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Leslie County ranger district
Redbird Ranger District, Daniel Boone National Forest seasons, charts and draws
Ranger district in Leslie County and 4 more counties (146,434 acres; Zone 4).
Hunting gearPhoto: John MacGregor (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, posted by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region) (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Redbird Ranger District, Daniel Boone National Forest
Parking, trailheads and gates near Redbird Ranger District, Daniel Boone National Forest
- Bear Creek TrailheadTrailhead · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Bear Creek Trailhead ParkingParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 7.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 7.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 7.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Peabody TrailheadTrailhead · 7.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 7.3 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.
Terrain and cover on the Redbird Ranger District
The Redbird Ranger District takes in some 146,434 acres across 5 Kentucky counties; for KDFWR purposes it falls in the Southeast Region. The USDA Forest Service handles management here.
Canada geese flying low over a marsh
Acres: USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics (NFS acres in the district). Description and habitat from the area record; checked November 10, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Redbird Ranger District, Daniel Boone National Forest
The Redbird Ranger District and the quick reference charts
The Redbird Ranger District does not get a column-by-column chart row from KDFWR; its own rules set what is open.
KDFWR Public Land Hunting page (2026-27 charts); checked November 10, 2026.
The Redbird Ranger District regulations and restrictions
- Forest-wide rules (see the Daniel Boone National Forest record).
Area regulations as printed on the Forest Service. Checked November 10, 2026.
The Redbird Ranger District deer zone and season windows
A quarry listed for the Redbird Ranger District.
Green-winged teal on the water
The Redbird Ranger District falls wholly inside Deer Zone 4 this season.
| County | Deer zone | Short rule | Shift | CWD | Bear | Elk zone | Western or Eastern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | Deer Zone 4 | 2 deer, 1 antlerless | No | No | Bear Zone 2 | Yes | Eastern |
| Harlan County | Deer Zone 4 | 2 deer, 1 antlerless | No | No | Bear Zone 1 | Yes | Eastern |
| Leslie County | Deer Zone 4 | 2 deer, 1 antlerless | No | No | Bear Zone 2 | Yes | Eastern |
| Owsley County | Deer Zone 4 | 2 deer, 1 antlerless | No | No | Bear Zone 2 | No | Eastern |
| Perry County | Deer Zone 4 | 2 deer, 1 antlerless | No | No | Bear Zone 2 | Yes | Eastern |
Zone 4 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 | |
| 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 4 | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Late Muzzleloader | Zone 4 | 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: the Redbird Ranger District 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 the Redbird Ranger District
Black bear
Bear hunting here follows Bear Zones 1 and 2 dates, and permits are over the counter. KDFWR lists the Redbird Ranger District among areas closed to bear dogs.
| Season | Zone | Window | Today | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase only | Bear Zones 1, 2, 3 | Jun 1–Aug 31 Sep 9–30 | Guide p. 18 | |
| Archery, crossbow | Bear Zone 1 | Oct 24–26 | Guide p. 18 | |
| With dogs | Bear Zone 1 | Oct 19–23 | Guide p. 18 | |
| Firearm | Bear Zone 1 | Dec 12–14 | Guide p. 18 | |
| Archery, crossbow | Bear Zone 2 | Oct 24–28 | Guide p. 18 | |
| With dogs | Bear Zone 2 | Oct 19–23 Oct 29–Nov 6 | Guide p. 18 | |
| Firearm | Bear Zone 2 | Dec 12–16 | Guide p. 18 |
Elk hunting
The elk draw governs the Redbird Ranger District, which falls in Elk Hunting Unit 2, Elk Hunting Unit 3 and Elk Hunting Unit 4. KDFWR drew 500 elk permits for 2026.
| Permit type | When | Now | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bull, firearms | Sep 26–30 Oct 3–7 | Guide p. 22 | |
| Cow, firearms | Nov 28–Dec 2 Jan 2–6 | Guide p. 22 | |
| Archery, crossbow | Sep 12–25 Dec 5–11 | Guide p. 22 | |
| Youth quota | Sep 12–Jan 6 | Guide p. 22 |
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.
Parts and neighbours of the Redbird Ranger District
The Redbird Ranger District is part of the Daniel Boone National Forest, whose page covers the wider rules.
Telecheck numbers near the Redbird Ranger District
County totals give a feel for the game around the Redbird Ranger District; no area-level harvest exists. Clay County led with 926 deer in 2025-26, 68th of 120 counties.
| County | 2025-26 deer | Rank | Spring turkey | Bear harvest | Elk harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 926 | 68th | 207 | – | – |
| Harlan County | 509 | 104th | 135 | 49 | 12 |
| Leslie County | 565 | 98th | 153 | 38 | 30 |
| Owsley County | 283 | 118th | 96 | 2 | – |
| Perry County | 818 | 77th | 202 | 7 | 11 |
KDFWR Harvest Results app (Telecheck, license years); spring turkey by calendar spring; checked November 10, 2026.
Public ground within a short drive of the Redbird Ranger District
A straight-line hop of 6 miles southeast reaches Elk Forest WMA. Around it on the map: 5 wildlife management areas and 1 hunting access area.
| Neighbour | Category | Acreage | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Forest WMA | WMA | 16,587 | Bell | 6 miles | southeast |
| Redbird WMA | WMA | 24,033 | Clay | 6 miles | northeast |
| Hoskins WMA | WMA | 5,292 | Harlan | 10 miles | east |
| Asher Hunting Access Area | Access area | 13,145 | Bell | 10 miles | south |
| Boone Forestlands WMA | WMA | 27,997 | Bell | 11 miles | southeast |
| Burchell-Beech Creek WMA | WMA | 1,241 | Clay | 11 miles | northwest |
Point: KDFWR Daniel Boone NF polygon inside the USFS EDW ranger district boundary (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Where hunters at the Redbird Ranger District buy ice and fuel
Of the towns covered here, Hyden sits closest, a straight 13 miles from the Redbird Ranger District. Manchester, 13 miles out, is bigger: 1,433 people (2024). Williamsburg has the nearest KDFWR office, 39 miles out. Regional questions go to (606) 344-0585 (Southeast Region).
| Place | County | Population | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyden | Leslie | 279 | 13 miles | northeast |
| Manchester | Clay | 1,433 | 13 miles | northwest |
| Coldiron | Harlan | – | 16 miles | southeast |
| Oneida | Clay | – | 17 miles | north |
| Loyall | Harlan | 593 | 18 miles | southeast |
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 the Redbird Ranger District
the Redbird Ranger District 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.
| Date | Event | Sunrise | Sunset | General rule | Bird rule | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Deer archery opens | 7:07 a.m. | 7:59 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 8:29 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. | EDT |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Deer crossbow opens | 7:18 a.m. | 7:38 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 8:08 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. | EDT |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Bull elk week | 7:24 a.m. | 7:27 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 7:57 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 7:27 p.m. | EDT |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Youth gun opens | 7:36 a.m. | 7:06 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 7:36 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. | EDT |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Early muzzleloader | 7:43 a.m. | 6:56 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 6:56 p.m. | EDT |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Bear Zone 2 archery | 7:49 a.m. | 6:47 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 6:47 p.m. | EDT |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Zone 4 gun opener | 7:11 a.m. | 5:27 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:57 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. | EST |
| Nov 26, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:24 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. | EST |
| Nov 29, 2026 | Zone 4 gun closes | 7:27 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Bear Zone 2 firearm; late muzzleloader | 7:38 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:44 a.m. | 5:21 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Free youth weekend | 7:46 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | EST |
Hours rules from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting &
Sight-in stops for Daniel Boone National Forest – Redbird Ranger District
The first of the three cards, Center Target Firearms and Range, sits 30 miles from Daniel Boone National Forest – Redbird Ranger District.
From the KDFWR range layer and permit list, club sites and directory listings, checked November 10, 2026.
Four picks for a day at the Redbird Ranger District
the Redbird Ranger District 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.
Box call
Fall and spring turkey hunters across Kentucky rarely leave a box call at home.
Raccoon in the woodsPhoto: Juliana Chong (CC BY 2.0)
Snow geese in flightPhoto: Birding for Climate (Public domain)
Common questions about hunting the Redbird Ranger District
Which elk unit is the Redbird Ranger District in?
Elk Hunting Unit 2,
Acreage of the Redbird Ranger District?
About 146,434 acres.
Which town is a good base for the Redbird Ranger District?
Hyden, about 13 miles away, is the closest on this site.
Do waterfowl hours differ on the Redbird Ranger District?
Yes, migratory birds and waterfowl close at sunset, not half an hour after.
Which number reaches someone about the Redbird Ranger District?
The Southeast Region coordinator takes calls at (606) 344-0585.
What zone do deer hunters use at the Redbird Ranger District?
Zone 4, whose short rule is 2 deer, 1 antlerless.
Must I apply to hunt deer on the Redbird Ranger District?
No deer quota hunt is scheduled there for 2026-27.
Is the Redbird Ranger District inside chronic wasting disease limits?
No, its counties are outside the zone.
Are black bears fair game on the Redbird Ranger District?
Yes, under Bear Zones 1 and 2 dates with an over-the-counter bear permit.
Morning-of checklist for the Redbird Ranger District
Look up road, flood and weather closures affecting the Redbird Ranger District before you set off.
Sources: Forest Service · Forest Service · Forest Service · Forest Service; seasons from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting &
Other photos on this page: Yellowstone National Park (Public domain); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain).