& TRAPPING GUIDE

NEW THIS YEAR
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Matthew G. Bevin, Governor
FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION
1st District: Terry Teitloff, Smithland
2nd District: C.F. “Frank” Williams, Madisonville
3rd District: Russell J. Gailor, Louisville
4th District: Barry W. Stotts, Columbia
5th District: Jimmy Bevins, Owenton
6th District: Stephen Glenn, Frankfort
7th District: vacant
8th District: vacant
9th District: vacant
Commissioner Emeritus: Dr. James R. Rich, Taylor Mill
Department of
FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES
Commissioner: Gregory K. Johnson
Deputy Commissioner: Charles Bush
Deputy Commissioner: Dr. Karen Waldrop
Wildlife Director: Steve Beam
Fisheries Director: Ron Brooks
Law Enforcement Director: Col. Rodney Coffey
Information & Education Director: Tim Slone
Administrative Services Director: Billye Haslett
Engineering Director: David Bruce (acting)
Public Affairs Director: Brian V. Blank
HUNTING & TRAPPING GUIDE
Editor: Kevin Kelly
Art/Design Director: Adrienne Yancy
Contributors: Rob Anderson, Megan Bagby,
Dave Baker, Derek Beard, Steve Bloemer,
John Brunjes, Maj. Shane Carrier, Brian
Clark, Mark Cramer, Dan Crank, Tia Edwards,
Maj. Larry Estes, Scott Freidhof, Brian Gray,
John Hast, Gabe Jenkins, Vera King, Becky
Littleton, Charlie Logsdon, David McChesney,
Norm Minch, John Morgan, Laura Palmer, Bo
Spencer, Jacob Stewart, Wayne Tamminga,
Lisa Tolliver, Phillip Williams and David Yancy
ABOUT THE COVER
There are approximately
200,000 small game hunters
in Kentucky. Help gather
valuable data about the state’s
small game populations by
keeping a daily hunting diary and filling out
the hunter cooperator surveys for small game.
Click on the “Hunt” tab on fw.ky.gov and choose
“Game Species” from the dropdown menu.
Fish and Wildlife office hours:
Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM ET
Changes from last season are printed
in bright blue throughout this guide to assist
you in noticing those changes.
AREAS
A 601-acre addition to Dr. James R.
Rich WMA in Owen County is open to
hunting under the regulations currently
in place for the WMA.
Indian Creek Tract of Clay WMA in
Bath County is open to hunting under the
regulations currently in place for the WMA.
Revelation Energy Hunting Access
Area in Breathitt, Floyd, Harlan,
Knott, Leslie, Martin and Pike counties
includes Martin County, Bevin’s Branch,
Floyd-Knott, Breathitt County, Bledsoe
and Wallin’s Creek tracts. The area is open
for public hunting under statewide regulations.
Season dates, bag limits and zone
restrictions apply based on the county
zone where the area is located. Refer to
tract descriptions on fw.ky.gov for elk
hunting specifics.
DEER HUNTING
Hardin and Webster counties are now
Zone 1. Marion County is now Zone 2.
At Grayson Lake WMA in Carter
and Elliott counties, the December muzzleloader
season is open under statewide
regulations.
At Knobs State Forest WMA in
Bullitt County, the youth-only firearm
season and free youth weekend are open
under statewide regulations.
The one deer per license year limit
on Higginson-Henry WMA in Union
County has been removed. Statewide bag
limits now apply.
Drawn quota hunters may bring one
non-hunting person along on their hunt.
The non-hunting person is not required
to have applied for the quota hunt but
must check in and check out with the
drawn quota hunter and abide by hunter
orange requirements.
At Big Rivers WMA in Crittenden
and Union counties, an archery and crossbow
quota hunt will start the Monday following
the October youth-only firearms
season and continue through November
30, except when closed during the two-day
quota hunt that starts the first Saturday
in November. All deer hunting seasons
on this WMA are closed, except to drawn
hunters, during quota hunts.
Except during youth quota hunts,
deer taken on Land Between The Lakes
in Trigg and Lyon counties are no longer
“bonus” deer and will count against a
hunter’s statewide limit. The archery season
on the Kentucky portion of Land Between
The Lakes will run from the fourth
Saturday in September through the first
full weekend in January. The bag limit is
one deer during the archery season.
ELK HUNTING
There are two new Limited Entry
Areas (LEA). Tug Fork LEA is within
the boundaries of the Revelation Energy
Hunting Access Area in Floyd, Martin
and Pike counties as established by
signage. Levisa Fork LEA encompasses
Fishtrap Lake WMA in Pike County and
is closed to elk hunting due to ongoing
elk restoration efforts. Maps detailing the
boundaries of these new LEAs are available
online at fw.ky.gov.
A drawn elk hunter may use a landowner
cooperator permit to hunt on adjacent
property if the property is owned
by a different landowner who has granted
permission to the permit holder.
SMALL GAME
Hunters may now use a rimfire handgun
and a .410 gauge handgun to take
small game.
A change in the small game hunting
regulations was pending legislative
approval when this guide went to press.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is proposing
to allow slingshots to be used with manufactured
ammunition for small game.
Please call 1-800-858-1549 or visit fw.ky.
gov for the latest information.
KNOW THE LAW! Please read this guide carefully to prevent being cited for a violation. Make sure you understand Kentucky’s hunting
and trapping laws before going afield. If you need help understanding a law call 1-800-858-1549, weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.
The top five most issued citations related to hunting and trapping are: 1) Hunting or trapping without a license 2) Hunting or trapping
without landowner’s permission 3) Illegal take of game 4) Taking more game than the bag limit and 5) Failure to tag or check game.