Home › Kentucky › Public land › Dewey Lake WMA
Floyd County wildlife management area
A hunter's guide to Dewey Lake WMA
Wildlife management area in Floyd County and Pike County (9,172 acres; Zone 3).
Hunting gearPhoto: wsilver (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Dewey Lake WMA
Parking, trailheads and gates near Dewey Lake WMA
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 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.
What to know about who runs Dewey Lake WMA
Dewey Lake is a Corps of Engineers project; Dewey Lake WMA covers its huntable ground.
Sources: eCFR · KDFWR area page; checked November 10, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Dewey Lake WMA
Dewey Lake WMA: acreage, habitat and directions
Dewey Lake WMA takes in some 9,172 acres across Floyd and Pike counties; for KDFWR purposes it falls in the Northeast Region. For upkeep and posted rules, look to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Title to the ground is held by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In KDFWR's tiering it is a moderate-level area.
How KDFWR describes Dewey Lake WMA:
- The WMA surrounds most of the shoreline of Dewey Lake. 6 miles east of Prestonsburg on KY 194. Extremely steep and rugged; forested, primarily in hardwoods, with scattered openings.
- Opportunities for hunting, fishing, boating, birding on lake.
- Camping allowed only in corps-maintained campgrounds. Lodging, recreational activities, camping at nearby Jenny Wiley State Resort Park.
- Managed by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
Land cover on Dewey Lake WMA is mostly forest, about 95 percent of the area.
Sources split on counties here, and the boundary overlay gives Floyd.
Coyote standing on a brushy rise against a blue sky
Acres: KDFWR Public Lands Search detail page ("Size: 9172 acres"). Description and habitat from the area record; checked November 10, 2026.
Season by season on Dewey Lake WMA
Counting the chart cells for Dewey Lake WMA: open 11, closed 0, quota only 1.
| Chart column | On this area | Exception |
|---|---|---|
| Deer archery, crossbow | Open | – |
| Deer muzzleloader | Open | 1, 2 |
| Deer modern gun | Quota only | 1 |
| Deer youth gun | Open | 1 |
| Fall squirrel | Open | – |
| Rabbit | Open | – |
| Grouse | Open | – |
| Quail | Open | – |
| Fall turkey | Open | – |
| Furbearer | Open | – |
| Bear | Open | 1 |
| Elk quota | Open | 1 |
- Deer, bear, and elk hunting is archery/crossbow only (firearms prohibited) in two areas near the dam: 1) on the east side of the dam, the area extending southward from the dam to old Shoreline Campground No. 1, and 2) on the west side of the dam, the area extending westward from the dam along Ky 302 to Terry Boat Ramp.
- Open for December muzzleloader season only.
From the 2026-27 quick reference charts on the KDFWR Public Land Hunting page; footnotes are KDFWR exceptions as printed. Checked November 10, 2026.
Dewey Lake WMA regulations and restrictions
Where the list below is silent, Dewey Lake WMA follows the statewide regulations for the county.
- Closed for October deer muzzleloader season. Open for December deer muzzleloader season.
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.
Dewey Lake WMA deer zone and season windows
A quarry listed for Dewey Lake WMA.
Ruffed grouse feeding on snowy ground
Because Dewey Lake WMA crosses into Deer Zones 3 and 4, the whole area uses the more liberal Zone 3 rules (301 KAR 2:178). Note the 2026 change: Pike County sits one zone lower than it did last season.
| County | Deer zone | Short rule | Shift | CWD | Bear | Elk zone | Western or Eastern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd County | Deer Zone 4 | 2 deer, 1 antlerless | No | No | Bear Zone 2 | Yes | Eastern |
| Pike County | Deer Zone 3 | 4 deer, 1 gun antlerless | 4 to 3 | No | Bear Zone 2 | Yes | Eastern |
Zone 3 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 3 | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | Guide p. 12 | |
| Late Muzzleloader | Zone 3 | 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: Dewey Lake 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 Dewey Lake WMA
Black bear
Bear hunting here follows Bear Zone 2 dates, and permits are over the counter.
| 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 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 Dewey Lake WMA, which falls in Elk Hunting Unit 6. 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.
Dewey Lake WMA quota hunt table
Dewey Lake WMA hosts 1 deer quota hunt in 2026-27 with 150 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Dewey Lake WMA | Nov. 7-8 | 150 | 0 | 0 | Limit two, only one of which may be antleress, during quota hunt. |
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.
Parts and neighbours of Dewey Lake WMA
A related area is Jenny Wiley State Resort Park.
Telecheck numbers near Dewey Lake WMA
County totals give a feel for the game around Dewey Lake WMA; no area-level harvest exists. Pike County led with 1,632 deer in 2025-26, 31st of 120 counties.
| County | 2025-26 deer | Rank | Spring turkey | Bear harvest | Elk harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd County | 881 | 72nd | 203 | 1 | – |
| Pike County | 1,632 | 31st | 319 | 31 | 41 |
KDFWR Harvest Results app (Telecheck, license years); spring turkey by calendar spring; checked November 10, 2026.
Public ground within a short drive of Dewey Lake WMA
A straight-line hop of 4 miles west reaches Jenny Wiley State Resort Park. Around it on the map: 4 wildlife management areas and 2 state parks.
| Neighbour | Category | Acreage | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jenny Wiley State Resort Park | State park | 1,415 | Floyd | 4 miles | west |
| Pocahontas WMA | WMA | 54,568 | Floyd | 12 miles | east |
| Legacy WMA | WMA | 21,351 | Floyd | 17 miles | east |
| Paintsville Lake WMA | WMA | 11,220 | Johnson | 23 miles | northwest |
| Yatesville Lake WMA | WMA | 13,191 | Lawrence | 27 miles | north |
| Yatesville Lake State Park | State park | 2,006 | Lawrence | 27 miles | north |
Point: KDFWR Public Hunting Areas layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Where hunters at Dewey Lake WMA buy ice and fuel
Of the towns covered here, Prestonsburg sits closest, a straight 5 miles from Dewey Lake WMA. Pikeville, 17 miles out, is bigger: 7,366 people (2024). Prestonsburg has the nearest KDFWR office, 4 miles out. Regional questions go to (859) 473-0061 (Northeast Region).
| Place | County | Population | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prestonsburg | Floyd | 3,638 | 5 miles | west |
| Auxier | Floyd | – | 6 miles | northwest |
| Paintsville | Johnson | 4,129 | 11 miles | northwest |
| Inez | Martin | 511 | 14 miles | northeast |
| Pikeville | Pike | 7,366 | 17 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 Dewey Lake WMA
Dewey Lake WMA 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 | 7:03 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 8:26 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 7:56 p.m. | EDT |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Deer crossbow opens | 7:15 a.m. | 7:34 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 8:04 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. | EDT |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Bull elk week | 7:21 a.m. | 7:23 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. | EDT |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Youth gun opens | 7:33 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. | EDT |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Early muzzleloader | 7:40 a.m. | 6:52 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 6:52 p.m. | EDT |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Bear Zone 2 archery | 7:47 a.m. | 6:43 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 6:43 p.m. | EDT |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Zone 4 gun opener | 7:09 a.m. | 5:22 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | EST |
| Nov 26, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:22 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | EST |
| Nov 29, 2026 | Zone 4 gun closes | 7:25 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Bear Zone 2 firearm; late muzzleloader | 7:36 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:42 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | EST |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Free youth weekend | 7:44 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | EST |
Hours rules from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting &
Sight-in stops for Dewey Lake WMA
The first of the three cards, Copperhead Gun and Range, sits 6 miles from Dewey Lake WMA.
From the KDFWR range layer and permit list, club sites and directory listings, checked November 10, 2026.
Four picks for a day at Dewey Lake WMA
Dewey Lake 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.
Box call
Fall and spring turkey hunters across Kentucky rarely leave a box call at home.
Eastern cottontail rabbit in green ground coverPhoto: Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0)
Eastern cottontail rabbit in green grassPhoto: Frank Doyle (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Common questions about hunting Dewey Lake WMA
How many quota slots does Dewey Lake WMA have?
150 slots across 1 hunt. Applications ran September 1 to September 30, 2026 at $3 per hunt.
Is Dewey Lake WMA inside chronic wasting disease limits?
No, its counties are outside the zone.
Is there a bear quota for Dewey Lake WMA?
No; Kentucky has no bear quota and bear permits are over the counter.
Which elk unit is Dewey Lake WMA in?
Elk Hunting Unit 6.
Acreage of Dewey Lake WMA?
About 9,172 acres.
Is there a town near Dewey Lake WMA?
Yes, Prestonsburg, some 5 miles away.
Do waterfowl hours differ on Dewey Lake WMA?
Yes, migratory birds and waterfowl close at sunset, not half an hour after.
Which number reaches someone about Dewey Lake WMA?
Call the area line at (606) 207-3385, or the Northeast Region coordinator at (859) 473-0061.
What permits does Dewey Lake WMA require?
No extra permit is listed, but Corps project rules (36 CFR 327.8) apply on the Corps land.
What zone do deer hunters use at Dewey Lake WMA?
Zone 3, whose short rule is 4 deer, 1 gun antlerless. It touches Deer Zones 3 and 4, and a two-zone area follows the most liberal one.
Which seasons are open on Dewey Lake WMA this year?
The 2026-27 KDFWR chart marks 11 season columns open, 0 closed and 1 quota-only on Dewey Lake WMA.
Morning-of checklist for Dewey Lake WMA
Look up road, flood and weather closures affecting Dewey Lake 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: capt_tain Tom (CC BY 2.0); the real Kam75 (CC BY-SA 2.0).