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WMA · East Tennessee
Forks of the River WMA
Wildlife management area covering 648 acres in Knox County, run by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).
Photo: AppalachianCentrist (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Getting to Forks of the River WMA
Parking, trailheads and gates near Forks of the River WMA
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- TrailheadTrailhead · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Hunting Forks of the River WMA
Hardwood forest and crop fields along the Will Skelton Greenway in south Knoxville. Shotgun, muzzleloader and archery only, closed at night except to raccoon hunters, and early September waterfowl seasons are closed.
Game listed here: deer, turkey, dove, small game and bear. The area is chiefly in Knox County, which TWRA places in deer Unit 5.
Maps, dates and permit requirements are on the official area page.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Forks of the River WMA
2026-27 seasons on Forks of the River WMA
What can be hunted here under the current guide, and the county rules that come with it.
Deer
Across the state, 2026-27 seasons open and close within Aug 28, 2026 to Jan 10, 2027. Check whether the area shortens it.
Turkey
Across the state, 2026-27 seasons open and close within Sep 26, 2026 to May 16, 2027. Check whether the area shortens it.
Dove
Across the state, 2026-27 seasons open and close within Sep 1, 2026 to Jul 11, 2027. Check whether the area shortens it.
Small game
Across the state, 2026-27 seasons open and close within Aug 22, 2026 to Jun 13, 2027. That includes squirrel, rabbit and other small game the area permits. Check whether the area shortens it.
Bear
Across the state, 2026-27 seasons open and close within Sep 19, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027. Bear seasons follow the zone, though some areas shut bear hunting off. Check whether the area shortens it.
Unit 5 deer limits
Young Sportsman days carry a combined antlerless limit of 2, archery 4, the muzzleloader and straight-wall week 2, and gun 2. None are allowed in the August hunt, and the limit applies across the unit rather than per county. Two antlered deer per season is the statewide cap, with 1 allowed per day.
Transitional bear rules
The bear zone for Knox County is Transitional: Anderson (east of I-75, south of Old Lake City Hwy and Dutch Valley Rd), Bradley, Campbell (south of Hwy 63, east of I-75), Claiborne (east of 25E, south of Hwy 63), Grundy, Marion, Hamblen, Hamilton, Grainger, Jefferson (west of Hwy 411), Knox, Loudon, McMinn (west of Hwy 411), Sequatchie, Union.
Hunter orange
Wear at least 500 square inches of fluorescent orange or pink above the waist and on the head when hunting big game; archery-only and turkey hunts are exempt.
Statewide dates and limits from the 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide, checked October 28, 2026. Each WMA has its own dates and rules in the guide; the area listing wins where it differs.
Forks of the River WMA season check
Bear hunting here falls under zone Transitional. Knox County is open to licensed baiting on private land.
- Deer
- Turkey
- Ducks
- Waterfowl
- Canada goose
- White-fronted goose
- Brant
- Light geese
- Dove
- Woodcock
- Snipe
- Rails (virginia, sora)
- Gallinule and moorhen
- Crow
- Squirrel
- Rabbit
- Quail
- Grouse
- RaccoonYear-round
- Opossum
- CoyoteYear-round
- Bobcat
- Bear
- Feral hogYear-round
TWRA 2026-27 guide, checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby hunting land and the Forks of the River WMA map
The orange marker is Forks of the River WMA (approximate center from the TWRA hunting map). Each gold marker is another public hunting area inside a 70 mile radius. Nearby towns by straight-line distance: Knoxville (6 mi), Maryville (16 mi), Sevierville (16 mi).
Fort Loudoun WMA
Straight-line distance is about 6 miles; it is in Knox County. Listed at 492 acres.
Whites Mill Refuge
Straight-line distance is about 15 miles; it is in Blount County. Listed at 53 acres.
Oak Ridge WMA
Straight-line distance is about 22 miles; it is in Anderson County and Roane County. Listed at 37,000 acres.
Henderson Island Refuge
Straight-line distance is about 24 miles; it is in Jefferson County. Listed at 525 acres.
Buffalo Springs WMA
Straight-line distance is about 24 miles; it is in Grainger County. Listed at 342 acres.
Cove Creek WMA
Straight-line distance is about 25 miles; it is in Campbell County. Listed at 2,450 acres.
Hunting services near Forks of the River WMA
These are in Knox County or an adjoining county.
Distances are straight-line estimates. Hours change by season, so call ahead. Full services directory.
Deer harvest in the counties around Forks of the River WMA
Figures cover entire counties; area-only harvest is not broken out. The ranking puts Knox County #42 out of 95 for deer harvest.
| County | Deer 2023-24 | Deer 2024-25 | Deer 2025-26 | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 1,555 | 1,512 | 1,669 | #42 of 95 |
Total reported deer harvest by county, WMA harvest included, from TWRA Hunter’s Toolbox reports. Seasons run July 1 to June 30.
What hunters ask about Forks of the River WMA
Which species can be hunted on Forks of the River WMA?
You can hunt deer, turkey, dove, small game and bear, on the dates the area listing gives rather than the statewide calendar.
Where exactly is Forks of the River WMA?
TWRA places Forks of the River WMA in its East region; the ground is in Knox County. For access points and a map, use the area listing.
Do I need a WMA permit to hunt Forks of the River WMA?
Hunters 16 to 64 need a WMA permit or an annual sportsman license to hunt TWRA wildlife management areas, on top of the right hunting licenses. Federal refuges and some areas add their own permits.
How many acres is Forks of the River WMA?
Forks of the River WMA covers about 648 acres, the figure on the managing agency's page.
Which antlerless unit applies on Forks of the River WMA?
Knox County is in deer Unit 5. Archery hunters may take 4 antlerless deer, the muzzleloader and straight-wall week allows 2, gun season 2, and Young Sportsman 2 across its four days. The August hunt allows none, and changing counties inside the unit does not add more.
Are hunts on Forks of the River WMA drawn by quota?
The guide shows no quota hunts here at present; confirm in the area listing each season.
What is the deadline to check in big game?
Big game must be checked in the same day, by midnight, through TWRA On The Go, online or at a station, and before leaving the state.
Is Forks of the River WMA in a CWD county?
Knox County is not on the CWD-positive list or in the CWD Management Zone for 2026-27.
Where do I take a deer from Forks of the River WMA for processing?
Nearby processors on our list: Broken Wing Meat Processing, Adam's Taxidermy & Processing and Coldwater Farms. Call to confirm they are taking deer, as many run seasonally.
Are there other WMAs near Forks of the River WMA?
On the map, the closest are Fort Loudoun WMA (about 6 miles), Whites Mill Refuge (about 15 miles) and Oak Ridge WMA (about 22 miles).
Before you hunt Forks of the River WMA
Read the 2026-27 TWRA guide and the Forks of the River WMA listing before each trip; dates and limits change yearly.