Rowan County Hunting, 2026-27

Rowan County at a glance

On the KDFWR regional map, Rowan County is one of 21 counties grouped as the Northeast Region. The seat of government is Morehead; the county counted roughly 24,675 residents in the 2024 estimate. The number barely shifted from the 2020 base.

Expect Eastern Coal Field country: 280 square miles of land and 6.4 square miles of lakes and streams. Its wildlife district is VIII, which decides whether the Western or Eastern small game dates apply. Right next door sit Bath, Carter, Elliott, Fleming, Lewis, Menifee and Morgan.

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.

Other game zones covering Rowan County

Black bear, Zone 2

The bear map puts Rowan 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.

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

Elk

Elk are not managed for a herd here; Rowan County hunters can take one elk of either sex a license year with an Out-of-Zone Elk Permit. Deer bags are unaffected; the elk is counted on its own.

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

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

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. No goose hunting on Daniel Boone NF land and water inside KY 801, 1274, 36, 211, US 60 and KY 826 (most of Cave Run Lake). 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.

Rowan County legal light on key dates

Rowan 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.

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.