South Cherokee WMA
Directions and Description
Site Directions: Bee House Gap N35.40718 W084.08820 - Eagle Gap N35.36409 W084.10667 - Cantrell Bridge Bald River N35.28858 W084.18583 - Basin Gap N35.29007 W084.20623 - Beech Gap N35.34825 W084.03819 - Grassy Gap N35.35720 W084.08707 - Lower Crowder Field N35.43857 W084.05190 - Farr Gap N35.46341 W084.027355 - Buck Bald N35.20357 W084.32372 - Indian Boundary N35.40205 W084.10683 - North River Check Station N35.31357 W084.12595 - North River check station is 2500 River Road, Tellico Plains, TN 37385 - Citico Creek Check Station N35.53808 W084.10946 - Tellico Lake/South Cherokee Workbase is 1111 Hwy. 360, Vonore, TN 37885
TWRA Contact Information: Region 3 Office: 1-931-484-9571, Toll-Free: 1-833-402-4698, E-mail the office
Regulations & Dates
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.
Cherokee WMA 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 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 from March 1 through August 22, except turkey season.
Grouse, Rabit, Snipe, Waterfowl, Squirrel, Woodcock, Dove: Same as statewide, except as noted.
Quail - Nov. 2, 2024 – Jan. 15, 2025. Small game hunters, except raccoon and opossum hunters, must wear 500 square inches of blaze orange during big game muzzleloader and gun hunts.
Spring Squirrel - Closed.
Small Game - Hunting in Bear Reserves and party hunt areas during scheduled party hunts is prohibited one (1) day before and during bear (dogs permitted) hunts.
Dogs - Are permitted for squirrel hunting outside of bear reserves during bear dog hunts and Jan. 1–the last day of February. Squirrel hunters utilizing dogs during bear hunts are limited to a maximum of two (2) dogs per vehicle.
Season is 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 weapons legal for that scheduled hunt.
Bobcats and Coyotes may be taken on any hunt with weapons legal for that hunt. Bobcat hunting with dogs is prohibited.
Deer/Bear (Archery) - Sept. 21–Oct. 3, 2024. One (1) deer, antlered or antlerless, counts toward the statewide bag limit. One (1) bear either sex outside the bear reserve.
Deer (Muzzleloader) - One (1) hunt: Oct. 21–27, 2024. One (1) deer, antlered only (deer counts towards statewide bag limit).
Deer (Gun - Young Sportsman) - One (1) hunt: Oct. 19–20, 2024. One (1) deer, antlered or antlerless (deer counts towards statewide bag limit).
Deer (Gun) - Two (2) hunts: Nov. 16–Dec. 1, 2024 and Dec. 18–25, 2024. Two (2) deer, antlered only (deer counts towards statewide bag limit).
Bear (Gun - Dogs Permitted) - Five (5) hunts: Oct. 5–6, 2024, Oct. 12–18, 2024, Oct. 28–Nov. 1, 2024, Dec. 2–15, 2024 and Dec. 26–29, 2024. One (1) bear, either sex. Hunting is confined to that area outside the Ocoee and Tellico Bear Reserves.
Bear Party-Dog Hunts (Gun - Dogs Permitted) - Four (4) hunts: Oct. 5–6, 2024, Oct. 12–13, 2024, Oct. 28-29, 2024, and Dec. 2–3, 2024. 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. Party-Dog Area closed during scheduled quota party-dog hunts.
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. 2–14, 2024, Dec. 30, 2024 – last day of Feb. 2025. Inside Tellico and Ocoee Bear Reserves Dec. 30, 2024 – Jan. 31, 2025, 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. 4–13, 2024. 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, 2025 – through the last day of Feb. 2025.
Shooting Range - Open daylight hours only. See the shooting page 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, or 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.
Dog training - Dog training is prohibited unless otherwise specified. The use or possession of any electronic tracking devices from March 1, 2024 – Aug. 15, 2025 is illegal. Hunting of coyotes with dogs is prohibited.
Camping - On Forest Service sites, available seasonally.
Bear Reserve Information
OCOEE BEAR RESERVE - The Cherokee Wildlife Management Area and private inholdings are bounded on the north by Ocoee Lake and Ocoee River, on the south by the Tennessee/Georgia state line, and on the east and west by the NationalForest Boundary.
TELLICO BEAR RESERVE - The Cherokee Wildlife Management Area in Monroe County that lies north of the Tellico-Robbinsville Road, east of Forest Service Road 35, south of Forest Service Road 26, and west of the ridge running from Farr Gap through Little Fodderstack to Big Fodderstackand following the North Carolina state line to theTellico-Robbinsville Road.
Cherokee Party Hunt Compartments
UPPER TELLICO - The portion of the Tellico River drainage lying north of the Tellico River Road, south of the North River Road, and west of the North Carolina line.
LOWER TELLICO - That portion of the Tellico River drainage lying east of Turkey Creek, north of the Tellico River Road and North of the North River Road, west of the North Carolina state line, and south of the Cherohala Skyway (Hwy. 165).
UPPER BALD RIVER - That portion of the Bald River and Tellico River drainages lies south of the Tellico River Road, south of the Bald River Road, east of the Waucheesi Mountain Road, and north of the North Carolina state line.
LOWER BALD RIVER - That portion of the Bald River and Tellico River drainages lies south of the Tellico River Road, east of the Basin Lead Trail (FS trail 161), and north of the Bald River Road.
Photos
