Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan, and Scott counties • 189,000 acres
35 Miles North of Knoxville

All users should be aware that hazards associated with mining (deep and strip) exist in this area.

No person shall remove minerals, including coal, trees, plants (including vines), or building stones from the area without specific authorization.

(TCA 55-52-201) All operators or passengers under the age of 18 of an off-highway vehicle are required to wear an appropriate safety helmet.

Special Use -

• OHV, hooved animal riding, bicycles, and all other vehicles are restricted to roads marked “open to vehicular traffic.”
• Hooved animal riding, bicycling, and Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) use are permitted only by individuals possessing a valid hunting and fishing license and WMA permit or a High Impact Habitat Conservation Permit.
• The speed limit is 25 mph.
• Organized competition events for motorized/nonmotorized vehicles are prohibited.
• A maximum noise limit of 86 dB for all motorized vehicles as measured at 50 feet from the exhaust.

All public use is permitted during all hunts.

During daylight hours all users outside of an enclosed vehicle or outside of camp must wear, on the upper portion of their body and head, a minimum of 500 square inches of blaze orange, visible front and back, during the deer and elk gun and muzzleloader seasons.

Camping is permitted in the entire area. Night-time use by the general public and raccoon hunters is permitted area-wide.

Big game, small game, and trapping same as statewide seasons, except as noted below.

Closed to hunting March 1 through the 4th Friday in Aug., except for spring turkey.

Closed to spring squirrel hunting and fall turkey hunting.

Coyote hunting with centerfire weapons is only allowed during deer gun seasons by licensed deer hunters.

Archery hunters will be required to meet legal blaze orange requirements while hunting in the elk zones during the firearms elk hunts.

Wild hogs may be taken during any hunt with hunting devices legal for that hunt.

Beaver Trapping - restricted to designated compartments. Contact the WMA manager for information. Annual harvest log must be maintained and submitted to WMA Manager by Jan. 15

Quail - Nov. 4 - Jan. 15.

Dog training - Sept. 1 - March 15. Chasing fox, coyotes, and bobcats with dogs is not permitted.

Deer

On the Ed Carter Unit, antlered deer must have a minimum of four points on one antler or a fifteen-inch minimum outside antler spread.

Elk Hunting information can be found on Elk Regulations.

Bear - Same As Statewide BHZ4 Season. 

Ginseng: Sept 1. - Dec. 31.

The North Cumberland is the largest actively managed Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in the state of Tennessee. It is almost 200,000 acres of mountainous terrain expanding across five East Tennessee Counties (Morgan, Scott, Anderson, Campbell, and Claiborne). The Management Area is currently divided into four management units, the New River Unit, the Royal Blue Unit, the Sundquist Unit, and the Ed Carter Unit.

Located in the Cumberland Mountains, its steep slopes, vast ridges, winding creeks, and streams make it home to various terrestrial and aquatic wildlife species. The habitat ranges from mixed upland hardwood forests to old field-type early successional vegetation openings.

It is most well known for being home to the majestic elk, which were re-introduced in the early 2000s. You can observe the elk in person from the Elk Viewing Tower located in the Sundquist Unit or log into the elk viewing camera.

Other wildlife you might encounter include Black bear, White-tailed deer, Eastern Wild Turkey, Bobcat, Coyote, Raccoon, Timber Rattlesnake, Green Salamander, Wood Rat, Cerulean Warbler, Golden-Winged Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, and many more. Our streams are home to a variety of fish and other aquatic species such as Smallmouth bass, Rock bass, Rainbow Darter, Scarlet Shiner, and the Upland Burrowing Crayfish.

North Cumberland also provides critical habitat for several Greatest Conservation Need (GCN) species, and some state or federally-listed threatened or endangered species such as the Indiana bat, Northern Long-eared Bat, Allegheny Wood Rat, Werhle’s Salamander, Emerald Darter, Cumberland Arrow Darter, Black sided dace, and several others.

Recreational activities in the wildlife management area include hunting, fishing, wildlife watching, camping, OHV trails, hiking, sightseeing, and a shooting range.

Wildlife to Watch: Reintroduced elk are found across the area, but the Hatfield Knob viewing area is the best place to see elk.

Cerulean Warbler and Golden-winged Warbler are found across North Cumberland WMA. Cerulean Warblers occur in mature forests and breed in the highest density anywhere within their breeding range. Golden-winged Warblers nest on early successional strip mines with grass and black locust cover. 

Many other Neotropical migratory songbirds nest in the area, including Wood Thrush, Scarlet Tanager, Ovenbird, Black-throated Green Warbler, and Kentucky Warbler, among many other species.

Brown-headed Cowbirds are becoming more common in the area with increased forest disturbance and clearing.

Ruffed Grouse can be found across the area, primarily in areas of the dense understory.

North Cumberland WMA is part of the TN SWAP, Catoosa / Emory River Conservation Opportunity Area (COA).