Kentucky Hunting & Fishing
Season Calendar 2026

Kentucky archery deer season runs Sep 5–Jan 17 statewide; any legal bow including compound, recurve, longbow, and crossbow is authorized. Hunters must possess a valid Kentucky hunting license and deer permit. The season bag limit is one antlered buck per license year; antlerless harvest is managed through bonus antlerless permits available by quota zone. Kentucky requires a base hunting license plus individual deer permits. The Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area and Daniel Boone National Forest provide substantial public land archery opportunity. Peak rut in central Kentucky typically occurs Nov 5–15.

Kentucky modern gun deer season runs Nov 14–Nov 29; legal firearms include centerfire rifles, shotguns, handguns, and muzzleloaders. Hunters must possess a valid Kentucky hunting license and deer permit. Blaze orange — at least 400 square inches on the upper body and head — is required during all gun deer seasons. Kentucky's firearms season opens at the height of the breeding rut in most zones, providing outstanding buck movement and visibility. The Shawnee National Forest border region, Knobs area of central Kentucky, and Jackson Purchase bottomlands all offer diverse public land firearms deer hunting.

Kentucky muzzleloader deer season runs Oct 17–Oct 25; only legal muzzleloading firearms are permitted — front-loaded single-shot firearms including sidelock and inline designs. Hunters must possess a valid Kentucky hunting license and deer permit. The October muzzleloader season catches bucks in late pre-rut activity with scrape-making and rub-line establishment well underway. Blaze orange is required during this period. Kentucky's muzzleloader seasons provide a traditional hunting experience in the hardwood forests of the Cumberland Plateau and Appalachian foothills where shot distances are typically short — 75 yards or less in dense timber.

Kentucky spring turkey season runs Apr 13–May 10 targeting eastern wild turkey gobblers; hens are protected during the spring season. Legal methods include shotguns (with shot size T or smaller), archery, and crossbows; electronic calls are prohibited. Hunters must possess a valid Kentucky hunting license and turkey permit; the bag limit is one gobbler per day with a season limit of two. Kentucky is widely regarded as one of the top eastern wild turkey states, with an estimated population exceeding 300,000 birds. The Red River Gorge, Morehead, and Mammoth Cave areas produce outstanding gobbling activity during the last two weeks of April.

Kentucky black bear season runs Oct 1–Oct 28 in the designated eastern Kentucky bear zone encompassing portions of Harlan, Letcher, Pike, and Floyd Counties; this is a limited-tag, first-come or draw system with strict quotas due to the relatively young recovery of Kentucky's bear population. Hunters must possess a valid Kentucky hunting license and bear tag. Legal methods include firearms, archery, and crossbows. The harvest quota is closely monitored and the season may close before Oct 28 if the quota is reached. Kentucky's black bear range is expanding from the core eastern mountains — confirm your exact hunting location is within the legal bear zone before pursuing.