Deer Sep 6–Jan 19. Turkey Sep 6–May 4. Elk Sep 13–Dec 31.
Kentucky hunting seasons cover 208 season dates statewide for White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey, Elk and more. Most seasons are open to any licensed hunter within the posted dates. Use the tables below for exact opening and closing dates by species and zone.
Season data sourced from the Kentucky wildlife agency. Always verify dates and regulations on the official site before hunting—regulations can change during the season.
| Zone | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Archery | Sep 6 — Jan 19 | — | — |
| 1 | Crossbow | Sep 20 — Jan 19 | — | — |
| 1 | Muzzleloader | Oct 18 — Oct 19 | — | — |
| 1 | Rifle | Nov 8 — Nov 23 | — | — |
| 1 | Muzzleloader | Dec 13 — Dec 21 | — | — |
| 2 | Archery | Sep 6 — Jan 19 | — | — |
| 2 | Crossbow | Sep 20 — Jan 19 | — | — |
| 2 | Muzzleloader | Oct 18 — Oct 19 | — | — |
| 2 | Rifle | Nov 8 — Nov 23 | — | — |
| 2 | Muzzleloader | Dec 13 — Dec 21 | — | — |
| 3 | Archery | Sep 6 — Jan 19 | — | — |
| 3 | Crossbow | Sep 20 — Jan 19 | — | — |
| 3 | Muzzleloader | Oct 18 — Oct 19 | — | — |
| 3 | Rifle | Nov 8 — Nov 23 | — | — |
| 3 | Muzzleloader | Dec 13 — Dec 21 | — | — |
| 4 | Archery | Sep 6 — Jan 19 | — | — |
| 4 | Crossbow | Sep 20 — Jan 19 | — | — |
| 4 | Muzzleloader | Oct 18 — Oct 19 | — | — |
| 4 | Rifle | Nov 8 — Nov 23 | — | — |
| 4 | Muzzleloader | Dec 13 — Dec 21 | — | — |
| 5 | Archery | Sep 6 — Jan 19 | — | — |
| 5 | Crossbow | Sep 20 — Jan 19 | — | — |
| 5 | Muzzleloader | Oct 18 — Oct 19 | — | — |
| 5 | Rifle | Nov 8 — Nov 23 | — | — |
+ 46 more Deer seasons
| Zone | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shotgun | Apr 12 — May 4 | — | — |
| 1 | Archery | Sep 6 — Jan 19 | — | — |
| 1 | Shotgun | Oct 25 — Oct 31 | — | — |
| 2 | Shotgun | Apr 12 — May 4 | — | — |
| 2 | Archery | Sep 6 — Jan 19 | — | — |
| 2 | Shotgun | Oct 25 — Oct 31 | — | — |
| 3 | Shotgun | Apr 12 — May 4 | — | — |
| 3 | Archery | Sep 6 — Jan 19 | — | — |
+ 34 more Turkey seasons
| Zone | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Zone | Archery | Sep 13 — Sep 26 | — | — |
| Elk Zone | Rifle | Sep 27 — Oct 1 | — | — |
| Elk Zone | Rifle | Oct 4 — Oct 8 | — | — |
| Elk Zone | Rifle | Nov 29 — Dec 3 | — | — |
| Elk Zone | Archery | Dec 6 — Dec 12 | — | — |
| Elk Zone | Rifle | Dec 27 — Dec 31 | — | — |
| Zone | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Zone 1 | Archery | Oct 25 — Oct 27 | — | — |
| Bear Zone 1 | Rifle | Dec 13 — Dec 15 | — | — |
| Bear Zone 2 | Dog | Oct 20 — Oct 24 | — | — |
| Bear Zone 2 | Archery | Oct 25 — Oct 29 | — | — |
| Bear Zone 2 | Dog | Oct 30 — Nov 7 | — | — |
| Bear Zone 2 | Rifle | Dec 13 — Dec 17 | — | — |
| Zone | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shotgun | Sep 1 — Oct 26 | — | — |
| 1 | Shotgun | Dec 20 — Jan 11 | — | — |
| 2 | Shotgun | Sep 1 — Oct 26 | — | — |
| 2 | Shotgun | Dec 20 — Jan 11 | — | — |
| 3 | Shotgun | Sep 1 — Oct 26 | — | — |
| 3 | Shotgun | Dec 20 — Jan 11 | — | — |
| 4 | Shotgun | Sep 1 — Oct 26 | — | — |
| 4 | Shotgun | Dec 20 — Jan 11 | — | — |
+ 20 more Dove seasons
| Zone | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shotgun | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| 2 | Shotgun | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| 3 | Shotgun | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| 4 | Shotgun | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| 5 | Shotgun | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| 6 | Shotgun | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| Carr Creek Lake WMA | Shotgun | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| Carr Creek Tracts | Shotgun | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
+ 6 more Quail seasons
| Zone | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Any Legal | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| 2 | Any Legal | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| 3 | Any Legal | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| 4 | Any Legal | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| 5 | Any Legal | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| 6 | Any Legal | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| Carr Creek Lake WMA | Any Legal | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
| Carr Creek Tracts | Any Legal | Nov 10 — Feb 10 | — | — |
+ 6 more Rabbit seasons
| Zone | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Any Legal | Aug 16 — Nov 7 | — | — |
| 1 | Any Legal | Nov 10 — Feb 28 | — | — |
| 2 | Any Legal | Aug 16 — Nov 7 | — | — |
| 2 | Any Legal | Nov 10 — Feb 28 | — | — |
| 3 | Any Legal | Aug 16 — Nov 7 | — | — |
| 3 | Any Legal | Nov 10 — Feb 28 | — | — |
| 4 | Any Legal | Aug 16 — Nov 7 | — | — |
| 4 | Any Legal | Nov 10 — Feb 28 | — | — |
+ 20 more Squirrel seasons
Kentucky hunting season currently spans Sep 6 to Jan 19 for Deer, with other species opening at different times. Dates vary by zone and weapon. This page lists 208 Kentucky season dates.
Kentucky offers hunting for 8 species, including White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey, Elk and more. Each species has its own season dates, weapon rules and bag limits.
State Resource
Always verify season dates and regulations with the official state wildlife agency:
See Zone boundaries, public land, and walk-in access areas for Kentucky on our interactive hunting map.
Also see Kentucky public land, license, and regulations.