KENTUCKY · 2026–27 HUNTING SEASONS
Kentucky hunting
seasons 2026–27.
Find your county, animal and dates. Check deer-zone limits, see what’s open, then save a calendar or print your hunt summary. Free to use, with dates linked to official sources.
COUNTY & DATE EXCEPTIONS
CWD rules that change your deer hunt
CWD details verified November 2, 2026.
CWD antlerless-only restriction
Sept. 25–28, 2026: in CWD Surveillance Zone counties within Deer Zones 1–3, only antlerless deer may be taken, including with archery or crossbow equipment. County bag limits still apply. A head sample must be submitted at a CWD drop-off site within the Surveillance Zone after Telecheck; staffed stations are not available for this special season.
Affected counties: Ballard, Breckinridge, Calloway, Carlisle, Casey, Fulton, Graves, Hardin, Henderson, Hickman, Laurel, Lincoln, Marshall, McCracken, Meade, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Union, Wayne, Webster.
Mandatory CWD sampling
Nov. 14–16, 2026: deer harvested in Henderson, McCreary, Pulaski or Wayne County require CWD sampling/check-in, including archery/crossbow harvests and license-exempt hunters. Telecheck first, then use a staffed CWD check station (9 a.m.–7 p.m. local time). Follow the agency’s after-hours/drop-off instructions and Surveillance Zone carcass-transport rules; retain proof of checking.
Source: Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Deer ↗; Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: CWD county restrictions and mandatory sampling ↗
KENTUCKY · 2026-27
Find your next hunt.
Choose your species, county and dates. See matching seasons, local limits and dates you can save.
Review the summary below, then choose a printer or Save as PDF in your browser’s print window. Larger selections may span several pages.
How to add these dates to your calendar
Download the .ics file above, then choose your calendar app. You can also save dates from a single season below.
Apple Calendar
On a Mac, open Calendar and choose File → Import. Select the downloaded .ics file, choose a destination calendar and confirm. An iCloud calendar can sync these events to your iPhone.
Apple import instructions ↗Google Calendar
Use Google Calendar on a computer. Open Settings → Import & export, select the .ics file, choose the destination calendar and click Import. File import is not available in the phone app.
Google import instructions ↗Outlook
In Outlook on the web, open Calendar → Add calendar → Upload from file. Browse to the .ics file, select a destination calendar and choose Import.
Outlook import instructions ↗These are all-day season-date entries, not shooting-hour reminders or a live subscription. Check Kentucky Fish & Wildlife before hunting. Remove old entries before importing an overlapping replacement to avoid duplicates.
KENTUCKY · MATCHING DATES
Your Kentucky hunting calendar
Showing Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026 through Nov. 10, 2026. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are highlighted.
- DeerDeer · archeryWednesday openThursday openFriday openSaturday openSunday openMonday openTuesday open
- DeerDeer · crossbowWednesday openThursday openFriday openSaturday openSunday openMonday openTuesday open
- DeerDeer · youth crossbowWednesday openThursday openFriday openSaturday openSunday openMonday openTuesday open
- DeerDeer · resident senior crossbowWednesday openThursday openFriday openSaturday openSunday openMonday openTuesday open
- TurkeyFall turkey · archeryWednesday openThursday openFriday openSaturday openSunday openMonday openTuesday open
- Small gameSquirrel · fall / winterWednesday openThursday openFriday openSaturday openSunday openMonday openTuesday open
- Small gameRabbit · Eastern ZoneWednesday openThursday openFriday openSaturday openSunday openMonday openTuesday open
- Small gameQuail · Eastern ZoneWednesday openThursday openFriday openSaturday openSunday openMonday openTuesday open
- Small gameRuffed grouse · Grouse ZoneWednesday openThursday openFriday openSaturday openSunday openMonday openTuesday open
- Migratory birdsVirginia & sora railsWednesday openThursday openFriday openSaturday openSunday openMonday openTuesday closed
- Migratory birdsWoodcockWednesday openThursday openFriday openSaturday openSunday openMonday openTuesday open
- Migratory birdsCommon & purple gallinulesWednesday openThursday openFriday openSaturday openSunday openMonday openTuesday closed
- Migratory birdsCrowsWednesday openThursday openFriday openSaturday openSunday closedMonday closedTuesday closed
Statewide season dates only. WMA, quota and zone hunts can differ. Year-round species (like coyote) are not listed.
PLAN THE WHOLE SEASON
Full season dates
Browse every listed Kentucky season in the current guide. These dates stay complete when you change your trip dates above. Expand a species group to see each opening, closing and split-season gap.
Reference schedules: county, zone, equipment, land and eligibility rules determine which dates apply. Check the notes and official sources; unconfirmed schedules remain flagged.
Last checked: Nov. 1, 2026. Only confirmed dates from the current guide are shown; other schedules are marked for confirmation.
Deer
11 season entries
| Season | Dates | Where | Bag limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer · archeryOpen now · through Jan. 18Archery | Sept. 5, 2026 – Jan. 18, 2027 | Statewide; county zone limits apply Zone limits are shared across seasons. Hunter orange applies during firearm seasons; check CWD testing and carcass rules. Youth gun hunters need adult supervision. | Only 1 antlered deer statewide per license year. Choose a county for zone limits.source · source |
| Deer · crossbowOpen now · through Jan. 18Crossbow or archery | Sept. 19, 2026 – Jan. 18, 2027 | Statewide; county zone limits apply Zone limits are shared across seasons. Hunter orange applies during firearm seasons; check CWD testing and carcass rules. Youth gun hunters need adult supervision. | Only 1 antlered deer statewide per license year. Choose a county for zone limits.source · source |
| Deer · youth crossbowOpen now · through Jan. 18Crossbow or archery · ages 15 and younger | Sept. 5, 2026 – Jan. 18, 2027 | Statewide; county zone limits apply Zone limits are shared across seasons. Hunter orange applies during firearm seasons; check CWD testing and carcass rules. Youth gun hunters need adult supervision. | Only 1 antlered deer statewide per license year. Choose a county for zone limits.source · source |
| Deer · resident senior crossbowOpen now · through Jan. 18Crossbow or archery · Kentucky residents 65+ | Sept. 5, 2026 – Jan. 18, 2027 | Statewide; county zone limits apply Zone limits are shared across seasons. Hunter orange applies during firearm seasons; check CWD testing and carcass rules. Youth gun hunters need adult supervision. | Only 1 antlered deer statewide per license year. Choose a county for zone limits.source · source |
| Deer · youth-only modern firearmsClosed for 2026-27Legal deer equipment · ages 15 and younger | Oct. 10 – Oct. 18, 2026 | Statewide; county zone limits apply Zone limits are shared across seasons. Hunter orange applies during firearm seasons; check CWD testing and carcass rules. Youth gun hunters need adult supervision. | Only 1 antlered deer statewide per license year. Choose a county for zone limits.source · source |
| Deer · early muzzleloaderClosed for 2026-27Muzzleloader, archery or crossbow | Oct. 17 – Oct. 18, 2026 | Statewide; county zone limits apply Zone limits are shared across seasons. Hunter orange applies during firearm seasons; check CWD testing and carcass rules. Youth gun hunters need adult supervision. | Only 1 antlered deer statewide per license year. Choose a county for zone limits.source · source |
| Deer · late muzzleloaderOpens Dec. 12, 2026Muzzleloader, archery or crossbow | Dec. 12 – Dec. 20, 2026 | Statewide; county zone limits apply Zone limits are shared across seasons. Hunter orange applies during firearm seasons; check CWD testing and carcass rules. Youth gun hunters need adult supervision. | Only 1 antlered deer statewide per license year. Choose a county for zone limits.source · source |
| Deer · modern firearmsOpens Nov. 14 (in 10 days)Legal deer equipment | Nov. 14 – Nov. 29, 2026 | Statewide; county zone limits apply Zone limits are shared across seasons. Hunter orange applies during firearm seasons; check CWD testing and carcass rules. Youth gun hunters need adult supervision. | Only 1 antlered deer statewide per license year. Choose a county for zone limits.source · source |
| Deer · free youth weekendOpens Dec. 26, 2026Legal deer equipment · ages 15 and younger | Dec. 26 – Dec. 27, 2026 | Statewide; county zone limits apply Zone limits are shared across seasons. Hunter orange applies during firearm seasons; check CWD testing and carcass rules. Youth gun hunters need adult supervision. | Only 1 antlered deer statewide per license year. Choose a county for zone limits.source · source |
| Deer · CWD antlerless seasonClosed for 2026-27Legal deer firearms, archery or crossbow | Sept. 25 – Sept. 28, 2026 | Deer Zones 1–3 within the CWD Surveillance Zone only This is not a statewide antlerless season. Confirm the surveillance county list and mandatory testing requirements. | Antlerless deer only; county zone limits apply.source · source |
| Deer · other special antlerless huntsCheck Kentucky Fish & WildlifeConfirm equipment and eligibility | Check Kentucky Fish & Wildlife | Only designated counties / areas | Check current county, zone and permit rules.source · source |
Turkey
4 season entries
| Season | Dates | Where | Bag limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall turkey · archeryOpen now · through Jan. 18Archery | Sept. 5, 2026 – Jan. 18, 2027 | Statewide; public-land exceptions apply | 2 turkeys for the fall, no more than 1 per day: at most 1 with a beard 3 inches or longer and at most 1 unbearded or with a beard shorter than 3 inches.source · source |
| Fall turkey · crossbowReopens Nov. 14 (in 10 days)Crossbow or archery | Oct. 1 – Oct. 18, 2026 Nov. 14 – Dec. 31, 2026 | Statewide; public-land exceptions apply | 2 turkeys for the fall, no more than 1 per day: at most 1 with a beard 3 inches or longer and at most 1 unbearded or with a beard shorter than 3 inches.source · source |
| Fall turkey · shotgunReopens Dec. 5, 2026Shotgun, archery or crossbow | Oct. 24 – Oct. 30, 2026 Dec. 5 – Dec. 11, 2026 | Statewide; public-land exceptions apply | 2 turkeys for the fall, no more than 1 per day: at most 1 with a beard 3 inches or longer and at most 1 unbearded or with a beard shorter than 3 inches.source · source |
| Spring turkey · 2027 dates pendingCheck Kentucky Fish & WildlifeCheck Kentucky Fish & Wildlife | Check Kentucky Fish & Wildlife | Check current spring guide | Confirm the 2027 dates and bag limit.source |
Ducks, geese & cranes
11 season entries
| Season | Dates | Where | Bag limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks · regular seasonOpens Nov. 26, 2026Legal waterfowl equipment | Nov. 26 – Nov. 29, 2026 Dec. 7, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027 | Statewide; special-area rules apply Non-toxic shot and applicable licenses, stamps and HIP certification required. | 6 ducks daily: at most 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 3 pintails, 2 black ducks and 2 canvasbacks. Scaup: 1 daily Nov. 26–29 and Dec. 7–17; 2 daily Dec. 18–Jan. 31. Possession: 3 times daily limits.source · source |
| Teal & wood ducks · SeptemberClosed for 2026-27Legal waterfowl equipment | Sept. 19 – Sept. 23, 2026 | Statewide | 6 daily, including at most 2 wood ducks; possession 18, including at most 6 wood ducks.source · source |
| Coots · regular seasonOpens Nov. 26, 2026Legal waterfowl equipment | Nov. 26 – Nov. 29, 2026 Dec. 7, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027 | Statewide; special-area rules apply | 15 daily; 45 in possession.source · source |
| Mergansers · regular seasonOpens Nov. 26, 2026Legal waterfowl equipment | Nov. 26 – Nov. 29, 2026 Dec. 7, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027 | Statewide; special-area rules apply | 5 daily, at most 2 hooded; possession 3 times daily limits.source · source |
| Waterfowl · youth-only daysOpens Nov. 21, 2026Legal waterfowl equipment | Nov. 21, 2026 Feb. 13, 2027 | Statewide; qualifying hunters only Confirm age, adult supervision or qualifying military/veteran documentation. | Regular-season species and combined limits apply; scaup limit 2 daily.source · source |
| Waterfowl · military / veteran daysOpens Nov. 22, 2026Legal waterfowl equipment | Nov. 22, 2026 Feb. 14, 2027 | Statewide; qualifying hunters only Confirm age, adult supervision or qualifying military/veteran documentation. | Regular-season species and combined limits apply; scaup limit 2 daily.source · source |
| Canada/cackling, white-fronted geese & brantOpens Nov. 26, 2026Legal waterfowl equipment | Nov. 26, 2026 – Feb. 15, 2027 | Statewide; special-area rules apply | 5 geese combined daily, including at most 3 Canada geese, 2 white-fronted geese and 1 brant; possession 3 times daily limits.source · source |
| Snow & Ross’s geese · regular seasonOpens Nov. 26, 2026Legal waterfowl equipment | Nov. 26, 2026 – Feb. 15, 2027 | Statewide; special-area rules apply | 20 daily; 60 in possession.source · source |
| Light goose conservation orderOpens Feb. 16, 2027Special conservation-order equipment rules | Feb. 16 – March 31, 2027 | Statewide; permit required Free conservation-order permit required; report harvest by April 10. Confirm equipment and legal hours. | No daily or possession limit.source · source |
| Canada geese · September zonesClosed for 2026-27Legal waterfowl equipment | Sept. 1 – Sept. 15, 2026 Sept. 16 – Sept. 30, 2026 | Western Zone Sept. 1–15; Eastern Zone Sept. 16–30 | 5 daily; 15 in possession.source · source |
| Sandhill crane · quota permit huntOpens Dec. 7, 2026Legal crane equipment | Dec. 7, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027 | Only permitted hunters and open areas | 1 or 2 daily according to tags; possession 3.source · source |
Small game & upland birds
7 season entries
| Season | Dates | Where | Bag limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squirrel · fall / winterOpen now · through Nov. 13Legal small-game equipment | Aug. 15 – Nov. 13, 2026 Nov. 16, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 | Statewide Closed Nov. 14–15, 2026. | 6 daily; 12 in possession.source · source |
| Rabbit · Eastern ZoneOpen now · through Nov. 13Legal small-game equipment | Nov. 1 – Nov. 13, 2026 Nov. 16, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027 | Eastern rabbit/quail zone Eastern Zone excludes Nov. 14–15. County regions differ from deer zones. | 4 daily; 8 in possession.source · source |
| Rabbit · Western ZoneOpens Nov. 16 (in 12 days)Legal small-game equipment | Nov. 16, 2026 – Feb. 10, 2027 | Western rabbit/quail zone Eastern Zone excludes Nov. 14–15. County regions differ from deer zones. | 4 daily; 8 in possession.source · source |
| Quail · Eastern ZoneOpen now · through Nov. 13Legal small-game equipment | Nov. 1 – Nov. 13, 2026 Nov. 16, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027 | Eastern rabbit/quail zone Eastern Zone excludes Nov. 14–15. County regions differ from deer zones. | 8 daily; 16 in possession.source · source |
| Quail · Western ZoneOpens Nov. 16 (in 12 days)Legal small-game equipment | Nov. 16, 2026 – Feb. 10, 2027 | Western rabbit/quail zone Eastern Zone excludes Nov. 14–15. County regions differ from deer zones. | 8 daily; 16 in possession.source · source |
| Ruffed grouse · Grouse ZoneOpen now · through Nov. 13Legal small-game equipment | Nov. 1 – Nov. 13, 2026 Nov. 16, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 | Grouse Zone counties only Closed Nov. 14–15. Special December public-area exceptions require local verification. | 4 daily; 8 in possession.source · source |
| Squirrel · spring 2027 dates pendingCheck Kentucky Fish & WildlifeCheck Kentucky Fish & Wildlife | Check Kentucky Fish & Wildlife | Statewide; confirm publication | Confirm the 2027 season and limits.source |
Doves & other migratory birds
6 season entries
| Season | Dates | Where | Bag limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| DovesReopens Nov. 26, 2026Legal migratory-bird equipment | Sept. 1 – Oct. 26, 2026 Nov. 26 – Dec. 6, 2026 Dec. 19, 2026 – Jan. 10, 2027 | Statewide; leased dove fields and public areas have exceptions Confirm legal shooting hours, licenses, migratory-bird permit and HIP requirements. | 15 daily; 45 in possession.source · source |
| Virginia & sora railsOpen now · through Nov. 9Legal migratory-bird equipment | Sept. 1 – Nov. 9, 2026 | Statewide; leased dove fields and public areas have exceptions Confirm legal shooting hours, licenses, migratory-bird permit and HIP requirements. | 25 singly or combined daily; 75 in possession.source · source |
| WoodcockOpen now · through Nov. 13Legal migratory-bird equipment | Oct. 24 – Nov. 13, 2026 Nov. 16 – Dec. 9, 2026 | Statewide; leased dove fields and public areas have exceptions Confirm legal shooting hours, licenses, migratory-bird permit and HIP requirements. Woodcock is closed Nov. 14–15. | 3 daily; 9 in possession.source · source |
| SnipeReopens Nov. 26, 2026Legal migratory-bird equipment | Sept. 16 – Oct. 25, 2026 Nov. 26, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027 | Statewide; leased dove fields and public areas have exceptions Confirm legal shooting hours, licenses, migratory-bird permit and HIP requirements. | 8 daily; 24 in possession.source · source |
| Common & purple gallinulesOpen now · through Nov. 9Legal migratory-bird equipment | Sept. 1 – Nov. 9, 2026 | Statewide; leased dove fields and public areas have exceptions Confirm legal shooting hours, licenses, migratory-bird permit and HIP requirements. | 3 singly or combined daily; 9 in possession.source · source |
| CrowsOpen now · through Nov. 7Legal crow equipment | Sept. 1 – Nov. 7, 2026 Jan. 4 – Feb. 28, 2027 | Statewide | No limit.source · source |
Furbearers
1 season entry
Black bear
1 season entry
Year-round rules: Coyote, groundhog and some nuisance species have separate year-round rules. They are not included in this season-date calendar; verify methods, night restrictions and licenses in the official guide.
BY SPECIES
Pick your species
CHECK BEFORE YOU GO
Dates and rules needing confirmation
- Spring 2027 turkey and squirrel dates are not confirmed here. The current spring pages list 2026 dates.
- Some live pages and the printed guide disagree. For youth waterfowl, this guide uses Nov. 21, 2026 and Feb. 13, 2027, confirmed by the current waterfowl page and 2026–27 guide.
- Special antlerless deer hunts and bobcat, beaver and otter changes need a current agency check. Pending proposals are not treated as final.
- WMA, military-property, quota, falconry, September goose zones and individual crane permits require local confirmation.
Source: Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Guide updates and pending changes ↗; Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Spring turkey (currently 2026) ↗; Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Waterfowl ↗; Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Public-land hunting ↗
WHERE THESE DATES COME FROM
Official sources
Dates and limits come from the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources and current Kentucky regulations. Missing dates are marked for confirmation; we do not carry forward a previous year. We review sources weekly and review changes before updating this guide.
- Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Hunting Seasons Planner ↗
- 2026–27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide ↗
- Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Guide updates and pending changes ↗
- Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Deer ↗
- Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Waterfowl ↗
- Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Migratory birds ↗
Last checked: Nov. 1, 2026. Saved calendar files and printouts do not update automatically. Report a change.