Fayette County, Kentucky Hunting

Shooting Ranges Near Nicholasville

Range · 12 mi from Fayette County

Jessamine County

County · 13 mi from Fayette County

Shooting Ranges Near Versailles

Range · 15 mi from Fayette County

Shooting Ranges Near Winchester

Range · 15 mi from Fayette County

Shooting Ranges Near Paris

Range · 15 mi from Fayette County

FW.BluegrassRegion@ky.gov

Fayette County whitetail rules for 2026-27

Deer Zone 2 is the line that matters in Fayette County; KDFWR lists 24 counties in it this season. Four deer is the Zone 2 ceiling, of which no more than one may carry antlers. Returning hunters will find Fayette County in the same zone as in 2025-26.

KDFWR wording for Zone 2: “Up to 4 deer (1 antlered max statewide).” 301 KAR 2:172

Hunt	Weapons	Begins	Finishes	Span	Bag rule	Page
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

Mark November 14 for the Zone 2 gun opener, November 29 for the close, and December 12 to December 20, 2026 for late muzzleloader. October brings the youth gun days (October 10 to October 18, 2026) and early muzzleloader (October 17 to October 18, 2026). The long archery season opens September 5 and closes January 18, 2027, with crossbow from September 19.

Hunter orange on the head, back and chest is required of all hunters in Fayette County while firearm deer seasons are open, even bowhunters. A free youth weekend on December 26 to December 27, 2026 gives young hunters one more gun chance.

A January 9-11, 2027 antlerless-only firearms season in Zones 1-3 was adopted in 301 KAR 2:172 effective November 5, 2026; KDFWR's guide still lists it as pending. 301 KAR 2:172

Deer Zone 2

About deer

Zone hub

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.

Fayette County CWD zone check

Fayette County lies beyond the CWD Surveillance Zone, whose closest county is Lincoln County at about 42 miles.

NoCWD zone

LincolnNearest zone county

42 milesDistance

23Zone counties

Out-of-state and zone-county deer must arrive deboned, with only clean skull caps, antlers and hides kept whole. Bait is a private-land option in Fayette County; WMAs, state parks and much federal land forbid it.

Carcass rule: No whole carcasses or high-risk parts (head, skull/skull cap with brain, spine) may leave the zone or enter Kentucky from other states/provinces; deboned meat, antlers, clean skull caps/skulls/teeth, hides and finished taxidermy allowed.

Testing is free statewide at drop-off sites open around the clock or by mail-in kit.

CWD details

CWD at KDFWR

From the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide, the KDFWR CWD Surveillance Zone page and baiting rules. Checked November 10, 2026.

Fayette County zone lines for every game

Black bear

Fayette County lies outside Bear Zones 1 to 3, with Clark County the nearest bear county at about 18 miles.

Elk

Fayette County is not elk zone ground, so any elk here falls under the out-of-zone permit and deer season dates. The out-of-zone elk sits outside the deer limit and needs no deer permit.

Follows deer season dates and methods; needs annual hunting license plus Out-of-Zone Elk Permit; no deer permit required. 1 elk of either sex per license year (not counted in deer bag) Guide p. 23

Small game and birds

The Eastern Zone small game season covers Fayette County, running November 1 to November 13 and November 16 to January 31 for rabbit and quail. The Grouse Zone does not reach Fayette County, so grouse stay closed. Trappers here work Otter Zone 1.

Read off the KDFWR map, Fayette County is in the Eastern September goose zone (September 16 to September 30, 2026). Ducks, coots and mergansers have one statewide season, split into two parts between November 26 and January 31, 2027.

September goose zone counties are read from the KDFWR zone map; they agree with the 301 KAR 2:225 rule. Waterfowl guide p. 11

Rule	Here
Small game zone	Eastern
Grouse Zone	No
Otter zone	1
September goose	Eastern (map)
Bear zone	None
Elk zone	No
Wildlife district	VI

Small game zones

Goose zones

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.

Fayette County hunting dates by zone

Fayette County readers can open the cited guide page on any line; each row links the page it came from.

Animal	Season name	Covers	Ticket	Begins	Ends	Segments	Open?	Page
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

Goose zones are read from a map. Goose zones marked (map) are read from the KDFWR zone map.

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.

Fayette County harvest since 2016-17

In 2025-26, Fayette County produced 246 checked deer, good for 119th place out of 120. At 0.9 deer per square mile, the county ranks 120th for harvest density. From 247 in 2016-17 to 246 now is a 0% drop. Harvest topped out at 256 in 2017-18 and bottomed at 209 in 2019-20.

Of last season's deer, 59% were antlered bucks, 3% button bucks and 39% does. Weapon totals: firearms 143, archery 30, crossbow 45, muzzleloader 28. Today's Zone 2 county list accounted for 20,611 deer, and Fayette County gave 1%.

Kind	Deer	Portion
All deer	246	100%
Male	151	61%
Antlered buck	144	59%
Button buck	7	3%
Female	95	39%
Modern firearm	143	58%
Muzzleloader	28	11%
Archery	30	12%
Crossbow	45	18%

Wild turkey

In spring 2026, 54 turkeys were reported from Fayette County (120th statewide). The fall count for 2025-26 was 3. Spring 2027 turkey dates are not published yet.

Year	Checked
spring 2022	62
spring 2023	70
spring 2024	62
spring 2025	51
spring 2026	54
fall 2025-26	3

White-tailed deer moving through autumn woodsPhoto: NPS Photo (Public domain)

Reporting steps

Big buck lists

Harvest from the KDFWR Harvest Results app (Telecheck; license years, 2025-26 = the latest); turkey from the same app. Checked November 10, 2026.

Fayette County land open to hunters

Fayette County has no public hunting area of its own on the KDFWR or federal lists, so most hunting here is on private land with permission.

Map layers give these acreages; nature preserves and other Park Service land are closed to hunting.

Kind	Mapped acres	Open?
State parks	13	Drawn hunts only

The closed list for Fayette County names Waveland State Historic Site.

Closed place	Type	Status	Source
Waveland State Historic Site	Historic site	Closed	301 KAR 2:178

Public areas near Fayette County:

Griffith Woods WMAWMA · 8 miles from the line
Veterans Memorial WMAWMA · 9 miles from the line
T. N. Sullivan WMAWMA · 26 miles from the centre
Blue Grass Army DepotMilitary · 27 miles from the centre
John A. Kleber WMAWMA · 28 miles from the centre
Hidden Valley Training AreaTraining area · 28 miles from the centre

Hunting land

Where not to hunt

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.

Fayette County offices, towns and shops

The Bluegrass Region regional coordinator answers at (502) 782-0742, or by e-mail at FW.BluegrassRegion@ky.gov. For a walk-in office, the Headquarters (Frankfort) in Frankfort is closest, about 27 miles away.

Bluegrass Region
Regional coordinator

(502) 782-0742

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (headquarters)
#1 Sportsman's Lane, Frankfort

(502) 564-3400

Towns to start from in Fayette County:

Lexington329,437 people

Shops and services near Fayette County follow; directory listings can go stale, so phone before driving over.

Get'em Guns
Lexington, Fayette County

(859) 266-7883

Backwater Outfitters
Lexington, Fayette County · under 1 mi away

(859) 266-4506

Gun Warehouse and Range
Lexington, Fayette County · under 1 mi away

(859) 368-0419

JDM Gunsmithing
Lexington, Fayette County · about 1 mi away

(859) 576-3083

Sling Point Fire Arms
Lexington, Fayette County · about 1 mi away

(859) 299-1665

Evans Firearms and Archery
Lexington, Fayette County · about 4 mi away

(859) 277-7772

Antique and Modern Firearms Inc
Lexington, Fayette County · about 4 mi away

(859) 276-1419

Bad Moon Armory
Lexington, Fayette County · about 4 mi away

Taxidermist directory

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.

Before a Fayette County hunt: the ranges

2 ranges in Fayette County; Hisle Park Archery Range is a KDFWR, federal or park range.

Bud's Gun Shop &
Range

indoor range

Lexington, Fayette County

Covers: rifle, handgun, shotgun, rimfire, action pistol

Open to the public · KDFWR range map, checked Nov 9, 2026

Tel 859-368-0419

Drive

Homepage

Hisle Park Archery Range

park range

Lexington, Fayette County

Covers: archery, 3D archery

Open to the public · KDFWR range map, checked Nov 9, 2026

Tel 859-225-4073

Drive

Homepage

The closest KDFWR permit range is Veterans Memorial WMA Shooting Range on Veterans Memorial WMA, about 19 miles away; the permit is free with an annual license.

Adjacent counties add 7.

Range map

Event calendar

Ranges from the KDFWR range layer, club sites and directory listings, checked November 10, 2026.

Fayette County legal light on key dates

Fayette County hunters can be afield from half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset for deer, elk, bear, turkey and small game, and the times below are worked out for Fayette County itself.

Date	Event	Sunrise	Sunset	General rule	Bird rule	Zone
Sep 5, 2026	Deer archery opens	7:10 a.m.	8:04 p.m.	6:40 a.m. to 8:34 p.m.	6:40 a.m. to 8:04 p.m.	EDT
Sep 19, 2026	Deer crossbow opens	7:22 a.m.	7:42 p.m.	6:52 a.m. to 8:12 p.m.	6:52 a.m. to 7:42 p.m.	EDT
Oct 10, 2026	Youth gun opens	7:40 a.m.	7:09 p.m.	7:10 a.m. to 7:39 p.m.	7:10 a.m. to 7:09 p.m.	EDT
Oct 17, 2026	Early muzzleloader	7:47 a.m.	6:59 p.m.	7:17 a.m. to 7:29 p.m.	7:17 a.m. to 6:59 p.m.	EDT
Nov 14, 2026	Zone 2 gun opener	7:17 a.m.	5:28 p.m.	6:47 a.m. to 5:58 p.m.	6:47 a.m. to 5:28 p.m.	EST
Nov 26, 2026	Duck season opens	7:30 a.m.	5:21 p.m.	7:00 a.m. to 5:51 p.m.	7:00 a.m. to 5:21 p.m.	EST
Nov 29, 2026	Zone 2 gun closes	7:33 a.m.	5:20 p.m.	7:03 a.m. to 5:50 p.m.	7:03 a.m. to 5:20 p.m.	EST
Dec 12, 2026	Late muzzleloader	7:44 a.m.	5:19 p.m.	7:14 a.m. to 5:49 p.m.	7:14 a.m. to 5:19 p.m.	EST
Dec 21, 2026	Shortest day	7:50 a.m.	5:21 p.m.	7:20 a.m. to 5:51 p.m.	7:20 a.m. to 5:21 p.m.	EST
Dec 26, 2026	Free youth weekend	7:52 a.m.	5:24 p.m.	7:22 a.m. to 5:54 p.m.	7:22 a.m. to 5:24 p.m.	EST

Rounded to the minute. Times are on local clock time: Central Time in the western 41 counties, Eastern Time elsewhere.

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.

Gear worth carrying around Fayette County

Fayette County hunters get four items suited to a Kentucky year, from the September bow opener to February rabbits.

Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Climbing stand

A climber lets you shift with the acorns from one hardwood ridge to the next through the archery months.

Box call

Set up along a field edge with a box call within reach.

Chest waders

Flooded crop fields and slough edges both mean standing in cold water.

Dove stool

Opening day field hunts start in the heat, so a dove stool is worth carrying.