Lick Creek Bottoms WMA - Joachim Bible Refuge
Directions and Description
Site Directions: From Knoxville I-40 east, then I-81 north, take Exit 15, and go South TN-340/Fish Hatchery Road for 3.9 miles, turn left on TN-348 (east) for 3.5 miles, turn right on Concord Road for 1.2 miles, turn right on Guy Matthews Lane for .27 mile. Lat: 36.159888°N Long: -83.086443°W
From the Tri-Cities take I-81south and take exit 23 US-11E south toward Greeneville for approximately .6 of a mile, turn right on North Mohawk Road (turns into South Mohawk Road) for 5.6 miles, turn right on Concord Road for .6 of a mile, turn left on Guy Matthews Lane for .27 mile.
Lick Creek Bottoms WMA is open year-round during daylight hours, however, the Joachim Bible Refuge is closed to all entry from 15 November through the last day of February. There are multiple points of entry, primarily foot travel only. License fees may apply.
TWRA Contact Information: Region 4 office: 1-423-587-7037, Toll Free: 1-800-332-0900, Email the office, TWRA Area Manager: David Sams 1-423-235-4882
Description: Lick Creek Bottoms (1,044 acres) and Joachim Bible Refuge (470 acres) are 1,514 acres in western Greene County Tennessee and is owned and managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. It lies along Lick Creek a few miles southwest of Mohawk and features old fields, moist soils, wetlands, and thickets managed primarily for small game and waterfowl. Lick Creek Bottoms is part of The Blue Ridge Conservation Opportunity Area (COA)
For the birdwatcher, Lick Creek Bottoms is one of the best places in east Tennessee area from fall through spring for a large variety of hawks, sparrows, neotropical migrants and, depending on water conditions, waterfowl, wading birds and shorebirds. The majority of Tennessee's ducks and geese have been found here in winter, along with Bald Eagles
Examples of some of the species known to exist at Lick Creek Bottoms: Accipiter straitus (Sharp-shinned Hawk), Ammodramus savannarum (Grass. Sparrow), Ardea alba (Great Egret), Asio flammeus (Short-eared Owl), Calidris himantopus (Stilt Sandpiper), Calidris mauri (Western Sandpiper), Caprimulgus carolinensis (Chuck-will's-widow), Caprimulgus vociferus (Whip-poor-will), Certhia americana (Brown Creeper), Circus cyaneus (Northern Harrier), Coccyzus americanus (Yellow-billed Cuckoo), Contopus virens (Eastern Wood-pewee), Dendroica discolor (Prairie Warbler), Egretta caerulea (Little Blue Heron), Empidonax minimus (Least Flycatcher), Empidonax traillii( Willow Flycatcher). Icterus spurius (Orchard Oriole), Lanius ludovicianus (Loggerhead Shrike), Melanerpes erythrocephalus (R.h. Woodpecker), Oporornis formosus (Kentucky Warbler), Protonotaria citrea (Prothonotary Warbler), Spiza americana (Dickcissel), Troglodytes troglodytes (Winter Wren), Tyto alba (Barn Owl), Vireo griseus (White-eyed Vireo)
Regulations & Dates
Special Use - Nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is required for small game (including dove) hunting.
Big Game, Small Game, and Trapping are the same as statewide seasons except as noted. All small game hunting and dog training (excluding raccoon/ opossum) closes at 4 p.m. 500 square inches of blaze orange/pink required by small game hunters during big game muzzleloader and gun hunts (excluding spring turkey).
Quail - Open to training only. Training is open only during the statewide quail season.
Rabbit Dog Training - Oct. 1-31, 2025.
Dove - Sept. 1, 2025 open to all hunters, Sept. 6, 2025 is youth/adult only until noon, beginning at noon the field is open to all hunters for the remainder of the season.
Entire Mohawk dove field is non-toxic shot.
Early Waterfowl Seasons Wood Duck/Teal, Teal Only, Canada Goose Same as statewide seasons.
Late Waterfowl Seasons South Mohawk, Skinner, and Foxgate Units
Open only on Tuesdays and Saturdays as well as the closing day of the season. Hunting closes at noon. Waterfowl hunting will be allocated by hand-held bi-weekly drawings. Every other Saturday, a handheld drawing will be conducted at 1 p.m. to determine the following two weeks Tuesdays and Saturdays hunters. The final drawing of the season will also include closing day. The drawing will be held at the Joachim Bible Refuge Maintenance Facility and hunters must be present and have all applicable licenses/permits to enter drawing. Hunting will only be allowed from designated staked positions and/or pools. Hunters drawn may bring up to 3 guests. Note: Drawn hunter must accompany these guests. After the youth/veteran waterfowl seasons, goose seasons to coincide with statewide seasons. No stake/pool restrictions or drawings.
During the late waterfowl seasons, access to the South Mohawk, Skinner, and Foxgate Units is restricted to hunters actively pursuing game and any waterfowl hunters possessing a valid permit for an upcoming waterfowl hunt. Permits are valid from the issue date until the end of the waterfowl hunt listed on the permit. Drawn waterfowl hunters must have their permit in their possession when scouting/hunting. During big game muzzleloader/gun hunts, all scouting hunters must wear 500 square inches of blaze orange/pink on the body and head.
Goose season is closed in the area at the end of late waterfowl season. Goose season is open to youth/veterans only during the youth waterfowl seasons. Goose season is open to adults after the youth/veteran waterfowl seasons.
The remainder of the Area: Same as statewide seasons. No staked positions/pools.
YOUTH WATERFOWL HUNT
Closes each day at sunset.
South Mohawk, Skinner, and Foxgate Units: Same as statewide dates. First come first serve at designated stakes and pools as posted.
Remainder of the Area: Same as statewide seasons. No staked positions/pools.
For all seasons, no permanent blinds. All decoys, temporary blinds, blind materials, and boats must be removed at the end of legal hunting hours.
Joachim Bible Waterfowl Refuge Unit (that portion of Lick Creek Bottoms WMA between Murray Bridge Road, Bibles Chapel Road, and South Mohawk Road)
Closed to all forms of use and trespass from Nov. 15, 2025 – last day of Feb. 2026, except in designated observation areas. Closed to waterfowl hunting.
Big Game and Small Game Same as statewide, except as noted. All small game hunting and dog training (excluding raccoon/opossum) closes at 4 p.m. Closed to quail hunting. Nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service required for small game (including dove) hunting as posted. All small game hunting is Adult/Youth only. Youths must be accompanied by a licensed adult who may also hunt.
Dove - Opens Sept. 6, 2025, youth/adult only the entire season.
Rabbit - Nov. 1–14, 2025. Bag limit two (2) rabbits/day.
Dog training - Rabbit and Quail - Oct. 1–31, 2025. All other: March 1–Oct. 31.
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