Washington County Hunter Guide

Washington County basics before the season

On the KDFWR regional map, Washington County is one of 31 counties grouped as the Bluegrass Region. The seat of government is Springfield; the county counted roughly 12,269 residents in the 2024 estimate. The county has gained about 246 people since the 2020 count.

Expect Bluegrass country: 297 square miles of land and 3.9 square miles of lakes and streams. Its wildlife district is IV, which decides whether the Western or Eastern small game dates apply. Right next door sit Anderson, Boyle, Marion, Mercer and Nelson.

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 Washington County

Black bear

Bear hunting stops at the bear zone line, and Washington County sits outside it; Casey County is the nearest zone county at about 33 miles.

Elk

Elk are not managed for a herd here; Washington 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, Washington County is a Eastern Zone county, with dates of November 1 to November 13 and November 16 to January 31. Washington County is left off the Grouse Zone list. The otter map places Washington County in Zone 2.

For the early Canada goose season the county falls in the Western Zone (September 1 to September 15, 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

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.

Washington County sun table for opening days

Washington 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.