KENTUCKY · SMALL GAME & BIRDS · 2026–27
Kentucky small game seasons
2026–27.
Individual-animal filters for squirrel, rabbit, quail, grouse and migratory birds, with the regional dates and split-season closures kept intact.
SMALL GAME
Squirrel, rabbit, quail & grouse
Small game is closed Nov. 14–15, 2026. Rabbit and quail use Eastern and Western zones; grouse is limited to its designated zone. Choose a county in the finder so a region’s dates are not mistaken for statewide dates.
| 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 |
COUNTY REGIONS
Rabbit, quail & grouse zones
Western rabbit / quail zone
Fulton, Hickman, Carlisle, Ballard, McCracken, Graves, Calloway, Marshall, Livingston, Lyon, Trigg, Caldwell, Crittenden, Christian, Union, Webster, Hopkins, Muhlenberg, Todd, Henderson, McLean, Logan, Simpson, Allen, Warren, Butler, Ohio, Daviess, Hancock.
Eastern rabbit / quail zone
All other Kentucky counties.
Grouse Zone
Adair, Bath, Bell, Boyd, Bracken, Breathitt, Campbell, Carter, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Garrard, Greenup, Harlan, Harrison, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, McCreary, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Mason, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Pendleton, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe.
These regions differ from deer zones and September goose zones. Special December grouse opportunities on certain public areas require local verification.
Source: 2026–27 Kentucky Guide: Rabbit, quail and grouse zones ↗; Kentucky small-game regulation (301 KAR 2:122) ↗; Kentucky wildlife district counties (301 KAR 4:010) ↗
MIGRATORY BIRDS
Doves, woodcock & more
| 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
Check species and current restrictions
| Season | Dates | Where | Bag limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Furbearer huntingCheck Kentucky Fish & WildlifeConfirm species and permit | Check Kentucky Fish & Wildlife | Designated counties / areas; check agency rules | Check Kentucky Fish & Wildlife for the current limit.source · source |
Daylight, night, permit, harvest reporting and zone rules differ by animal. The guide flags pending bobcat, beaver and otter changes; use the current agency page before planning these hunts.
Source: Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Furbearers ↗; 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.
- Confirm the hunting license; migratory birds also have permit and HIP requirements. A federal duck stamp is not required for dove or woodcock.
- Small game and woodcock are closed Nov. 14–15, 2026. Hunter orange is required during firearm deer seasons; check the guide for exceptions.
- Hunting and trapping rules differ. This page and its calendar summarize hunting, not trapping.
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
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: Squirrel ↗
- Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Rabbit ↗
- Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Quail ↗
- 2026–27 Kentucky Guide: Small-game dates ↗
- 2026–27 Kentucky Guide: Rabbit, quail and grouse zones ↗
- Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Migratory birds ↗
- Kentucky Fish & Wildlife: Furbearers ↗
Last checked: Nov. 1, 2026. Saved calendar files and printouts do not update automatically. Report a change.