following day during the duck seasons. Hunting is allowed only from assigned sites. Hunting sites and hunting dates will be allocated through a computer drawing On the Yellow Creek Unit, a canoe or kayak may be beneficial for access. Hunters selected for a hunting site may bring up to seven additional hunters. No more than eight hunters per hunting site. No hunting site may be hunted unless a hunter selected for that assigned hunting site and date is present. Hunters may leave in place decoys and a temporary blind at their hunting site during their assigned hunt date but must remove all decoys at the end of their last hunt date. Young sportsmen and military hunters may hunt these sites during the youth and military waterfowl seasons on a first-come, first-serve basis. Hunters during these seasons must enter the hunting area only from established TWRA parking areas.

Dog training - Sept. 1 - March 15, except closed during late duck season.

Site Description: Maple Springs Rd provides access to views of backwater areas along the river, old fields, mixed woods, and ultimately river access. Nearby sites to also explore include Hiwassee Refuge and Yuchi Refuge.

Wildlife to Watch: The woods along the roadsides can be excellent for birds.

In fall, White-throated, Swamp, Song, and Vesper Sparrows can be present, if not abundant.

There is a small Great Blue Heron rookery several hundred yards to the west of the boat ramp (looking to the right).

Bald Eagles may be seen. A pair of eagles used to nest in this area, but there are many nesting pairs in the area.

When the river is low, look closely at the backwater areas and mudflats for shorebirds and other waterbirds.

Winter Wren and Hermit Thrush are present in fall and winter.