Jefferson County Hunting Guide

Deer Zone 1 rules in Jefferson County

Jefferson County is in Deer Zone 1 for 2026-27, one of 68 counties KDFWR placed there under 301 KAR 2:172. Zone 1 is the most liberal zone: unlimited antlerless deer with the right permits, and still just one antlered deer statewide. The 2026-27 map leaves Jefferson County where it was a year ago.

KDFWR wording for Zone 1: “Unlimited antlerless deer with the statewide deer permit plus additional deer permits; 1 antlered deer statewide.” 301 KAR 2:172

The Zone 1 modern gun season runs November 14 to November 29, 2026, 16 days, and the late muzzleloader season follows from December 12 to December 20, 2026. Youth hunters get the woods to themselves October 10 to October 18, 2026, and early muzzleloader falls on October 17 to October 18, 2026. Archery runs statewide September 5, 2026 to January 18, 2027, and crossbow opens September 19, 2026 and ends the same January day.

Gun deer days mean orange for all: head, back and chest, archers and trappers too, unless you are hunting waterfowl or doves. On December 26 to December 27, 2026 youth under 16 need no license or deer permit, only an adult with them.

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

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.

Jefferson County bear, elk and bird rules

Black bear

No bear season reaches Jefferson County. The nearest of the 47 bear counties is Garrard County, roughly 72 miles off.

Elk

Outside the elk zone, as Jefferson County is, the Out-of-Zone Elk Permit allows one elk during deer seasons. That elk does not count against the deer bag, and no deer permit is needed for it.

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

Rabbit and quail follow the Eastern Zone calendar here: November 1 to November 13 and November 16 to January 31. Ruffed grouse are closed in Jefferson County, which is outside the Grouse Zone. Jefferson County falls in Otter Zone 1 for trapping and hunting otters.

The Eastern September goose zone, read from the map, puts the early goose season here at September 16 to September 30, 2026. Kentucky runs one duck zone, opening November 26 and closing 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

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.

Jefferson County hunting land, open and closed

There is no listed public hunting ground in Jefferson County; landowner permission is the way in.

Acres below come from GIS layers by land kind, with closed land shown so it is not mistaken for open ground.

2 places in Jefferson County are closed to hunting: Rolleigh Peterson Educational Forest and E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park.

Within reach of the county line:

• Fort Knox Military ReservationMilitary · 0 miles from the line
• Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation AreaORA · 5 miles from the line
• Taylorsville Lake WMAWMA · 9 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.

Explore past Jefferson County

Neighbouring county guides and statewide pages for Jefferson County hunters.