KENTUCKY · DEER · 2026–27

Kentucky deer seasons
2026–27.

Archery, crossbow, muzzleloader, modern firearms and youth dates, with all 120 counties mapped to the current deer zones.

Last checked: Nov. 1, 2026Official Kentucky seasons planner ↗2026–27 Kentucky hunting guide ↗

Find dates, calendars & a printable summary →

DEER DATES

Choose the right equipment season

Archery opens Sept. 5; regular crossbow opens Sept. 19. The earlier crossbow season applies to youth ages 15 and younger and Kentucky residents 65+. Modern gun runs Nov. 14–29.

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

COUNTY ZONES

One antlered deer statewide

Limits are shared across seasons. A statewide permit does not override a county zone limit. Zone 4 restrictions apply to archery and crossbow hunters during overlapping firearm seasons; check youth exceptions.

Zone 1

Unlimited antlerless deer with the appropriate additional permits.

Adair, Anderson, Ballard, Boone, Boyd, Bracken, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Campbell, Carlisle, Carroll, Carter, Christian, Crittenden, Daviess, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Grant, Graves, Grayson, Green, Greenup, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Hart, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Hopkins, Jefferson, Kenton, LaRue, Lawrence, Lewis, Livingston, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McLean, McCracken, Meade, Mercer, Metcalfe, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Ohio, Oldham, Owen, Pendleton, Robertson, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Taylor, Todd, Trigg, Trimble, Union, Washington, Webster, Woodford

Zone 2

Up to 4 deer total.

Allen, Barren, Bath, Bourbon, Boyle, Casey, Clark, Cumberland, Edmonson, Elliott, Fayette, Fleming, Garrard, Jessamine, Johnson, Lincoln, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Rowan, Simpson, Warren

Zone 3

Up to 4 deer total; only 1 antlerless deer with a firearm or air gun.

Clinton, Estill, Jackson, Laurel, Martin, Menifee, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Wayne, Wolfe

Zone 4

Up to 2 deer total, only 1 antlerless. No antlerless harvest during modern gun (Nov. 14–29), early muzzleloader (Oct. 17–18) or the first 6 days of late muzzleloader (Dec. 12–17), including bow/crossbow hunters; youth-season exceptions apply. Late muzzleloader antlerless dates: Dec. 18–20.

Bell, Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, Knox, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, McCreary, Owsley, Perry, Whitley

Source: Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Deer ↗; 2026–27 Kentucky Guide: Deer zones and dates ↗; Kentucky deer zone regulation (301 KAR 2:172) ↗

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 ↗

SPECIAL HUNTS

Check pending antlerless hunts

The guide flags additional proposed antlerless hunts; this calendar does not treat pending proposals as approved dates.

Source: Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Deer ↗; Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Guide updates and pending changes ↗

BEFORE YOU GO

Licenses, permits & check-in

Confirm the hunting license, species permit, age/residency exemptions and hunter education requirements before buying or hunting.
Get landowner permission on private land. WMAs, quota hunts and military properties can require extra permits and have different dates.
A statewide deer permit normally authorizes four deer, with only one antlered. County zone limits still control harvest; additional deer permits may be needed.
Record harvest before moving a deer and Telecheck before 11:59 p.m. on the recovery day. Check CWD testing, check-station and carcass transportation requirements.
Youth gun hunters ages 15 and younger must be accompanied by an adult who can take immediate control of the firearm. Hunter orange is required during firearm deer seasons.

Kentucky license information & purchase links ↗

Source: Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: License and permit requirements ↗; 2026–27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide ↗; Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Public-land hunting ↗

GET READY FOR THE WOODS

Prepare for your hunt

RUT GUIDEWhitetail rut guide & state timing lookupRead more →FIELD GUIDEPlan your first public-land huntRead more →

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.

Last checked: Nov. 1, 2026. Saved calendar files and printouts do not update automatically. Report a change.