Kentucky Deer Season and Hunting Information and Regulations

*All information listed below is disclosed based on research we have conducted. We do our best to ensure that all information is up to date and accurate. However, rules and regulations are changing every day. Please make sure to verify your state-specific regulations prior to your hunt.

Kentucky is home to some amazing hunting. With a large elk herd and a consistently high ranking for trophy bucks, Kentucky is a great place to look for game. There is also ample bear hunting, which is rare across the US. If you’re looking for smaller game, Kentucky has you covered with rabbits, grouse, quail, squirrel and more. There are also a variety of migratory birds and some great conditions to hunt them in Kentucky. Plus, the state allows hunters to go after game on Sundays.

Hunting permits can be obtained at any Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources office or online through the website. You will need a valid driver’s license or ID to complete the process. Checking in your harvested game is easy, too. You can do it online, at a check-in station, or by calling 1-800-858-1549. Not every species needs to be checked in, but it’s always a good idea to check the regulations before heading out.

Kentucky Deer Seasons

Archery	Sep. 2 – Jan 15, 2024
Early Muzzle-loading	Oct 21 – Oct 22, 2023
Late Muzzle-loading	Dec 9 – Dec 17, 2023
Modern Gun	Nov 11 – Nov 26, 2023
Senior/Youth Crossbow	Sep. 2 – Jan 15, 2024
Crossbow	Sep. 16 – Jan 15, 2024
Youth-Only Gun	Oct 14 – Oct 15, 2023
Free Youth Weekend	Dec 30 – Dec 31, 2023

*Kentucky is a rich hunting state with a huge variety of games, diverse hunting areas, and different guidelines and regulations for each. For specific details, check the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources website before planning your hunt.

There is some phenomenal deer hunting in Kentucky and a lot of guidelines for different parts of the state. A hunter is limited to one deer with antlers, excluding button bucks, per year regardless of the zone in which it is taken. Kentucky’s bag limits and season dates are dependent on zoning and there are four zones to be considered. There are a number of zone-specific regulations. Zone 1 allows that unlimited antlerless deer may be harvested with the proper permits. Zone 2 has a bag limit of 4 deer in total. All 4 of those deer may be taken with any weapon. Zone 3 has a bag limit of 4 deer total. Only one antlerless deer is permitted with a firearm and all 4 deer may be taken with archery equipment or a crossbow. Zone 4 has a bag limit of 2 deer total and only one antlerless deer is permitted to be harvested. The antlerless deer may be harvested during the archery season, crossbow season, both youth seasons, or the last three days of the December muzzleloader season.

Kentucky Elk Seasons

Either-Sex Archery/Crossbow	Sep. 9 – Sep. 22, 2023
Either-Sex Archery/Crossbow	Dec. 2 – Dec. 8, 2023
Cow Firearms	Nov. 25 – Nov. 29, 2023
Cow Firearms	Dec. 30 – Jan. 3, 2024
Bull Firearms	Sep. 30 – Oct. 4, 2023
Bull Firearms	Oct. 7 – Oct. 11, 2023

The season bag limit is one elk per season, regardless of the permit type or number.

Kentucky Bear Seasons

Bear Chase with Dogs	June 1 – Aug 31, 2023
Bear Chase with Dogs	Sept 9 – Sept 30, 2023
Bear Archery	Oct 28 – Nov 3, 2023
Bear Firearms	Dec 9 – Dec 15, 2023
Bear Quota Hunt with Dogs	Oct 16 – Oct 29, 2023

*Kentucky is a rich hunting state with a huge variety of game, diverse hunting areas, and different guidelines and regulations for each. For specific details, check the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources website before planning your hunt.

Chasing and dog-led hunting is allowed in some zones. If this is of interest to you, please refer to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. The bag limit is one bear per hunter per license year, regardless of the season.

Kentucky Turkey Seasons

Spring Turkey – Youths 15 & younger	April 7, 2023 – April 8, 2023
Spring Turkey – Regular Season	April 15, 2023 – Closes on Sun after 23 consecutive days
Fall Turkey – Archery	September 2, 2023 – January 15, 2024
Fall Turkey – Crossbow	October 1, 2023 – October 22, 2023
Fall Turkey – Crossbow	November 11, 2023 – December 31, 2023
Fall Turkey – Shotgun	October 28, 2023 – November 3, 2023
Fall Turkey – Shotgun	December 2, 2023 – December 8, 2023

Turkey Season in Kentucky, like most states is broken into Spring and Fall. During Spring Season, the hunter may harvest a male turkey or a bearded turkey. The daily bag limit is 1 per day. The spring season limit is 2. During Fall Season, the bag limit is 4 birds total, either sex. No more than two may be harvested using a shotgun, no more than one can have a beard length of 3 inches or longer, and there is a one bird per day limit.

Kentucky Small Game Seasons

Crow	Sep. 1 – Nov. 7
Dove	Sep. 1 – Oct. 26, Nov. 24 – Dec. 4, Dec. 24 – Jan. 15
Duck	Nov. 24 – Nov. 27, Dec. 7 – Jan. 31
Groundhog	Mar. 1 – Feb. 28
Mink	Nov. 14 – Feb. 28
Opossum	Oct. 1 – Feb. 28
Quail	Nov. 1 – Nov. 11, Nov. 14 – Jan. 31, Nov. 14 – Feb. 10
Rabbit	Nov. 1 – Nov. 11, Nov. 14 – Jan. 31, Nov. 14 – Feb. 10
Raccoon	Oct. 1 – Feb. 28
Sandhill Crane	Dec. 7 – Jan. 31
Squirrel	Aug. 20 – Nov. 11, Nov. 14 – Feb. 28, May 21 – Jun. 17

Kentucky Crossbow Regulations

Kentucky has pretty open crossbow regulations – like most states, you can’t hunt with them during archery season unless disabled, but otherwise you get a pretty wide range of options:

Crossbows are legal for all hunters during muzzleloader, rifle, and portions of archery season depending on the region. They are legal for handicap hunters during the regular archery season.
Mechanical broadheads are legal.
Carbon, metal, and wood arrows are legal.
Explosives and sedatives are illegal.
Bag limits and harvest restriction apply to all hunters. A hunter is not permitted more than one deer with antlers on private lands, excluding button-bucks.
In specific public hunting areas, a bonus antlered deer may be harvested. This is decided each year by the governing agency in each region.
Broadheads must be 7/8” wide.
No minimum draw weight listed.

Kentucky Hunting License

Most every hunt in Kentucky requires an Annual Hunting License for everyone between the ages of 16 and 64. There is a Youth Hunting License available for ages 12 to 15. Additionally, for most of the larger hunts there is a supplementary permit that has to be acquired. Nonresident Annual Hunting permits are $150 and resident permits are $27. There are also a variety of combo licenses available.

If you want to check out the next state on our list, click here to see Louisiana.

Or, you can check out the last state on our list, Kansas.