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WMA under KDFWR seasons
Paintsville Lake WMA seasons, charts and draws
Wildlife management area in Johnson County and Morgan County, about 11,220 acres, Zone 2.
Hunting gearPhoto: J654567 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Getting to Paintsville Lake WMA
Special status of Paintsville Lake WMA
Hunting on the Corps land at Paintsville Lake is handled through Paintsville Lake WMA.
Sources: eCFR · KDFWR area page; checked November 10, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Paintsville Lake WMA
The 2026-27 chart row for Paintsville Lake WMA
Paintsville Lake WMA is open for 11 charted seasons this year, with 0 closed and 1 by quota.
| Hunt | 2026-27 status | See |
|---|---|---|
| Deer archery, crossbow | Open | – |
| Deer muzzleloader | Open | 1, 2 |
| Deer modern gun | Quota only | 1 |
| Deer youth gun | Open | 1 |
| Fall squirrel | Open | – |
| Rabbit | Open | – |
| Grouse | Open | – |
| Quail | Open | – |
| Fall turkey | Open | – |
| Furbearer | Open | – |
| Bear | Open | 1 |
| Elk quota | Open | 1 |
- Deer, bear, and elk hunting is archery/crossbow only (firearms prohibited) in three areas near the dam: 1) the area extending eastward from the drainage of Glade Branch along the lake to the state park boundary line at Rocky Knob, 2) the two islands visible from the state park boat ramp at the end of KY 2275, and 3) the entire hollow surrounding the Shoal Branch cove of the lake west of the dam beginning where the Paintsville Utilities Water Treatment Plant building is visible on the lake edge.
- Open for December muzzleloader season only.
From the 2026-27 quick reference charts on the KDFWR Public Land Hunting page; footnotes are KDFWR exceptions as printed. Checked November 10, 2026.
Terrain and cover on Paintsville Lake WMA
Close to 11,220 acres of Johnson and Morgan counties belong to Paintsville Lake WMA, a Northeast Region listing. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources handles management here. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the landowner of record. The agency layer lists a moderate management level.
From the area record for Paintsville Lake WMA:
- The WMA surrounds most of the shoreline of Paintsville Lake. Approximately 3 miles northwest
- of Paintsville on HWY 40, then take HWY 2275 to Marina and Dam. To access west side of WMA
- from West Liberty, take HWY 172 to HWY 3214.
- Rolling hills, two-thirds in hardwood forest, some old fields and crop fields.
- Opportunities for hunting, fishing, boating, birding on lake. Trout are stocked in Paintsville Lake, refer to the fishing guide for regulations.
- Managed by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
The habitat split leans to forest, at roughly 96 percent.
Close-up of a raccoon face
Acres: KDFWR Public Lands Search detail page ("Size: 11220 acres"). Description and habitat from the area record; checked November 10, 2026.
Drawings and quota slots at Paintsville Lake WMA
KDFWR drew hunters for 1 deer quota hunt on Paintsville Lake WMA this season, 125 slots combined. KDFWR took applications September 1 to September 30, 2026 ($3 per hunt), and the 2026-27 draw is complete. Last year's lowest drawn point total is shown for residents and nonresidents alike.
| Hunt no. | Area | When | Slots | 2025 min | Nonres. min | Status | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Paintsville Lake WMA | Nov. 7-8 | 125 | 0 | 0.4 | – |
Quota hunts from the KDFWR Quota Hunts page and the Guide p. 34; checked November 10, 2026. Every Kentucky quota hunt · how the draws work.
Posted and printed rules for Paintsville Lake WMA
Think of Paintsville Lake WMA as statewide rules first, then these area limits.
- Closed for October muzzleloader deer season. Open for December muzzleloader deer season.
- Closed for modern gun deer season, except for the quota hunt.
- Deer, bear, and elk hunting is archery/crossbow only (firearms prohibited) in three areas near the dam: 1) the area extending eastward from the drainage of Glade Branch along the lake to the state park boundary line at Rocky Knob, 2) the two islands visible from the state park boat ramp at the end of KY 2275, and 3) the entire hollow surrounding the Shoal Branch cove of the lake west of the dam beginning where Paintsville Utilities Water Treatment Plant is visible on the lake edge.
Area regulations as printed on the KDFWR area page; WMA rules in 301 KAR 3:010 and 301 KAR 2:178. Checked November 10, 2026.
Zones, counties and deer dates at Paintsville Lake WMA
Wildlife hunters look for on Paintsville Lake WMA.
Ruffed grouse feeding on snowy ground
All of Paintsville Lake WMA lies in Deer Zone 2, so the Zone 2 limit and gun dates apply. KDFWR shifted Johnson and Morgan counties one zone lower this year.
| County | Zone no. | Deer limit | Zone moved | CWD county | Bear zone | Elk | Small game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | Deer Zone 2 | Up to 4 deer | 3 to 2 | No | Bear Zone 2 | Yes | Eastern |
| Morgan County | Deer Zone 2 | Up to 4 deer | 3 to 2 | No | Bear Zone 2 | No | Eastern |
Deer windows for Zone 2
| Deer window | Area | From | Through | Open? | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Crossbow | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Youth, senior crossbow | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Youth gun | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Early Muzzleloader | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Modern gun | Zone 2 | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Late Muzzleloader | Zone 2 | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Free youth weekend | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | Guide p. 12 |
The zone calendar is the outer limit; Paintsville Lake WMA may hunt fewer days.
Zones from 301 KAR 2:172 and the KDFWR deer zone layer; dates from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting &
Paintsville Lake WMA: disease zone, bear and elk
Bear zone status
For bear, Paintsville Lake WMA counts as Bear Zone 2 ground; no draw is involved.
| Bear season | Zone | Dates | Today | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase only | Bear Zones 1, 2, 3 | Jun 1–Aug 31 Sep 9–30 | Guide p. 18 | |
| Archery, crossbow | Bear Zone 2 | Oct 24–28 | Guide p. 18 | |
| With dogs | Bear Zone 2 | Oct 19–23 Oct 29–Nov 6 | Guide p. 18 | |
| Firearm | Bear Zone 2 | Dec 12–16 | Guide p. 18 |
Elk permits
Paintsville Lake WMA is elk zone ground in Elk Hunting Unit 6; no permit, no elk. The 2026 draw issued 500 elk permits in all.
| Elk season | Days | Open? | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bull, firearms | Sep 26–30 Oct 3–7 | Guide p. 22 | |
| Cow, firearms | Nov 28–Dec 2 Jan 2–6 | Guide p. 22 | |
| Archery, crossbow | Sep 12–25 Dec 5–11 | Guide p. 22 | |
| Youth quota | Sep 12–Jan 6 | Guide p. 22 |
CWD from the KDFWR CWD Surveillance Zone; bear from 301 KAR 2:300; elk from 301 KAR 2:132; checked November 10, 2026. CWD zone · bear zones · elk zone.
Paintsville Lake WMA pinned beside its neighbours
Horse Mill Branch WMA lies 6 miles northwest, the closest alternative. Within reach: 4 wildlife management areas and 2 state parks.
| Area | Kind | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horse Mill Branch WMA | WMA | 640 | Morgan | 6 miles | northwest |
| Yatesville Lake WMA | WMA | 13,191 | Lawrence | 18 miles | northeast |
| Ed Mabry Laurel Gorge WMA | WMA | 1,486 | Elliott | 19 miles | northwest |
| Jenny Wiley State Resort Park | State park | 1,415 | Floyd | 20 miles | southeast |
| Grayson Lake WMA | WMA | 8,025 | Carter | 21 miles | north |
| Yatesville Lake State Park | State park | 2,006 | Lawrence | 22 miles | northeast |
Point: KDFWR Public Hunting Areas layer (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside) of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Deer and turkey checked near Paintsville Lake WMA
These 2025-26 county harvest counts are context for Paintsville Lake WMA, not area results. The busiest county here was Johnson County: 737 deer, rank 82 statewide.
| County | Deer total | Statewide rank | Spring birds | Bears checked | Elk checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 737 | 82nd | 145 | – | 1 |
| Morgan County | 715 | 85th | 310 | – | – |
KDFWR Harvest Results app (Telecheck, license years); spring turkey by calendar spring; checked November 10, 2026.
Fuel, processing and supplies near Paintsville Lake WMA
A straight line from Paintsville Lake WMA to Salyersville measures about 12 miles, the shortest of any town here. For a wider choice of stores, Paintsville has 4,129 people (2024). The shortest trip to a KDFWR office is Prestonsburg, 22 miles. For the Northeast Region, call (859) 473-0061 or write to FW.NortheastRegion@ky.gov.
| Town | County | People (2024) | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salyersville | Magoffin | 1,499 | 12 miles | south |
| Paintsville | Johnson | 4,129 | 12 miles | southeast |
| West Liberty | Morgan | 3,257 | 14 miles | west |
| Sandy Hook | Elliott | 628 | 15 miles | northwest |
| Auxier | Floyd | – | 18 miles | southeast |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); KDFWR offices from the KDFWR contact page and the regional biologists map; businesses from services.json listings (call ahead); straight-line miles. Checked November 10, 2026.
Truck bed list for Paintsville Lake WMA hunters
Paintsville Lake WMA gear here follows the game on this page; nothing loads until you tap a button.
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Cow call
A short elk week on reclaimed ground goes better with a cow call in the pack.
Climbing stand
Plenty of Kentucky deer hunters would not head to the stand without a climbing stand.
Clock times for legal light on Paintsville Lake WMA
Paintsville Lake WMA duck, goose and dove hunters stop at sunset rather than half an hour after it, which is why the bird column closes earlier.
| Day | Note | Sunup | Sundown | Game hours | Duck hours | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Deer archery opens | 7:04 a.m. | 7:58 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 8:28 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 7:58 p.m. | EDT |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Deer crossbow opens | 7:16 a.m. | 7:36 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 8:06 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 7:36 p.m. | EDT |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Bull elk week | 7:22 a.m. | 7:25 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:55 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. | EDT |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Youth gun opens | 7:34 a.m. | 7:03 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 7:33 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 7:03 p.m. | EDT |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Early muzzleloader | 7:41 a.m. | 6:53 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 6:53 p.m. | EDT |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Bear Zone 2 archery | 7:48 a.m. | 6:44 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 6:44 p.m. | EDT |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Zone 2 gun opener | 7:11 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | EST |
| Nov 26, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:24 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. | EST |
| Nov 29, 2026 | Zone 2 gun closes | 7:27 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Bear Zone 2 firearm; late muzzleloader | 7:38 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:44 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Free youth weekend | 7:46 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | EST |
Hours rules from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting &
Paintsville Lake WMA: three nearby ranges
Three ranges ring Paintsville Lake WMA; Copperhead Gun and Range is closest at 23 miles.
From the KDFWR range layer and permit list, club sites and directory listings, checked November 10, 2026.
Ruffed grouse on the forest floorPhoto: GlacierNPS (Public domain)
Northern bobwhite quailPhoto: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0)
Questions people ask before hunting Paintsville Lake WMA
How late can I hunt deer on Paintsville Lake WMA?
Until thirty minutes after sunset, local clock time.
Which town is a good base for Paintsville Lake WMA?
Salyersville, about 12 miles away, is the closest on this site.
Beyond a license, what does Paintsville Lake WMA need?
No extra permit is listed, but Corps project rules (36 CFR 327.8) apply on the Corps land.
Is there a phone line for Paintsville Lake WMA questions?
(606) 776-2620 reaches the area; KDFWR's Northeast Region desk is (859) 473-0061.
Is Paintsville Lake WMA open for every season?
Not all: the chart lists 0 closed columns and 1 quota-only ones next to 11 open.
Zone number for deer at Paintsville Lake WMA?
Paintsville Lake WMA hunts as Zone 2 ground this season.
Does the 23-county CWD zone cover Paintsville Lake WMA?
No; none of its counties is among the 23 zone counties.
When are the Paintsville Lake WMA quota hunts?
Nov. 7-8; see the quota table. Applications ran September 1 to September 30, 2026 at $3 per hunt.
Does the elk zone take in Paintsville Lake WMA?
Yes, in Elk Hunting Unit 6; elk hunting is by drawn permit.
Are black bears fair game on Paintsville Lake WMA?
Yes, under Bear Zone 2 dates with an over-the-counter bear permit.
What acreage does the record give Paintsville Lake WMA?
Roughly 11,220 acres.
The night before a hunt on Paintsville Lake WMA
Recheck your quota hunt dates, zone limits and season windows for Paintsville Lake WMA before packing up.
Sources: KDFWR area page · KDFWR page · KDFWR map layer · KDFWR PDF · KDFWR page; seasons from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting &
Other photos on this page: Sarah Sapp (CC BY 2.0); the real Kam75 (CC BY-SA 2.0).