120 Counties · 152 Public Areas · 186 Towns · 238 RangesKentucky hunting records
States
AlabamaArizonaArkansasColoradoGeorgiaKentuckyLouisianaMichiganMinnesotaMissouriNew YorkNorth CarolinaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaTennesseeTexasWisconsin
KentuckyState Hunting Spots

Home › Kentucky › Counties › Knox County

Southeast Region

Knox County Hunter Guide

Zone 4 deer rules, bear zone dates, elk zone permits, every season row, quota hunts, harvest since 2016-17 and the land you can walk on in Knox County.

Deer season
Public land
Past harvests
Hunting gear
4Deer zone
NoCWD zone
2Bear zone
YesElk zone
EasternSmall game zone

Photo: w.marsh (CC BY 2.0)

The lay of Knox County

On the KDFWR regional map, Knox County is one of 29 counties grouped as the Southeast Region. The seat of government is Barbourville; the county counted roughly 29,657 residents in the 2024 estimate. The county has lost about 539 people since the 2020 count.

Expect Eastern Coal Field country: 386 square miles of land and 1.4 square miles of lakes and streams. Its wildlife district is IX, which decides whether the Western or Eastern small game dates apply. The county line is shared with Bell, Clay, Laurel and Whitley.

BarbourvilleCounty seat
29,657People, 2024
386Square miles
Eastern Coal FieldNatural region
IXWildlife district
9thLaw district
804Deer checked
78thStatewide deer rank
Eastern gray squirrel eating a peanut on the grass

Eastern gray squirrel eating a peanut on the grassPhoto: Joe Haupt (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Eastern gray squirrel on the ground

Eastern gray squirrel on the groundPhoto: PierreSelim (CC BY 3.0)

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 Knox County

Cumberland Forest WMA

Public land · 18 mi from Knox County

Directions
Redbird Ranger District, Daniel Boone National Forest

Public land · 19 mi from Knox County

Directions
Shooting Ranges Near London

Range · 20 mi from Knox County

Directions
Clay County

County · 21 mi from Knox County

Directions
Laurel County

County · 21 mi from Knox County

Directions
Daniel Boone National Forest

Public land · 24 mi from Knox County

Directions

Knox County deer zone and dates

Zone 4 covers 15 counties for 2026-27, Knox County among them. Two deer, one of them antlerless, is the Zone 4 limit, and antlerless deer are off the table for most of the gun days. There was no zone change for Knox County this season.

KDFWR wording for Zone 4: “Up to 2 deer, only 1 antlerless (1 antlered max statewide); no antlerless deer during modern gun, early muzzleloader or the first 6 days of late muzzleloader.” 301 KAR 2:172

SeasonMethodOpensClosesDaysBagTodaySource
ArcheryBowsSep 5, 2026Jan 18, 2027136Zone bagGuide p. 12
Youth, senior crossbowCrossbowSep 5, 2026Jan 18, 2027136Zone bagGuide p. 12
CrossbowCrossbow, bowsSep 19, 2026Jan 18, 2027122Zone bagGuide p. 12
Youth gunAny legal methodOct 10, 2026Oct 18, 20269Zone bagGuide p. 12
Early MuzzleloaderMuzzleloader, bowsOct 17, 2026Oct 18, 20262Zone bagGuide p. 12
Modern gunAny legal deer gunNov 14, 2026Nov 29, 202616Zone bagGuide p. 12
Late MuzzleloaderMuzzleloader, bowsDec 12, 2026Dec 20, 20269Zone bagGuide p. 12
Free youth weekendAny legal methodDec 26, 2026Dec 27, 20262Either sexGuide p. 12

Firearms deer hunting runs November 14 to November 29, 2026 here, with the late muzzleloader days set for December 12 to December 20, 2026. Before that, the youth-only gun days run October 10 to October 18, 2026 and early muzzleloader takes October 17 to October 18, 2026. Statewide archery and crossbow seasons stretch to January 18, 2027, opening September 5 and September 19.

From the youth gun days through late muzzleloader, solid orange on the head, back and chest is the rule in Knox County for nearly every hunter. Kids under 16 hunt free on December 26 to December 27, 2026, with no license or deer permit, alongside an adult.

All of Zone 4
Whitetail guide
Compare zones

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.

Knox County deer and CWD rules

Knox County is outside the CWD Surveillance Zone; the nearest zone county is Whitley County, about 18 miles centre to centre. Across the line in Laurel and Whitley, zone rules apply, including the carcass limits.

NoCWD zone
WhitleyNearest zone county
18 milesDistance
23Zone counties

A deer from a zone county can only come here as boned meat, antlers, clean skull caps, hides or finished mounts. Inside the elk zone, as Knox County is, baiting is illegal and the ban runs 30 days past removal.

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.

KDFWR tests deer at no charge from anywhere in the state, by drop-off site or mail kit.

CWD zone page
Agency CWD page

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

Other game zones covering Knox County

Black bear, Zone 2

The bear map puts Knox County in Zone 2, with its own archery, dog and gun windows. The firearm bear days are December 12 to December 16, after archery and crossbow on October 24 to October 28. The limit is one bear per license year, 75 pounds or more, and never a female with cubs.

SeasonOpensClosesSplitsTodaySource
Chase onlyJun 1, 2026Sep 30, 20262 partsGuide p. 18
Archery, crossbowOct 24, 2026Oct 28, 2026OneGuide p. 18
With dogsOct 19, 2026Nov 6, 20262 partsGuide p. 18
FirearmDec 12, 2026Dec 16, 2026OneGuide p. 18

Bear baiting is illegal, and so is hunting or chasing over a baited site within 30 days of removing bait. A no-harvest chase season covers Bear Zones 1 to 3 from June into September. Dogs may not be used for bears on Daniel Boone National Forest.

No bear quota; bear permits are over the counter. 301 KAR 2:300

Zone 2 bear counties
Bear facts

Elk zone

Knox County sits in elk country: the zone spans 16 counties and roughly 4.1 million acres. Of the 500 permits drawn for 2026, 170 went to archery or crossbow and 26 to youth. Read the KDFWR map to see which elk unit covers your ground here.

Hunt typeFromThroughSegmentsRight nowLink
Bull, firearmsSep 26, 2026Oct 7, 20262 partsGuide p. 22
Cow, firearmsNov 28, 2026Jan 6, 20272 partsGuide p. 22
Archery, crossbowSep 12, 2026Dec 11, 20262 partsGuide p. 22
Youth quotaSep 12, 2026Jan 6, 2027OneGuide p. 22

Elk zone rules ban bait outright, and a baited spot stays closed for 30 days after cleanup. Landowners with 100 acres or more who let quota hunters in can earn an either-sex elk permit through the voucher cooperator program.

Unit boundaries are an incorporated map ("Elk Hunting Units" 2024). Boone's Ridge viewing area closed to all elk hunting. 301 KAR 2:132

Elk zone rules
Permit draw

Small game and birds

For rabbit and quail, Knox County is a Eastern Zone county, with dates of November 1 to November 13 and November 16 to January 31. Grouse hunters can work Knox County, part of the 53-county Grouse Zone. The otter map places Knox County in Zone 2.

For the early Canada goose season the county falls in the Eastern Zone (September 16 to September 30, 2026). Duck hunters here use the statewide split season, November 26 through 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

ZoneSetting
Small game zoneEastern
Grouse ZoneYes
Otter zone2
September gooseEastern (map)
Bear zone2
Elk zoneYes
Wildlife districtIX
Small game map
Goose map

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.

Knox County hunting dates by zone

Knox County has no deer quota hunt on its public ground this season, so every deer row here runs on statewide permits.

GameSeasonAreaNeedsOpensClosesSplitsTodaySource
DeerArcheryStatewidePermitSep 5, 2026Jan 18, 2027OneGuide p. 12
DeerYouth, senior crossbowStatewidePermitSep 5, 2026Jan 18, 2027OneGuide p. 12
DeerCrossbowStatewidePermitSep 19, 2026Jan 18, 2027OneGuide p. 12
DeerYouth gunStatewidePermitOct 10, 2026Oct 18, 2026OneGuide p. 12
DeerEarly MuzzleloaderStatewidePermitOct 17, 2026Oct 18, 2026OneGuide p. 12
DeerModern gunZone 4PermitNov 14, 2026Nov 29, 2026OneGuide p. 12
DeerLate MuzzleloaderZone 4PermitDec 12, 2026Dec 20, 2026OneGuide p. 12
DeerFree youth weekendStatewidePermitDec 26, 2026Dec 27, 2026OneGuide p. 12
ElkArchery, crossbowElk zoneQuota permitSep 12, 2026Dec 11, 20262 partsGuide p. 22
ElkYouth quotaElk zoneQuota permitSep 12, 2026Jan 6, 2027OneGuide p. 22
ElkBull, firearmsElk zoneQuota permitSep 26, 2026Oct 7, 20262 partsGuide p. 22
ElkCow, firearmsElk zoneQuota permitNov 28, 2026Jan 6, 20272 partsGuide p. 22
Black bearChase onlyBear Zone 2PermitJun 1, 2026Sep 30, 20262 partsGuide p. 18
Black bearWith dogsBear Zone 2PermitOct 19, 2026Nov 6, 20262 partsGuide p. 18
Black bearArchery, crossbowBear Zone 2PermitOct 24, 2026Oct 28, 2026OneGuide p. 18
Black bearFirearmBear Zone 2PermitDec 12, 2026Dec 16, 2026OneGuide p. 18
TurkeyFall ArcheryStatewidePermitSep 5, 2026Jan 18, 2027OneGuide p. 24
TurkeyFall CrossbowStatewidePermitOct 1, 2026Dec 31, 20262 partsGuide p. 24
TurkeyFall ShotgunStatewidePermitOct 24, 2026Dec 11, 20262 partsGuide p. 24
TurkeySpring 2027Dates pendingPermit–––No dates301 KAR 2:142
TurkeyYouth spring 2027Dates pendingPermit–––No dates301 KAR 2:142
SquirrelFall SquirrelStatewideLicenseAug 15, 2026Feb 28, 20272 partsGuide p. 27
SquirrelSquirrel TrappingStatewideLicenseNov 16, 2026Feb 28, 2027OneGuide p. 27
SquirrelSpring 2027Dates pendingLicense–––No dates301 KAR 2:122
RabbitRabbitEastern zoneLicenseNov 1, 2026Jan 31, 20272 partsGuide p. 27
RabbitRabbit TrappingEastern zoneLicenseNov 16, 2026Jan 31, 2027OneGuide p. 27
QuailQuailEastern zoneLicenseNov 1, 2026Jan 31, 20272 partsGuide p. 27
GrouseGrouseGrouse ZoneLicenseNov 1, 2026Feb 28, 20272 partsGuide p. 27
Small gameFalconryStatewideLicenseSep 1, 2026Mar 30, 2027OneGuide p. 27
Small game, furbearersFree youth weekStatewideLicenseDec 26, 2026Jan 1, 2027OneGuide p. 27
GroundhogGroundhogStatewideLicenseMar 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027OneGuide p. 29
CrowCrowStatewideLicenseSep 1, 2026Feb 28, 20272 partsGuide p. 29
BullfrogBullfrogStatewideLicenseMay 16, 2026Oct 31, 2026OneGuide p. 29
TurtlesTurtlesStatewideLicenseMar 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027OneGuide p. 29
Exotic hoofedExotic hoofed wildlifeStatewideLicenseMar 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027OneGuide p. 29
DucksRegular duckStatewideLicenseNov 26, 2026Jan 31, 20272 partsWaterfowl guide p. 10
DucksFalconryStatewideLicenseNov 26, 2026Feb 21, 2027OneWaterfowl guide p. 10
Teal, wood duckSeptember tealStatewideLicenseSep 19, 2026Sep 23, 2026OneWaterfowl guide p. 10
WaterfowlYouth daysStatewideLicenseNov 21, 2026Feb 13, 20272 partsWaterfowl guide p. 11
WaterfowlVeteran, military daysStatewideLicenseNov 22, 2026Feb 14, 20272 partsWaterfowl guide p. 11
Canada gooseSeptember gooseEastern (map)LicenseSep 16, 2026Sep 30, 2026OneWaterfowl guide p. 10
Dark geeseGooseStatewideLicenseNov 26, 2026Feb 15, 2027OneWaterfowl guide p. 10
Light geeseLight GooseStatewideLicenseNov 26, 2026Feb 15, 2027OneWaterfowl guide p. 10
Light geeseConservation orderStatewideLicenseFeb 16, 2027Mar 31, 2027OneWaterfowl guide p. 10
GeeseFalconryStatewideLicenseNov 26, 2026Feb 15, 2027OneWaterfowl guide p. 10
DoveDoveStatewideLicenseSep 1, 2026Jan 10, 20273 partsWaterfowl guide p. 7
WoodcockWoodcockStatewideLicenseOct 24, 2026Dec 9, 20262 partsWaterfowl guide p. 7
SnipeSnipeStatewideLicenseSep 16, 2026Jan 31, 20272 partsWaterfowl guide p. 7
RailsRailStatewideLicenseSep 1, 2026Nov 9, 2026OneWaterfowl guide p. 7
GallinulesGallinuleStatewideLicenseSep 1, 2026Nov 9, 2026OneWaterfowl guide p. 7
Sandhill craneCrane, by permitStatewideQuota permitDec 7, 2026Jan 31, 2027OneWaterfowl guide p. 8
Raccoon, opossumHuntingStatewideLicenseOct 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027OneGuide p. 25
CoyoteHuntingStatewideLicenseMar 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027OneGuide p. 25
CoyoteNight, with lightsStatewideLicenseDec 1, 2026Mar 31, 2027OneGuide p. 25
BobcatHuntingStatewideLicenseNov 21, 2026Feb 28, 2027OneGuide p. 25
River otterHuntingStatewideLicenseNov 16, 2026Feb 28, 2027OneGuide p. 25
River otterZone 2 sub-limitOtter Zone 2LicenseNov 16, 2026Mar 31, 2027OneGuide p. 25
Other furbearersHuntingStatewideLicenseNov 16, 2026Feb 28, 2027OneGuide p. 25
FurbearersTrappingStatewideLicenseNov 16, 2026Mar 31, 20272 partsGuide p. 25
Wild pigNo seasonNo seasonNone–––No datesGuide p. 29

WMAs can set shorter seasons. 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.

Deer and turkey harvest in Knox County

Telecheck logged 804 deer from Knox County in the 2025-26 license year, ranking it 78th of 120. Per square mile the take was 2.1, 97th among counties. The 2016-17 figure was 897, so the latest season is 10% lower. The best year in the series was 2024-25 with 969, the lowest 2017-18 with 400.

Knox County deer checked by license year02755508251,1002016-17: 8978972016-172017-18: 4004002017-182018-19: 5895892018-192019-20: 4734732019-202020-21: 6076072020-212021-22: 5765762021-222022-23: 7127122022-232023-24: 7387382023-242024-25: 9699692024-252025-26: 8048042025-26

Antlered deer were 79% of the total, with does at 20%. Modern firearms accounted for 63% of the deer, crossbows 15% and archery 15%. That was 8% of the deer checked in the counties now in Zone 4.

TypeCheckedOf total
All deer804100%
Male64480%
Antlered buck63379%
Button buck111%
Female16020%
Modern firearm50963%
Muzzleloader607%
Archery11715%
Crossbow11815%

Wild turkey

The spring 2026 turkey take here was 234, 73rd in Kentucky. In the 2025-26 fall season, 7 turkeys were checked. Watch for the spring 2027 dates; KDFWR had not released them yet.

Turkey seasonChecked
spring 2022171
spring 2023225
spring 2024193
spring 2025222
spring 2026234
fall 2025-267

Elk

Elk hunters have checked 7 elk in Knox County since 2016-17.

Black bear

Over the years from 2018-19, 15 bears were reported here, 3 of them last season.

White-tailed deer moving through autumn woods

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

Telecheck rules
Top Bucks

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

Knox County public ground and closed areas

Hunters have 5 public areas to choose from in Knox County, led in size by Daniel Boone National Forest. GIS layers measure about 11,856 acres of land open to public hunting here, roughly 5% of the county.

The table splits the mapped acres by owner; parks hunt only by draw, and preserves and Park Service land stay closed.

TypeGIS measureRule
KDFWR wildlife management areas11,750Open to hunting
National forest land104Open to hunting
Military land516Rules vary
State parks11Drawn hunts only
National forestDaniel Boone National ForestNational forest · 710,298 ac · Zones 1, 2, 3, 4WMACumberland Forest WMAWMA · 54,137 ac · Zone 4WMAElk Forest WMAWMA · 16,587 ac · Zone 4Access areaAsher Hunting Access AreaAccess area · 13,145 ac · Zone 4

Daniel Boone National Forest (710,298 acres) is a national forest under the Forest Service. About 95% of the ground there is forest. Listed game: white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail. The 54,137 acres of Cumberland Forest WMA are run by KDFWR. Its cover is mostly forest, about 93% of the area. Cumberland Forest WMA is open for all species under statewide rules. The 16,587 acres of Elk Forest WMA are run by KDFWR. Forest makes up about 92% of it. Elk Forest WMA is open for all species under statewide rules.

Dr. Thomas Walker State Historic Site is off limits to hunters.

AreaKindOpen?Ref
Dr. Thomas Walker State Historic SiteHistoric siteClosed301 KAR 2:178

Short drives from Knox County:

Every hunting area
Closed areas

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.

Knox County contacts and local businesses

KDFWR lists (606) 344-0585 and FW.SoutheastRegion@ky.gov for the Southeast Region coordinator who covers Knox County. KDFWR publishes no street address for its region offices; the closest office with one is the Southeastern Fisheries District Office in Williamsburg, about 20 miles away.

Southeast Region
Regional coordinator

(606) 344-0585
FW.SoutheastRegion@ky.gov

KDFWR Southeastern Fisheries District Office
2073 N. Highway 25W., Williamsburg

(606) 549-1332
Navigate

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

(502) 564-3400
(800) 858-1549

Hunting guides for towns in Knox County:

Local services for Knox County hunters, nearest first; check by phone before you go.

Sonny's Sporting Goods
Barbourville, Knox County · about 2 mi away

(606) 546-3844
Map it
Visit site

Mikes Taxidermy
Gray, Knox County · about 4 mi away

Map it

S H Hall Enterprises
Corbin, Knox County · about 13 mi away

(606) 523-2818
Map it

Lowe's Sporting Goods Inc
Corbin, Knox County · about 13 mi away

(606) 523-1700
Map it
Visit site

S & G Gun Shop
Pineville, Bell County · about 12 mi away

(606) 273-5867
Map it

Miller Firearms
Corbin, Whitley County · about 14 mi away

(606) 528-2255
Map it

Tri-County Sporting Goods
Corbin, Whitley County · about 14 mi away

(606) 523-2774
Map it

Kentucky Bulls and Beards Guide/Taxidermy LLC
Lily, Laurel County · about 14 mi away

(606) 523-8492
Map it
Contact list
Deer processors
Find a taxidermist

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.

Knox County ranges: clubs, clays and bow lanes

Center Target Firearms and Range heads this short list for Knox County, about 20 miles from the county centre.

Center Target Firearms and
Range
indoor range

London, Laurel County · 20 mi

Lines: rifle, handgun, shotgun

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

Whitman Branch Shooting Range
Federal range

London, Whitley County · 23 mi

Lines: rifle, handgun

Public (federal) · KDFWR range map, checked Nov 9, 2026

Full Draw 3D Archery
archery range

London, Laurel County · 30 mi

Lines: archery, 3D archery

Access not stated · findarcheryranges.com, checked Nov 9, 2026

Rifle shooters in Knox County have to look across the line: Center Target Firearms and Range in Laurel County is about 20 miles out.

Nearest KDFWR permit range: Miller Welch-Central Kentucky WMA Range, about 55 miles off.

Neighbouring counties list 3 more.

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

Knox County legal light on key dates

Knox County clocks fall back on November 1, 2026 and spring ahead on March 14, 2027, shifting every time in this table by an hour across those dates.

DayWhy it mattersSun upSun downDeer and turkeyDucks and dovesZone
Sep 5, 2026Deer archery opens7:09 a.m.8:00 p.m.6:39 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.6:39 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.EDT
Sep 19, 2026Deer crossbow opens7:20 a.m.7:39 p.m.6:50 a.m. to 8:09 p.m.6:50 a.m. to 7:39 p.m.EDT
Sep 26, 2026Bull elk week7:25 a.m.7:28 p.m.6:55 a.m. to 7:58 p.m.6:55 a.m. to 7:28 p.m.EDT
Oct 10, 2026Youth gun opens7:37 a.m.7:07 p.m.7:07 a.m. to 7:37 p.m.7:07 a.m. to 7:07 p.m.EDT
Oct 17, 2026Early muzzleloader7:44 a.m.6:58 p.m.7:14 a.m. to 7:28 p.m.7:14 a.m. to 6:58 p.m.EDT
Oct 24, 2026Bear Zone 2 archery7:50 a.m.6:49 p.m.7:20 a.m. to 7:19 p.m.7:20 a.m. to 6:49 p.m.EDT
Nov 14, 2026Zone 4 gun opener7:12 a.m.5:28 p.m.6:42 a.m. to 5:58 p.m.6:42 a.m. to 5:28 p.m.EST
Nov 26, 2026Duck season opens7:25 a.m.5:21 p.m.6:55 a.m. to 5:51 p.m.6:55 a.m. to 5:21 p.m.EST
Nov 29, 2026Zone 4 gun closes7:28 a.m.5:20 p.m.6:58 a.m. to 5:50 p.m.6:58 a.m. to 5:20 p.m.EST
Dec 12, 2026Bear Zone 2 firearm; late muzzleloader7:39 a.m.5:20 p.m.7:09 a.m. to 5:50 p.m.7:09 a.m. to 5:20 p.m.EST
Dec 21, 2026Shortest day7:44 a.m.5:22 p.m.7:14 a.m. to 5:52 p.m.7:14 a.m. to 5:22 p.m.EST
Dec 26, 2026Free youth weekend7:47 a.m.5:25 p.m.7:17 a.m. to 5:55 p.m.7:17 a.m. to 5:25 p.m.EST

Pheasant quota hunts keep set hours. 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.

Knox County pack list

Knox County picks were made with creek bottoms, crop edges and steep hardwood ridges in mind.

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

Cow call

Elk permits are hard to draw, so a cow call that works the first time is worth having.

Amazon options

Climbing stand

Plenty of Kentucky deer hunters would not head to the stand without a climbing stand.

Amazon options

Skinning knife

A bear hide takes a sharp blade and an unhurried hour.

Amazon options

Box call

Fall and spring turkey hunters across Kentucky rarely leave a box call at home.

Amazon options

Side-by-side gear
Gear guides

Next counties from Knox County

The nearest counties to Knox County, plus a few statewide pages.

Bell County

Deer Zone 4 · Southeast Region · 15 miles

Whitley County

Deer Zone 4 · Southeast Region · 18 miles

Clay County

Deer Zone 4 · Southeast Region · 21 miles

Laurel County

Deer Zone 3 · Southeast Region · 21 miles

Youth and veteran hunts
Deer processors
License prices

Knox County hunting questions

What share of the Knox County deer harvest fell to modern firearms?

63% in 2025-26.

Is any wildlife management area mapped within Knox County?

Yes, the WMA label applies to Cumberland Forest WMA and Elk Forest WMA.

How do I e-mail KDFWR staff responsible for Knox County?

FW.SoutheastRegion@ky.gov.

Is fall turkey hunting open in Knox County?

Yes. The statewide fall archery, crossbow and shotgun seasons apply.

Where does a Knox County hunter log harvest?

Telecheck, by phone or online.

Are ruffed grouse open to hunters in Knox County?

Yes, the county sits inside the Grouse Zone.

When do Knox County gun hunters get the woods for modern firearms?

From November 14 through November 29, 2026.

Where does Knox County land on the 2026-27 deer zone map?

In Zone 4, under 301 KAR 2:172.

When do firearm bear days fall in Knox County?

December 12 to December 16, 2026.

Do carcass limits matter to a Knox County hunter outside the zone?

Yes, for deer brought back from a zone county or another state.

Which elk hunting units show up on Knox County public land?

No land record here names one; use the KDFWR unit map.

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: Joe Haupt (CC BY-SA 2.0); PierreSelim (CC BY 3.0); NPS Photo (Public domain); Patrick Mueller (CC BY 2.0); DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0); cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0); Judy Gallagher (CC BY 2.0).