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WMA · Plateau Tennessee
Watts Bar WMA
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) manages this 3,880-acre wildlife management area in Roane County and Rhea County.
Photo: Brian Stansberry (CC BY 3.0)
Getting to Watts Bar WMA
Parking, trailheads and gates near Watts Bar WMA
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 3.7 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 Watts Bar WMA
Mainly islands and access areas on Watts Bar Lake, with islands reached by boat only. On the island units deer is archery-only except for youth, and small game is shotgun or archery only.
Watts Bar WMA is open for deer, turkey, waterfowl and small game under its listing. The main county is Roane County, which sits in deer Unit 5.
Maps, dates and permit requirements are on the official area page.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Watts Bar WMA
2026-27 seasons on Watts Bar WMA
What can be hunted here under the current guide, and the county rules that come with it.
Deer
Statewide 2026-27 dates run Aug 28, 2026 to Jan 10, 2027. Area dates can be shorter than statewide dates.
Turkey
Statewide 2026-27 dates run Sep 26, 2026 to May 16, 2027. Area dates can be shorter than statewide dates.
Waterfowl
Statewide 2026-27 dates run Sep 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027. Area dates can be shorter than statewide dates.
Small game
Statewide 2026-27 dates run Aug 22, 2026 to Jun 13, 2027. That includes squirrel, rabbit and other small game the area permits. Area dates can be shorter than statewide dates.
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.
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.
Watts Bar WMA season check
There is no open bear season in Roane County. Private land baiting is allowed in Roane County with 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
- Feral hogYear-round
TWRA 2026-27 guide, checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby hunting land and the Watts Bar WMA map
The orange marker is Watts Bar 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: Kingston (3 mi), Wartburg (20 mi), Athens (26 mi).
Mount Roosevelt WMA
Around 12 miles as the crow flies, over in Roane County and Cumberland County. Listed at 11,000 acres.
Pine Orchard Unit, Catoosa WMA
Around 14 miles as the crow flies, over in Morgan County. Listed at 1,114 acres.
Lone Mountain State Forest
Around 16 miles as the crow flies, over in Morgan County. Listed at 3,572 acres.
Hunting services near Watts Bar WMA
These are in Roane County and Rhea 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 Watts Bar WMA
Figures cover entire counties; area-only harvest is not broken out. The ranking puts Roane County #18 out of 95 for deer harvest.
| County | Deer 2023-24 | Deer 2024-25 | Deer 2025-26 | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roane County | 2,271 | 2,312 | 2,293 | #18 of 95 |
| Rhea County | 2,009 | 2,001 | 1,921 | #30 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 Watts Bar WMA
Which species can be hunted on Watts Bar WMA?
You can hunt deer, turkey, waterfowl and small game, on the dates the area listing gives rather than the statewide calendar.
Where exactly is Watts Bar WMA?
TWRA places Watts Bar WMA in its Plateau region; the ground is in Roane County and Rhea County. For access points and a map, use the area listing.
Do I need a WMA permit to hunt Watts Bar 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 Watts Bar WMA?
Watts Bar WMA covers about 3,880 acres, the figure on the managing agency's page.
Which antlerless unit applies on Watts Bar WMA?
Roane 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 Watts Bar 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 Watts Bar WMA in a CWD county?
Roane County is not on the CWD-positive list or in the CWD Management Zone for 2026-27.
Where do I take a deer from Watts Bar WMA for processing?
Nearby processors on our list: Aull's Poplar Creek Ranch, Rick Hill Taxidermy & Processing and Watts Bar Wildlife Artistry. Call to confirm they are taking deer, as many run seasonally.
Are there other WMAs near Watts Bar WMA?
On the map, the closest are McGlothin-Largen WMA (about 3 miles), Paint Rock Refuge (about 4 miles) and Mount Roosevelt WMA (about 12 miles).
Before you hunt Watts Bar WMA
Read the 2026-27 TWRA guide and the Watts Bar WMA listing before each trip; dates and limits change yearly.