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Ballard County wildlife management area
Ballard WMA rules, zones and quota slots
Wildlife management area in Ballard County (8,014 acres; Zone 1).
Hunting gearPhoto: Thomas McGehee Photography (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Ballard WMA
Parking, trailheads and gates near Ballard WMA
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
The character of Ballard WMA
Ballard WMA takes in some 8,014 acres across Ballard County; for KDFWR purposes it falls in the Purchase Region. Its manager of record is the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. In KDFWR's tiering it is a high-level area.
How KDFWR describes Ballard WMA:
- Thirty miles west of Paducah, on Ohio River.
- From Paducah take US 60 for 17 miles to LaCenter, take KY 358 north 5.6 miles to KY 1105. Turn west through Bandana, follow KY 1105 to KY 473. Travel 6 miles to Lodge Road. Several roads within area.
- Sloughs and agricultural bottomlands, some hardwood stands. Wintering bald eagles, eagle nests. Fishing in 11 lakes on area.
- Special regulations for hunting and fishing. The 400-acre tract located south of Sallie Crice/Terrell Landing Road (formerly the Ballard Hunting Unit) falls under Boatwright WMA Olmsted and Peal Unit hunting regulations. Fee, advance application required of deer, waterfowl hunters. Write, email or call Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources for additional information.
- The majority of Ballard WMA is closed to visitation Oct. 15-March 15. Areas designated as no hunting (pink areas on the maps) are open to year-round visitation. The hiking trail located in the no hunting tract off Loop Road, however, is closed Oct. 15-March 15 to avoid disturbing waterfowl.
Land cover on Ballard WMA is mostly wetland, about 64 percent of the area.
Pair of Canada geese feeding in shallow water
Acres: KDFWR Public Lands Search detail page ("Size: 8014 acres"). Description and habitat from the area record; checked November 10, 2026.
Season by season on Ballard WMA
Counting the chart cells for Ballard WMA: open 3, closed 5, quota only 1.
| Chart column | On this area | Exception |
|---|---|---|
| Deer archery, crossbow | Open | 1 |
| Deer muzzleloader | Closed | – |
| Deer modern gun | Quota only | – |
| Deer youth gun | Open | 2 |
| Fall squirrel | Open | 3 |
| Rabbit | Closed | – |
| Quail | Closed | – |
| Fall turkey | Closed | – |
| Furbearer | Closed | – |
- Open under statewide archery/crossbow seasons through Oct. 14 only.
- Open during the youth-only gun season through Oct. 14, 2026; closed for free youth weekend.
- Open Aug. 16 –Oct. 14, 2026.
From the 2026-27 quick reference charts on the KDFWR Public Land Hunting page; footnotes are KDFWR exceptions as printed. Checked November 10, 2026.
Ballard WMA regulations and restrictions
- Squirrel season open Aug. 15 through Oct. 14, 2026.
- The main unit is closed to unauthorized public access Oct. 15-Mar. 15; the area west of HWY 473 within the two-mile driving loop is closed to all hunting as marked by signs.
Area regulations as printed on the KDFWR area page; WMA rules in 301 KAR 3:010 and 301 KAR 2:178. Checked November 10, 2026.
Ballard WMA deer zone and season windows
A quarry listed for Ballard WMA.
Wood duck drake swimming on rippled water
Ballard WMA falls wholly inside Deer Zone 1 this season.
| County | Deer zone | Short rule | Shift | CWD | Bear | Elk zone | Western or Eastern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard County | Deer Zone 1 | Unlimited antlerless | No | Yes | None | No | Western |
Zone 1 deer dates
| Hunt | Where | Start | End | Now | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Crossbow | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Youth, senior crossbow | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | Guide p. 12 | |
| CWD antlerless | CWD counties | Sep 25, 2026 | Sep 28, 2026 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Youth gun | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Early Muzzleloader | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Modern gun | Zone 1 | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Late Muzzleloader | Zone 1 | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Free youth weekend | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | Guide p. 12 |
Read this table together with the chart: Ballard WMA can be closed to a season the zone allows.
Zones from 301 KAR 2:172 and the KDFWR deer zone layer; dates from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting &
CWD, bear and elk rules at Ballard WMA
CWD status
Because Ballard County sits inside the CWD Surveillance Zone, Ballard WMA hunters must follow the carcass rules. Hunters in Ballard County get the September 25 to September 28, 2026 CWD antlerless season.
Elk hunting
Ballard WMA lies beyond the 16 elk zone counties, so only the out-of-zone elk rule applies.
CWD from the KDFWR CWD Surveillance Zone; bear from 301 KAR 2:300; elk from 301 KAR 2:132; checked November 10, 2026. CWD zone · bear zones · elk zone.
Draw hunts scheduled on Ballard WMA
Ballard WMA hosts 1 deer quota hunt in 2026-27 with 65 slots in all. Hunters applied online from September 1 to September 30, 2026, paying $3 per hunt; the next chance is next season. Preference points decide the draw; the minimum point columns are what it took to get in last year.
| No. | Hunt | Dates | Slots | Min points | Nonresident min | Today | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ballard WMA | Nov. 7-8 | 65 | 2 | 3 | Hunters awarded one preference point for each antlerless deer harvested, up to four. Scouting permitted through Oct. 14. |
Quota and permit hunts on record for Ballard WMA:
- Waterfowl quota hunt (14 hunting units; Quota Hunts page)
Quota hunts from the KDFWR Quota Hunts page and the Guide p. 34; checked November 10, 2026. Every Kentucky quota hunt · how the draws work.
Telecheck numbers near Ballard WMA
County totals give a feel for the game around Ballard WMA; no area-level harvest exists. Ballard County led with 575 deer in 2025-26, 97th of 120 counties.
| County | 2025-26 deer | Rank | Spring turkey | Bear harvest | Elk harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard County | 575 | 97th | 261 | – | – |
KDFWR Harvest Results app (Telecheck, license years); spring turkey by calendar spring; checked November 10, 2026.
Public ground within a short drive of Ballard WMA
A straight-line hop of 8 miles southwest reaches Boatwright WMA. Around it on the map: 6 wildlife management areas.
| Neighbour | Category | Acreage | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boatwright WMA | WMA | 8,802 | Ballard | 8 miles | southwest |
| West Kentucky WMA | WMA | 4,495 | McCracken | 13 miles | east |
| Winford WMA | WMA | 236 | Ballard | 15 miles | south |
| Coil Estate WMA | WMA | 795 | Ballard | 16 miles | south |
| Doug Travis WMA | WMA | 4,132 | Carlisle | 23 miles | south |
| Obion Creek WMA | WMA | 5,326 | Carlisle | 29 miles | south |
Point: KDFWR Public Hunting Areas layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Where hunters at Ballard WMA buy ice and fuel
Of the towns covered here, Barlow sits closest, a straight 7 miles from Ballard WMA. Paducah, 23 miles out, is bigger: 26,712 people (2024). Murray has the nearest KDFWR office, 58 miles out. Regional questions go to (270) 577-6374 (Purchase Region).
| Place | County | Population | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barlow | Ballard | 636 | 7 miles | south |
| Kevil | Ballard | 573 | 11 miles | southeast |
| Wickliffe | Ballard | 652 | 13 miles | south |
| Bardwell | Carlisle | 710 | 19 miles | south |
| Paducah | McCracken | 26,712 | 23 miles | east |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); KDFWR offices from the KDFWR contact page and the regional biologists map; businesses from services.json listings (call ahead); straight-line miles. Checked November 10, 2026.
Sunrise, sunset and shooting light at Ballard WMA
Ballard WMA keeps Central Time, so these times are on the local clock; the state line between Central and Eastern Time runs through the middle of Kentucky.
| Date | Event | Sunrise | Sunset | General rule | Bird rule | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Deer archery opens | 6:29 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 7:51 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | CDT |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Deer crossbow opens | 6:40 a.m. | 7:00 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. | CDT |
| Sep 25, 2026 | CWD antlerless opens | 6:45 a.m. | 6:50 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. | CDT |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Youth gun opens | 6:58 a.m. | 6:28 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 6:28 p.m. | CDT |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Early muzzleloader | 7:05 a.m. | 6:18 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 6:48 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 6:18 p.m. | CDT |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Zone 1 gun opener | 6:34 a.m. | 4:48 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. | CST |
| Nov 26, 2026 | Duck season opens | 6:46 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | CST |
| Nov 29, 2026 | Zone 1 gun closes | 6:49 a.m. | 4:41 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. | CST |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Late muzzleloader | 7:00 a.m. | 4:40 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. | CST |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:06 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | CST |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Free youth weekend | 7:08 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. | CST |
Hours rules from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting &
Sight-in stops for Ballard WMA
The first of the three cards, West Kentucky WMA Archery Range, sits 13 miles from Ballard WMA.
From the KDFWR range layer and permit list, club sites and directory listings, checked November 10, 2026.
Four picks for a day at Ballard WMA
Ballard WMA picks open as live Amazon searches, so the prices shown are current ones.
Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Climbing stand
A climbing stand is worth the room in the truck when the November gun opener arrives.
Grunt call
Plenty of Kentucky deer hunters would not head to the stand without a grunt call.
Eastern gray squirrel eating a peanut on the grassPhoto: Joe Haupt (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Green-winged teal on the waterPhoto: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain)
Common questions about hunting Ballard WMA
What are the carcass rules for Ballard WMA deer?
The CWD zone limits apply because of Ballard County.
Are bears open game on Ballard WMA?
No, the area is outside the bear zones.
Elk at Ballard WMA?
Out-of-zone rules only.
Acreage of Ballard WMA?
About 8,014 acres.
Where do Ballard WMA hunters stock up?
Barlow is nearest, roughly 7 miles off.
Do waterfowl hours differ on Ballard WMA?
Yes, migratory birds and waterfowl close at sunset, not half an hour after.
Which number reaches someone about Ballard WMA?
Call the area line at (270) 224-2244, or the Purchase Region coordinator at (270) 577-6374.
What zone do deer hunters use at Ballard WMA?
Zone 1, whose short rule is unlimited antlerless.
Which seasons are open on Ballard WMA this year?
The 2026-27 KDFWR chart marks 3 season columns open, 5 closed and 1 quota-only on Ballard WMA.
How many quota slots does Ballard WMA have?
65 slots across 1 hunt. Applications ran September 1 to September 30, 2026 at $3 per hunt.
Morning-of checklist for Ballard WMA
Look up road, flood and weather closures affecting Ballard WMA before you set off.
Sources: KDFWR area page · KDFWR page · KDFWR map layer · KDFWR PDF · KDFWR page; seasons from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting &
Other photos on this page: Judy Gallagher (CC BY 2.0); DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0).