Over-the-counter tags, a top-10 national ranking, and Bluegrass farmland genetics make Kentucky one of the best value trophy states going.
Kentucky's landscape breaks roughly into three hunting regions: the rolling Bluegrass and Pennyroyal farm country in the center and west, loaded with row-crop agriculture and mature hardwood draws; the rugged, heavily forested Appalachian foothills and Daniel Boone National Forest in the east; and river-bottom country along the Ohio, Green, and Mississippi rivers in the far west, known for some of the state's biggest bucks.
- Agency
- Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources (KDFWR)
- Region
- Southeast
- Deer rank
- #7 of 50
- Species guides
- 3
01
Kentucky hunting license and tag costs
Deer license and tag prices as last reviewed. Other species' permits are listed in the agency fee schedule.
| License / tag | Price |
|---|---|
| Resident annual hunting license | approx. $27 |
| Nonresident annual hunting license | approx. $155 |
| Nonresident deer permit (required in addition to license) | approx. $175 for the first permit |
| Nonresident 'Sportsman's license' bundle | approx. $315, includes hunting license plus deer and turkey permits |
02
Kentucky hunting laws to know
Rules that catch hunters out most often. Not a substitute for the regulations book.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Blaze orange | Required during modern gun season for all hunters, and recommended (required in some cases) during muzzleloader seasons; archery-only hunters outside gun season are generally exempt. |
| Baiting | Legal on private land in most of the state, but prohibited within Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Zones and on many WMAs — check current zone maps. |
| Crossbows | Legal for all hunters during any archery or crossbow season and any firearms season, no permit or disability documentation required. |
| Sunday hunting | Allowed statewide, including on most public land, with no blanket Sunday closures. |
| Legal firearms | Centerfire rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, and handguns meeting caliber minimums are legal during modern gun season; straight-wall cartridges are also permitted. |
| Tagging/reporting | All deer must be telechecked (reported) through the Telecheck phone/online/app system before the carcass is moved from the point of kill in many circumstances, and always before processing. |
| CWD carcass transport | Whole carcasses and high-risk parts may not leave designated CWD Surveillance Zones; only deboned meat, cleaned skulls/antlers, and similar finished products can be transported out. |
| Hunter education | Required for anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1975, unless hunting under an apprentice license with a licensed adult. |
03
Kentucky deer season structure (2025-26)
Exact dates shift slightly each year and zone-specific bag limits vary by Deer Zone (1-4); always confirm current-year dates and zone rules on KDFWR's deer hunting page before you hunt.
| Season | Weapon | Typical window |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Bow / crossbow | Early Sept. – mid/late Jan. |
| Early muzzleloader | Muzzleloader | Mid-October weekend |
| Youth weekend | Any legal weapon | Second weekend of October |
| Modern gun | Modern gun (rifle/shotgun) | Mid-November, 16 consecutive days |
| Late muzzleloader | Muzzleloader | Mid-December, roughly 10 days |
| Late antlerless/archery | Bow / crossbow / late gun in some zones | Late Dec. – mid/late Jan. |
What you can hunt in Kentucky
- Deer — White-tailed deer
Excellent · ranked #7 of 50 for deer.
- Whitetail Deer
Excellent buck quality with over-the-counter nonresident access
Access: Over-the-counter; buy online the day you leave
- Eastern Gray Squirrel
Classic Appalachian hardwood squirrel hunting tradition with long seasons
Access: Over-the-counter small-game license
Public hunting land in Kentucky
Kentucky's public-land footprint is smaller as a share of total acreage than some neighboring states, but the Daniel Boone National Forest and dozens of KDFWR wildlife management areas provide plenty of accessible ground for nonresidents.
Daniel Boone National Forest
National forest · Eastern Kentucky
Roughly 700,000 acres of rugged, heavily timbered Appalachian foothills stretching across more than 20 counties; classic ridge-and-hollow bowhunting.
Official pageGreen River Lake Wildlife Management Area
WMA · South-central Kentucky
Large lake-adjacent WMA with mixed hardwoods and fields known for solid buck numbers and moderate pressure.
Peabody Wildlife Management Area
WMA · Western Kentucky
Reclaimed coal-mine land turned into one of the state's largest and most storied WMAs, historically known for trophy-class bucks.
Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area
National recreation area · Southwestern Kentucky/Tennessee border
170,000 acres between Kentucky and Barkley Lakes offering quota and non-quota deer hunts on federally managed land.
Official pageYatesville Lake Wildlife Management Area
WMA · Eastern Kentucky
Lake-and-ridge terrain with good archery access and comparatively light nonresident pressure.
Official Kentucky links
- Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources (KDFWR)
- Current regulations
- Buy hunting & fishing licenses
Last reviewed 2026-02.
Nearby state hunting guides
Questions
Frequently asked
- Where do I buy a Kentucky hunting license?
- Kentucky hunting licenses and tags are sold by the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) through its official licensing site. Buy direct from the agency rather than a reseller, and complete hunter education first if your birth year requires it.
- When is Kentucky hunting season?
- Seasons differ by species, weapon and zone, and the Kentucky season dates change every year. Our Kentucky deer guide summarizes the 2025-26 deer season structure; for every other species, check the current Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) regulations before you plan a hunt.
- What can you hunt in Kentucky?
- Besides white-tailed deer, our species guides single out Kentucky for whitetail deer, eastern gray squirrel. Each species guide explains tags, seasons and tactics.
- Where is public hunting land in Kentucky?
- Good starting points include Daniel Boone National Forest, Green River Lake Wildlife Management Area, Peabody Wildlife Management Area. Confirm access rules, closures and special regulations with the managing agency before you go.
Every hunting guide
Hunting Hub
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Top 10 lists
Best in category: hunting gear
Ranked picks with real product photos, specs, and editor notes — the buying side of everything covered in these guides.
Best Hunting Rifles
Bolt guns from budget workhorses to mountain rifles.
See the ranking →Best Upland Shotguns
Over-unders and light autos built to carry all day.
See the ranking →Best Waterfowl Shotguns
3.5-inch guns that keep cycling through mud and ice.
See the ranking →Best Deer Hunting Shotguns
Rifled slug guns for shotgun-only whitetail country.
See the ranking →Best Compound Bows
Forgiving, quiet compounds that tune without a fight.
See the ranking →Best Recurve Bows
Hunting recurves that shoot quiet and hold up outside.
See the ranking →Also on The Wild10
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