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State Natural Area · Plateau Tennessee
Hicks Gap State Natural Area
In Marion County, 350 acres of public ground managed by the Tennessee Division of Forestry as a state natural area.
Photo: Missvain (CC BY 4.0)
Getting to Hicks Gap State Natural Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Hicks Gap State Natural Area
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Raccoon Mountain (TN RIver)Boat ramp · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Sullivan's Landing (TN River)Boat ramp · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 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.
Hicks Gap State Natural Area overview
Slopes of the Cumberland Plateau escarpment in the Tennessee River Gorge inside Prentice Cooper State Forest, Marion County, with dry pine-oak upper slopes and oak-hickory lower slopes.
How this area is hunted: Hunting follows Prentice Cooper WMA regulations, where several deer hunts are by quota and the area may close during WMA hunts. Entry sunrise to sunset via Hicks Gap Road; no parking area or trails.
Hicks Gap State Natural Area sits within Prentice Cooper State Forest & WMA, and that area’s rules also apply.
The TWRA listing for Hicks Gap State Natural Area covers deer, turkey and small game. A TWRA quota draw decides who hunts some of the seasons here. Its primary county, Marion, is in deer Unit 5.
Read the official Hicks Gap State Natural Area listing for its map, current dates and any permits.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Hicks Gap State Natural Area
Seasons and limits at Hicks Gap State Natural Area
The game listed for this area, with 2026-27 statewide dates and the county rules that apply.
Deer
For 2026-27 the statewide seasons cover Aug 28, 2026 to Jan 10, 2027. Expect the area listing to trim some of those days.
Turkey
For 2026-27 the statewide seasons cover Sep 26, 2026 to May 16, 2027. Expect the area listing to trim some of those days.
Small game
For 2026-27 the statewide seasons cover Aug 22, 2026 to Jun 13, 2027. Squirrel, rabbit and similar small game count here when the area allows them. Expect the area listing to trim some of those days.
Deer bag, Unit 5
Antlerless limits: Young Sportsman 2 total over its four days, archery 4, muzzleloader plus straight-wall week 2, gun 2, and none in the August hunt. Moving to another county in the unit does not raise the limit. Antlered limit is 2 per season statewide, 1 per day.
Wearing orange
Fluorescent orange or pink, 500 square inches on the head and upper body, is required for big game except in archery-only and turkey seasons.
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.
What you can hunt in Hicks Gap State Natural Area right now
For bear, Marion County counts as zone Transitional. Deer baiting on private land in Marion County needs the bait license.
- 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.
Map of Hicks Gap State Natural Area and nearby public land
Hicks Gap State Natural Area shows as the orange marker, placed at its approximate center from the TWRA hunting map. In gold are the other public areas no more than about 70 miles away. Nearest towns: Jasper (10 mi), Chattanooga (11 mi), Cleveland (34 mi).
Prentice Cooper State Forest & WMA
Lies in Marion County and Hamilton County, around 4 miles away by straight line. 26,945 acres.
North Chickamauga Creek WMA
Lies in Sequatchie County and Hamilton County, around 18 miles away by straight line. 5,400 acres.
Franklin State Forest
Lies in Marion County and Franklin County, around 24 miles away by straight line. 8,824 acres.
Head of the Crow State Park Huntable Lands
Lies in Franklin County, around 27 miles away by straight line.
Bear Hollow Mountain WMA
Lies in Franklin County, around 33 miles away by straight line. 22,000 acres.
Where to process, mount and resupply near Hicks Gap State Natural Area
Drawn from Marion County plus the next counties over.
Distances are straight-line estimates. Hours change by season, so call ahead. Full services directory.
Recent deer harvest near Hicks Gap State Natural Area
Numbers are for each county as a whole rather than this tract. Marion County ranks #37 of 95 counties for reported deer harvest.
| County | Deer 2023-24 | Deer 2024-25 | Deer 2025-26 | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County | 1,817 | 2,041 | 1,746 | #37 of 95 |
Total reported deer harvest by county, WMA harvest included, from TWRA Hunter’s Toolbox reports. Seasons run July 1 to June 30.
Hicks Gap State Natural Area questions
Where is Hicks Gap State Natural Area?
Hicks Gap State Natural Area is in Marion County, in TWRA's Plateau Tennessee region. The agency page shows the map and where to get in.
Does Hicks Gap State Natural Area need its own permit?
Hunting follows Prentice Cooper WMA regulations, where several deer hunts are by quota and the area may close during WMA hunts. Entry sunrise to sunset via Hicks Gap Road; no parking area or trails. Look to the Tennessee Division of Forestry for area permit rules, and hunt with a current Tennessee license.
What is huntable at Hicks Gap State Natural Area?
Listed game: deer, turkey and small game. Expect area dates that can trim the statewide seasons.
Is there a draw for hunting Hicks Gap State Natural Area?
Some are. TWRA draws quota permits for those hunts before the season opens.
What is the size of Hicks Gap State Natural Area?
About 350 acres, according to the managing agency.
Do CWD rules apply on Hicks Gap State Natural Area?
No. For 2026-27, Marion County is neither CWD-positive nor in the Management Zone.
What are the deer limits on Hicks Gap State Natural Area?
It follows Unit 5, the deer unit for Marion County. The antlerless bag here is set per season: 4 in archery, 2 in muzzleloader and straight-wall week, 2 in gun, 2 total for Young Sportsman, and 0 in the August hunt. Limits do not reset when you hunt another county in the same unit.
Which processors are close to Hicks Gap State Natural Area?
Try Don's Meat Shop, Middle Valley Deer Processing and Sale Creek Deer Processing. Call ahead, since many work only in season.
Where else can I hunt near Hicks Gap State Natural Area?
Closest public areas by straight line: Prentice Cooper State Forest & WMA (about 4 miles), Battle Creek PHA (about 15 miles) and North Chickamauga Creek WMA (about 18 miles).
How soon do I have to check in my deer?
Use the TWRA On The Go app, the online system or a check station. The deadline is midnight on the harvest day, and it must happen before the animal crosses the state line.
Planning a trip to Hicks Gap State Natural Area
Area rules and limits are revised each year, so confirm them in the 2026-27 TWRA guide and the area listing.