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Deer Zone 2 county
Bourbon County Hunting Rundown
Everything a hunter checks before driving to Bourbon County, from the Zone 2 gun dates to 329 deer reported last season and no mapped public hunting ground.
Photo: Chris M Morris (CC BY 2.0)
Getting your bearings in Bourbon County
Wildlife work in Bourbon County is organised under the Bluegrass Region, which counts 31 counties in all. Paris holds the courthouse for a county of about 20,333 people, going by the 2024 estimate. Little has changed in the population since the 2020 Census.
Ecologists group the county with the Bluegrass; it holds 290 square miles of land and 1.9 of water. KDFWR regulations file it under wildlife district VIII when setting rabbit and quail dates. Neighbouring Kentucky counties are Bath, Clark, Fayette, Harrison, Montgomery, Nicholas and Scott.
Colville Covered Bridge over Hinkston Creek in Bourbon County in fallPhoto: Greg Hume (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mallard hen and drake swimming on a still pondPhoto: hedera.baltica (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Population from the Census Bureau 2024 estimates; land area from the Census Gazetteer; region and districts from the KDFWR administrative layer and 301 KAR 4:010; harvest rank from the KDFWR Harvest Results app. Checked November 10, 2026.
Deer seasons and bag in Bourbon County
Kentucky sets deer zones by whole county, and Bourbon County falls in Zone 2 along with 23 others. A Zone 2 hunter can take four deer in all, with the statewide one-antlered limit inside that total. Unlike 30 other counties, Bourbon County did not change zones for 2026-27.
| Window | Allowed | Start | End | Days | What counts | Now | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Bows | Sep 5, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | 136 | Zone bag | Guide p. 12 | |
| Youth, senior crossbow | Crossbow | Sep 5, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | 136 | Zone bag | Guide p. 12 | |
| Crossbow | Crossbow, bows | Sep 19, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | 122 | Zone bag | Guide p. 12 | |
| Youth gun | Any legal method | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 9 | Zone bag | Guide p. 12 | |
| Early Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader, bows | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 2 | Zone bag | Guide p. 12 | |
| Modern gun | Any legal deer gun | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 16 | Zone bag | Guide p. 12 | |
| Late Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader, bows | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | 9 | Zone bag | Guide p. 12 | |
| Free youth weekend | Any legal method | Dec 26, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | 2 | Either sex | Guide p. 12 |
Rifles and shotguns open on November 14, 2026 and close on November 29, 2026; muzzleloaders get a second turn from December 12 to December 20, 2026. Earlier gun chances come with the youth-only season, October 10 to October 18, 2026, and the two early muzzleloader days, October 17 to October 18, 2026. Bowhunters have September 5, 2026 to January 18, 2027; crossbows join on September 19.
During the gun, muzzleloader and youth gun deer days, everyone afield in Bourbon County wears solid hunter orange on head, back and chest, archers and turkey hunters included. After Christmas comes the free youth weekend, December 26 to December 27, 2026, open to any legal method.
Zones and bags from 301 KAR 2:172 and the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide; hunter orange from the guide. Checked November 10, 2026.
Bourbon County deer and CWD rules
CWD zone rules do not apply in Bourbon County; Lincoln County, about 57 miles off, is the nearest county where they do.
Carcass rules still matter: whole deer and high-risk parts may not leave a zone county or enter Kentucky from another state. KDFWR allows deer baiting on private land outside the zone, which includes Bourbon County, but not on public hunting land.
Want a deer checked for the disease? Statewide testing is free by drop-off or by mail.
From the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide, the KDFWR CWD Surveillance Zone page and baiting rules. Checked November 10, 2026.
Which zones reach Bourbon County
Black bear
Kentucky bear seasons cover 47 counties, and Bourbon County is not among them; try Clark County, about 16 miles away.
Elk
The out-of-zone elk rule covers Bourbon County: annual hunting license, Out-of-Zone Elk Permit, deer dates and methods. It is separate from the deer bag, and a deer permit is not required.
Small game and birds
Bourbon County uses the Eastern Zone dates for rabbit and quail, November 1 to November 13 and November 16 to January 31. Bourbon County is outside the Grouse Zone, which means no ruffed grouse season here. River otter rules put Bourbon County in Otter Zone 1.
The September Canada goose season here follows the Eastern Zone, September 16 to September 30, 2026, while ducks and regular geese are statewide. Duck season opens statewide on November 26, 2026 in two parts that end January 31, 2027.
| Zone list | Answer |
|---|---|
| Small game zone | Eastern |
| Grouse Zone | No |
| Otter zone | 1 |
| September goose | Eastern (map) |
| Bear zone | None |
| Elk zone | No |
| Wildlife district | VIII |
From the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide, the Kentucky Hunting Guide for Migratory Birds and Waterfowl, bear zone rules, elk rules and small game zones. Checked November 10, 2026.
Bourbon County season calendar for 2026-27
Bourbon County lists 5 rows without dates yet; KDFWR had not printed spring 2027 dates when this was checked, and out-of-zone elk simply follows deer dates.
| Quarry | Window | Zone | Permit type | Start | Finish | Parts | Right now | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Statewide | Permit | Sep 5, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | One | Guide p. 12 | |
| Deer | Youth, senior crossbow | Statewide | Permit | Sep 5, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | One | Guide p. 12 | |
| Deer | Crossbow | Statewide | Permit | Sep 19, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | One | Guide p. 12 | |
| Deer | Youth gun | Statewide | Permit | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | One | Guide p. 12 | |
| Deer | Early Muzzleloader | Statewide | Permit | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | One | Guide p. 12 | |
| Deer | Modern gun | Zone 2 | Permit | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | One | Guide p. 12 | |
| Deer | Late Muzzleloader | Zone 2 | Permit | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | One | Guide p. 12 | |
| Deer | Free youth weekend | Statewide | Permit | Dec 26, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | One | Guide p. 12 | |
| Elk | Out-of-zone elk | Deer dates | Permit | – | – | – | No dates | Guide p. 23 |
| Turkey | Fall Archery | Statewide | Permit | Sep 5, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | One | Guide p. 24 | |
| Turkey | Fall Crossbow | Statewide | Permit | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | 2 parts | Guide p. 24 | |
| Turkey | Fall Shotgun | Statewide | Permit | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | 2 parts | Guide p. 24 | |
| Turkey | Spring 2027 | Dates pending | Permit | – | – | – | No dates | 301 KAR 2:142 |
| Turkey | Youth spring 2027 | Dates pending | Permit | – | – | – | No dates | 301 KAR 2:142 |
| Squirrel | Fall Squirrel | Statewide | License | Aug 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 2 parts | Guide p. 27 | |
| Squirrel | Squirrel Trapping | Statewide | License | Nov 16, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guide p. 27 | |
| Squirrel | Spring 2027 | Dates pending | License | – | – | – | No dates | 301 KAR 2:122 |
| Rabbit | Rabbit | Eastern zone | License | Nov 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 2 parts | Guide p. 27 | |
| Rabbit | Rabbit Trapping | Eastern zone | License | Nov 16, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | One | Guide p. 27 | |
| Quail | Quail | Eastern zone | License | Nov 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 2 parts | Guide p. 27 | |
| Small game | Falconry | Statewide | License | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 30, 2027 | One | Guide p. 27 | |
| Small game, furbearers | Free youth week | Statewide | License | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | One | Guide p. 27 | |
| Groundhog | Groundhog | Statewide | License | Mar 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guide p. 29 | |
| Crow | Crow | Statewide | License | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 2 parts | Guide p. 29 | |
| Bullfrog | Bullfrog | Statewide | License | May 16, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | One | Guide p. 29 | |
| Turtles | Turtles | Statewide | License | Mar 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guide p. 29 | |
| Exotic hoofed | Exotic hoofed wildlife | Statewide | License | Mar 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guide p. 29 | |
| Ducks | Regular duck | Statewide | License | Nov 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 2 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 10 | |
| Ducks | Falconry | Statewide | License | Nov 26, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 10 | |
| Teal, wood duck | September teal | Statewide | License | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 23, 2026 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 10 | |
| Waterfowl | Youth days | Statewide | License | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 13, 2027 | 2 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 11 | |
| Waterfowl | Veteran, military days | Statewide | License | Nov 22, 2026 | Feb 14, 2027 | 2 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 11 | |
| Canada goose | September goose | Eastern (map) | License | Sep 16, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 10 | |
| Dark geese | Goose | Statewide | License | Nov 26, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 10 | |
| Light geese | Light Goose | Statewide | License | Nov 26, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 10 | |
| Light geese | Conservation order | Statewide | License | Feb 16, 2027 | Mar 31, 2027 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 10 | |
| Geese | Falconry | Statewide | License | Nov 26, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 10 | |
| Dove | Dove | Statewide | License | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | 3 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 7 | |
| Woodcock | Woodcock | Statewide | License | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 9, 2026 | 2 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 7 | |
| Snipe | Snipe | Statewide | License | Sep 16, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 2 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 7 | |
| Rails | Rail | Statewide | License | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 7 | |
| Gallinules | Gallinule | Statewide | License | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 7 | |
| Sandhill crane | Crane, by permit | Statewide | Quota permit | Dec 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 8 | |
| Raccoon, opossum | Hunting | Statewide | License | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guide p. 25 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | Statewide | License | Mar 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guide p. 25 | |
| Coyote | Night, with lights | Statewide | License | Dec 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | One | Guide p. 25 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | Statewide | License | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guide p. 25 | |
| River otter | Hunting | Statewide | License | Nov 16, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guide p. 25 | |
| Other furbearers | Hunting | Statewide | License | Nov 16, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guide p. 25 | |
| Furbearers | Trapping | Statewide | License | Nov 16, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | 2 parts | Guide p. 25 | |
| Wild pig | No season | No season | None | – | – | – | No dates | Guide p. 29 |
Dates from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide and the Kentucky Hunting Guide for Migratory Birds and Waterfowl, checked against the KDFWR Season Dates app; zone county lists from 301 KAR and KDFWR zone layers; quota hunts from the KDFWR Quota Hunts page (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Bourbon County Telecheck harvest record
329 deer were reported from Bourbon County in 2025-26, the 116th highest county total. Divide by land area and you get 1.1 deer per square mile, 116th in Kentucky. Against the 2016-17 baseline of 314, the change is +5%. The ten-year average is about 292 deer, with a peak of 329 in 2025-26.
By sex, 60% were males (175 with visible antlers) and 40% females. Most deer fell to modern firearms (71%), with archery at 43 and crossbows at 22. Zone 2 counties, as listed for 2026-27, checked 20,611 deer, 2% of them here.
| Deer | Total | Part |
|---|---|---|
| All deer | 329 | 100% |
| Male | 198 | 60% |
| Antlered buck | 175 | 53% |
| Button buck | 23 | 7% |
| Female | 131 | 40% |
| Modern firearm | 235 | 71% |
| Muzzleloader | 29 | 9% |
| Archery | 43 | 13% |
| Crossbow | 22 | 7% |
Wild turkey
The 2026 spring gobbler season produced 119 turkeys in Bourbon County, ranking 115th. Another 3 turkeys came in during fall 2025-26. Dates for spring 2027 were not yet out from KDFWR.
| When | Turkeys |
|---|---|
| spring 2022 | 95 |
| spring 2023 | 90 |
| spring 2024 | 102 |
| spring 2025 | 84 |
| spring 2026 | 119 |
| fall 2025-26 | 3 |
White-tailed doe among fall leaves at a woods edgePhoto: Lynn Freeny (U.S. Department of Energy) (Public domain (U.S. Government work))
Harvest from the KDFWR Harvest Results app (Telecheck; license years, 2025-26 = the latest); turkey from the same app. Checked November 10, 2026.
Public acres in and near Bourbon County
Every public area near Bourbon County lies across the county line, since none is listed inside it.
Close by across the line:
- Griffith Woods WMAWMA · 2 miles from the line
- Veterans Memorial WMAWMA · 5 miles from the line
- Clay WMAWMA · 6 miles from the line
Land records from KDFWR, the Kentucky Division of Forestry, Kentucky State Parks and federal managers; GIS acres from the KDFWR Public Hunting Areas layer and PAD-US (map measures, not official acreages); closures under 301 KAR 2:178 and 400 KAR 2:090. Checked November 10, 2026.
Bourbon County offices, towns and shops
Regional help for Bourbon County comes from the Bluegrass coordinator, (502) 782-0742, e-mail FW.BluegrassRegion@ky.gov. The nearest KDFWR office with a mailing address is the Northeastern Fisheries District Office in Morehead, some 37 miles from the county centre.
Local town pages:
- Paris10,185 people
Processors, taxidermists and sporting goods stores in and around Bourbon County; listings from directories are not individually verified, so call ahead.
Regional coordinator phone and e-mail from the KDFWR regional biologists map; offices from the KDFWR Contact Us page and fisheries district layer; services from the KDFWR taxidermist and processor list and directories. Checked November 10, 2026.
Bourbon County banquets, classes, hunts and trials
Held within the county: 1 date ahead, namely DU bingo night.
| Date | Event | Where | Act | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 4, 2026 | Stoner Creek Ducks Unlimited Bingo Event (DU bingo night) | Maiden City Brewing Co – Paris | Tickets | Source |
Listings and results from the KDFWR calendar, the DU and NWTF feeds, UKC and American Field, read November 9, 2026. Times are on local clock time: Central Time in the western 41 counties, Eastern Time elsewhere.
Before a Bourbon County hunt: the ranges
Hisle Park Archery Range is the closest listed range to Bourbon County, 13 miles from its centre.
Fayette County has the rifle-capable range closest to Bourbon County: Bud's Gun Shop & Range, 17 miles off.
The KDFWR range nearest Bourbon County on the permit list is 20 miles away at Veterans Memorial WMA.
Ranges from the KDFWR range layer, club sites and directory listings, checked November 10, 2026.
Bourbon County sun table for opening days
Bourbon County raccoon, coyote and other furbearer hunters follow separate night and daylight rules that this table leaves out.
| When | Opener or event | First light | Last light | Most game | Migratory | Clock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Deer archery opens | 7:09 a.m. | 8:03 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 8:33 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 8:03 p.m. | EDT |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Deer crossbow opens | 7:21 a.m. | 7:41 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 8:11 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 7:41 p.m. | EDT |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Youth gun opens | 7:39 a.m. | 7:08 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 7:08 p.m. | EDT |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Early muzzleloader | 7:46 a.m. | 6:58 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. | EDT |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Zone 2 gun opener | 7:16 a.m. | 5:27 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 5:57 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. | EST |
| Nov 26, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:29 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. | EST |
| Nov 29, 2026 | Zone 2 gun closes | 7:32 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Late muzzleloader | 7:44 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:47 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:49 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Free youth weekend | 7:52 a.m. | 5:22 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | EST |
Hours rules from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide; sunrise and sunset from the NOAA solar formula at this point on Eastern Time; checked November 10, 2026. Legal hours across Kentucky.
Packing for a hunt in Bourbon County
Bourbon County gear here follows the game on this page; nothing loads until you tap a button.
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Climbing stand
Pack a climbing stand; deer cover here runs from crop edges to steep hardwood draws.
Chest waders
Waterfowl hunters along the Ohio and Mississippi bottoms pack chest waders.
Dove stool
A seat with shell storage suits a long September afternoon on a sunflower field.
Asked about Bourbon County
Which otter zone governs trappers in Bourbon County?
Otter Zone 1.
Who answers wildlife questions for Bourbon County hunters?
The Bluegrass Region coordinator at (502) 782-0742, or KDFWR in Frankfort at (502) 564-3400.
Does Bourbon County fall under the Zone 2 deer bag this season?
Yes. Every county is in one zone, and Bourbon County is a Zone 2 county.
Is Telecheck needed for a Bourbon County turkey?
Yes. Turkeys are Telechecked like deer.
Is Bourbon County one of the surveillance zone counties for 2026-27?
No. Lincoln County is the closest of the 23.
When can muzzleloader hunters go back out in Bourbon County after the gun close?
Late muzzleloader runs December 12 to December 20, 2026.
What does it take to hunt elk in Bourbon County?
An annual hunting license plus an Out-of-Zone Elk Permit, during deer seasons.
Could a bear be taken legally in Bourbon County?
No. It is not in a bear zone.
Where does Bourbon County stand among the 120 counties for deer taken?
116th in 2025-26.
Could a deer hunter without a lease find room in Bourbon County?
Not on listed public land; ask landowners.
Does Bourbon County rank well for spring turkey?
115th of 120 in spring 2026, with 119 birds.
From the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide, 301 KAR 2:172, Telecheck rules, the KDFWR Harvest Results app and the county data above. Checked November 10, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Greg Hume (CC BY-SA 3.0); hedera.baltica (CC BY-SA 2.0); Lynn Freeny (U.S. Department of Energy) (Public domain (U.S. Government work)).