Kentucky hunting season dates

• Sep 5 – Jan 18 Archery Archery — Sep 5 → Jan 18.
• Sep 19 – Jan 18 Crossbow Crossbow — Sep 19 → Jan 18.
• Oct 10 – Oct 18 Youth Youth-only firearm.
• Oct 17 – Oct 18 Muzzleloader Early muzzleloader.
• Nov 14 – Nov 29 Firearm Modern gun season.
• Dec 12 – Dec 20 Muzzleloader Late muzzleloader.

Bag limit: see agency · One antlered deer per license year statewide, regardless of zone/method. Antlerless allowance varies by county zone (Zone 1 unlimited → Zone 4 limited). Confirm your county’s zone with KDFWR.

Hours: 30 min before sunrise to 30 min after sunset. One antlered deer statewide; antlerless by county zone (Zones 1–4). Free youth weekend Dec 26–27. Baiting is prohibited on all public lands (WMAs).

2026-27 season · verified 2026-07-27 · KDFWR — Deer Hunting (2026-27 seasons)

• Apr 4 – Apr 5 Youth Youth spring weekend (2026 dates — 2027 TBA).
• Apr 18 – May 10 Shotgun Spring general — shotgun or archery (2026 dates — 2027 TBA).
• Oct 24 – Oct 30 Shotgun Fall shotgun — first split (designated counties).
• Dec 5 – Dec 11 Shotgun Fall shotgun — second split (designated counties).
• Sep 5 – Jan 18 Archery Fall archery turkey.

Bag limit: 2

Spring: 2 bearded turkeys per season (1 per day). Fall shotgun runs in designated counties only; fall crossbow Oct 1–18 & Nov 14–Dec 31. Hours: 30 min before sunrise to sunset, all day (no midday closure). Spring 2027 dates are set in late winter — the spring dates shown are the latest published (2026).

2026-27 season · verified 2026-07-27 · KDFWR — Wild Turkey (2026-27 seasons)

• Sep 19 – Sep 23 Shotgun Early teal & wood duck (statewide).
• Nov 21 – Nov 21 Youth Youth waterfowl day (also Feb 14).
• Nov 26 – Nov 29 Shotgun Ducks — Thanksgiving segment (statewide).
• Dec 7 – Jan 31 Shotgun Ducks — second segment (statewide).

Bag limit: 6

Kentucky runs a single STATEWIDE duck season (no zones). Daily bag 6 ducks with sublimits (≤4 mallards incl. 2 hens, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 3 pintails, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasbacks). Early teal & wood duck Sep 19–23 (≤2 wood ducks). Youth days Nov 21 & Feb 14. Hours: 30 min before sunrise to sunset. Geese run separately (see goose).

2026-27 season · verified 2026-07-27 · KDFWR — Waterfowl (2026-27 seasons)

• Sep 1 – Sep 15 Shotgun Early September Canada goose — Western Zone.
• Sep 16 – Sep 30 Shotgun Early September Canada goose — Eastern Zone.
• Nov 26 – Feb 15 Shotgun Regular goose (dark & light) — statewide.

Bag limit: 5

Dark geese: 5 daily combined (≤3 Canada/cackling, ≤2 white-fronted, ≤1 brant). Light geese (snow/Ross’s): 20 daily. Regular season Nov 26 – Feb 15 statewide; early September Canada goose splits by zone (Western Sep 1–15, Eastern Sep 16–30). Hours: 30 min before sunrise to sunset.

2026-27 season · verified 2026-07-27 · KDFWR — Waterfowl (2026-27 seasons)

• Sep 1 – Oct 26 Shotgun First split.
• Nov 26 – Dec 6 Shotgun Second split.
• Dec 19 – Jan 10 Shotgun Third split.

Bag limit: 15

Daily bag 15 (incl. white-winged dove). Hours: ½ hour before sunrise to sunset — EXCEPT the Sept 1 opener, which is 11 a.m. to sunset (private land and WMAs).

2026-27 season · verified 2026-07-27 · KDFWR — Migratory Bird / Dove (2026-27 seasons)

• Aug 15 – Nov 13 General Fall — first split (breaks for the deer-gun opener).
• Nov 16 – Feb 28 General Fall — second split.
• May 16 – Jun 21 General Spring squirrel.

Bag limit: 6

Daily bag 6 (gray & fox squirrel). Fall Aug 15 – Feb 28 with a break Nov 14–15 for the deer-gun opener; a separate spring season runs May 16 – Jun 21.

2026-27 season · verified 2026-07-27 · KDFWR — Squirrel (2026-27 seasons)

• Nov 1 – Nov 13 General Eastern Zone — first split.
• Nov 16 – Jan 31 General Eastern Zone — second split.
• Nov 16 – Feb 10 General Western Zone.

Bag limit: 4

Daily bag 4. Kentucky splits rabbit into an Eastern Zone (Nov 1–13 & Nov 16 – Jan 31) and a Western Zone (Nov 16 – Feb 10); windows above are the union — confirm your zone with KDFWR.

2026-27 season · verified 2026-07-27 · KDFWR — Rabbit (2026-27 seasons)