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County seat Covington and Independence
Kenton County, Kentucky Hunting
Seasons, zones and public ground for Kenton County in one place, built from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide and KDFWR harvest records.
Photo: Warren LeMay (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting your bearings in Kenton County
KDFWR handles Kenton County through its Bluegrass wildlife region, a group of 31 counties. The county keeps two seats, Covington and Independence, for a 2024 population near 174,862. The 2020 base was 169,039, so the county has gained 3.4% since.
It spreads over 160 square miles of land and 3.9 of water in the Bluegrass natural region. For rabbit and quail zones the county sits in wildlife district V under 301 KAR 4:010. Driving out, you reach Boone, Campbell, Grant and Pendleton, or Hamilton County, Ohio on the far side of the border.
Black oil sunflowers planted on a dove fieldPhoto: greenebriar (Public domain)
Northern bobwhite quail standing in dry grassPhoto: Matt Tillett (CC BY 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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Kenton County
Deer rules a Kenton County hunter needs
This season Kenton County counts as a Zone 1 county, so every Zone 1 rule in the guide applies across it. The Zone 1 bag has no cap on antlerless deer once a hunter carries the statewide deer permit and buys additional deer permits. Nothing moved here: Kenton County stays in its 2025-26 zone.
| Season | Equipment | From | Through | Days | Bag | Right now | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Gun season in Kenton County covers 16 days from November 14, and late muzzleloader adds 9 more days starting December 12. The first powder smoke comes October 17 to October 18, 2026 for early muzzleloader, inside the youth gun window of October 10 to October 18, 2026. From September 5 to January 18, 2027 a bow is legal, and a crossbow from September 19.
Bow or gun, a hunter in Kenton County needs solid orange visible on head, back and chest whenever a deer gun season is running. Youth hunters close the gun year on December 26 to December 27, 2026, the free weekend that waives the license.
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.
Kenton County CWD zone check
The 23-county CWD zone stops short of Kenton County; Lincoln County is its nearest member, about 102 miles away.
If you hunt a zone county or another state, bone the meat before heading home. Kenton County hunters on private land may bait deer; on public ground they may not.
Any Kentucky hunter can get a deer tested for free at a 24-hour drop-off site or with a mail-in kit.
From the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide, the KDFWR CWD Surveillance Zone page and baiting rules. Checked November 10, 2026.
Bear, elk and small game zones in Kenton County
Black bear
Without a bear zone, Kenton County has no bear season; Fleming County, about 59 miles away, is the closest that does.
Elk
No elk draw is needed in Kenton County; it lies outside the zone, where an out-of-zone permit covers one elk. An out-of-zone elk is not part of the deer bag.
Small game and birds
Small game zones split along wildlife district lines, and Kenton County falls in the Eastern Zone (November 1 to November 13 and November 16 to January 31). Grouse hunting is limited to the 53 Grouse Zone counties, and Kenton County is not one. For otter, Kenton County is a Zone 1 county under 301 KAR 2:251.
September geese in Kenton County use the Eastern Zone dates, September 16 to September 30, 2026; the later duck and goose seasons have one statewide zone. The regular duck season runs in two pieces from November 26 to January 31, 2027, the same across Kentucky.
| Zone type | This county |
|---|---|
| Small game zone | Eastern |
| Grouse Zone | No |
| Otter zone | 1 |
| September goose | Eastern (map) |
| Bear zone | None |
| Elk zone | No |
| Wildlife district | V |
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.
Kenton County seasons, zones and quota hunts
Kenton County lies in Deer Zone 1, so the gun and late muzzleloader rows below are the Zone 1 lines; bear, elk and small game rows follow their own KDFWR zone lists.
| Game | Hunt type | Where | License kind | From | Through | Blocks | Now | Doc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 1 | Permit | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | One | Guide p. 12 | |
| Deer | Late Muzzleloader | Zone 1 | 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.
Quota hunts in Kenton County
Other drawn hunts tied to land in Kenton County:
- Mullins WMAMentor/youth dove quota hunt (Quota Hunts page)
From the KDFWR Quota Hunts page (Sept. 1-30, 2026 online only, $3 per hunt) and the land records. Checked November 10, 2026.
Deer and turkey harvest in Kenton County
KDFWR records show 913 deer taken in Kenton County last season, 70th in the state. That works out to 5.7 deer per square mile of land, 19th by density. Compared with 1,118 in 2016-17, the total is down 18%. Averaging the ten seasons gives roughly 1,016 deer a year; 2019-20 was the high mark.
Does made up 48% of the take, antlered bucks 44% and button bucks 8%. Modern firearms produced the largest share, 68%, of the county total. Counting the counties in today's Zone 1, the share from Kenton County was under 1%.
| Group | Deer | Share |
|---|---|---|
| All deer | 913 | 100% |
| Male | 472 | 52% |
| Antlered buck | 398 | 44% |
| Button buck | 74 | 8% |
| Female | 441 | 48% |
| Modern firearm | 618 | 68% |
| Muzzleloader | 69 | 8% |
| Archery | 120 | 13% |
| Crossbow | 106 | 12% |
Wild turkey
Kenton County gave up 127 spring turkeys in 2026, the 114th biggest county total. The fall 2025-26 season added 7 more. Spring 2027 dates had not been published by KDFWR when this page was checked.
| Season | Turkeys |
|---|---|
| spring 2022 | 91 |
| spring 2023 | 138 |
| spring 2024 | 121 |
| spring 2025 | 97 |
| spring 2026 | 127 |
| fall 2025-26 | 7 |
White-tailed buck emerging from the tree line at the edge of a fieldPhoto: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain)
Harvest from the KDFWR Harvest Results app (Telecheck; license years, 2025-26 = the latest); turkey from the same app. Checked November 10, 2026.
Open hunting ground around Kenton County
Kenton County holds 1 public hunting area on the KDFWR and federal lists, the largest being Mullins WMA. Measured from map layers, public hunting land covers about 261 acres (under 1%).
Kinds of land are measured separately here, and parks open only for drawn or listed hunts.
| Land | GIS acres | Access |
|---|---|---|
| KDFWR wildlife management areas | 261 | Open to hunting |
At roughly 259 acres, Mullins WMA is a WMA looked after by KDFWR. Expect mainly forest there (81%). Hunters go there for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, squirrel, rabbit.
Nearby options outside Kenton County:
- Curtis Gates Lloyd WMAWMA · 1 mile from the line
- Dr. Norman and Martha Adair WMAWMA · 7 miles from the line
- Decker WMAWMA · 8 miles from the line
- Kincaid Lake State ParkState park · 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.
Kenton County offices, towns and shops
Call the Bluegrass regional coordinator at (502) 782-0742 with questions about Kenton County; the region e-mail is FW.BluegrassRegion@ky.gov. About 56 miles from the county centre, the Headquarters (Frankfort) in Frankfort is the nearest KDFWR address.
Town guides in Kenton County:
- Covington41,611 people
- Independence30,196 people
- Crittenden4,125 people
Businesses hunters use around Kenton County are below, 8 of them inside the county; call ahead, since directory rows are unverified.
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.
Kenton County on the events list
Kinds ahead here: hunter education range day. Count: 3 dates ahead.
| Day | What | Place | Next | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 12, 2026 | Queen City Shooters hunter education range day | Queen City Shooters | Enroll | Source |
| Jan 9, 2027 | Queen City Shooters hunter education range day | Queen City Shooters | Enroll | Source |
| Feb 13, 2027 | Queen City Shooters hunter education range day | Queen City Shooters | Enroll | 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 Kenton County hunt: the ranges
Kenton County holds 3 ranges in this guide, from rifle benches to bow lanes.
Curtis Gates Lloyd WMA, 12 miles from the Kenton County centre, has the nearest KDFWR range on the permit list.
Ranges from the KDFWR range layer, club sites and directory listings, checked November 10, 2026.
Kenton County legal hours by season date
Kenton County keeps Eastern Time, so these times are on the local clock; the state line between Central and Eastern Time runs through the middle of Kentucky.
| Day | Note | Sunup | Sundown | Game hours | Duck hours | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Deer archery opens | 7:10 a.m. | 8:05 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 8:35 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 8:05 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 | 7:41 a.m. | 7:09 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 7:39 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 7:09 p.m. | EDT |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Early muzzleloader | 7:48 a.m. | 6:58 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. | EDT |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Zone 1 gun opener | 7:19 a.m. | 5:26 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:56 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | EST |
| Nov 26, 2026 | Duck season opens | 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 |
| Nov 29, 2026 | Zone 1 gun closes | 7:36 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Late muzzleloader | 7:47 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 5:47 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:53 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Free youth weekend | 7:55 a.m. | 5:22 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 7:25 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.
What rides along in Kenton County
Kenton County cards match the seasons listed above.
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Climbing stand
Whitetail hunters from the Jackson Purchase to the eastern ridges keep a climbing stand close once the woods turn.
Box call
Gobblers in the knobs and the Bluegrass reward hunters who bring a box call.
Dove stool
Dove hunters sitting a sunflower field like having a dove stool close by.
Asked about Kenton County
During which weeks could an elk be taken in Kenton County?
Any deer season, using that season’s method.
How far must a Kenton County hunter drive for bear season?
To Fleming County at least, about 59 miles away.
How many antlered bucks came out of Kenton County last season?
398 in 2025-26.
Could a deer hunter without a lease find room in Kenton County?
Yes; walk-in public ground there includes Mullins WMA.
Which of the five KDFWR wildlife regions includes Kenton County?
The Bluegrass Region.
What did fall turkey hunting yield in Kenton County?
7 birds in fall 2025-26.
Does every deer from Kenton County need reporting?
Yes, through Telecheck the same day it is recovered.
Do Western or Eastern small game dates apply in Kenton County?
Eastern Zone dates.
Which deer windows allow firearms in Kenton County this year?
Youth gun, early muzzleloader, modern gun (November 14 to November 29, 2026), late muzzleloader (December 12 to December 20, 2026) and the free youth weekend.
Has the deer zone for Kenton County moved since last season?
No. It stays a Zone 1 county.
How far is Kenton County from the nearest surveillance zone county?
About 102 miles, centre to centre, to Lincoln County.
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: greenebriar (Public domain); Matt Tillett (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); David A Mitchell (CC BY 2.0).