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Species
Kentucky Hunting by Species
All 34 KDFWR game, furbearer, migratory and protected species for 2026-27, from whitetails and elk to woodcock, geese and the closed list.
Photo: Andrea O'Bryan (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District) (CC BY 2.0)
Kentucky game species by KDFWR group
This index covers all 34 Kentucky species pages: 28 with 2026-27 season rows and 6 with no season. The pages draw on the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide, the Kentucky Hunting Guide for Migratory Birds and Waterfowl and 301 KAR. Between them they carry 79 season rows; on November 10, 2026 14 species pages have at least one window open. Deer seasons follow four deer zones drawn on whole counties, elk inside the elk zone are drawn by quota, and bears are open only in three bear zones. Rabbit and quail run on a Western and an Eastern calendar, grouse only in the Grouse Zone, and the September Canada goose season on two map-read zones. Spring 2027 turkey and spring squirrel dates had not been published by KDFWR when the pages were checked.
Source: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide, Waterfowl guide and 301 KAR (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Big game pages (4)
White-tailed deer by four county-based zones, elk by drawn quota permit in the 16-county elk zone, black bear in three bear zones and fall turkey statewide.
White-tailed Deer
1 antlered deer per license year statewide; zone limits (Zone 1 unlimited antler
Elk
1 elk per license year.
Black Bear
1 bear per license year (75 lb+, no sow with cubs).
Wild Turkey
Spring 2 bearded/male birds; fall 2 (one 3-in.+ beard, one not).
Upland birds pages (3)
Bobwhite quail by zone, ruffed grouse in the Grouse Zone and pheasants on three WMA quota hunts.
Quail
8 daily, 16 possession.
Ruffed Grouse
4 daily, 8 possession.
Pheasant
2 per quota day, 3 on clean-up day.
Migratory birds pages (7)
Mourning dove, rails, gallinules, woodcock, snipe, sandhill crane by permit and the crow.
Mourning Dove
15 daily, 45 possession.
Rail
25 daily combined.
Gallinule
3 daily combined.
Woodcock
3 daily, 9 possession.
Snipe
8 daily, 24 possession.
Sandhill Crane
1 per tag, 2 daily.
Crow
No limit.
Furbearers pages (5)
Raccoon, opossum, coyote, bobcat, river otter, mink, muskrat, beaver, foxes, weasels and striped skunk.
Raccoon and Opossum
No limit.
Coyote
No limit.
Bobcat
5, no more than 3 by gun.
River Otter
10, only 6 from Otter Zone 2.
Mink, Muskrat, Beaver and Fox
No limit.
Other legal species pages (4)
Bullfrog, groundhog, snapping and softshell turtles and exotic hoofed wildlife.
Bullfrog
15 daily, 30 possession.
Groundhog
No limit.
Snapping and Softshell Turtle
No limit.
Exotic Hoofed Wildlife
No limit.
Special small game seasons pages (1)
Falconry and the free youth hunting and trapping week.
Falconry and Youth Small Game
Statewide limits; 2/day falconry-only.
No season pages (6)
Wild pig (hunting prohibited), eastern spotted skunk, alligator snapping turtle, king rail, birds of prey and songbirds, and listed species.
Wild Pig
No season
Eastern Spotted Skunk
No season
Alligator Snapping Turtle
No season
King Rail
No season
Birds of Prey and Songbirds
No season
Threatened and Endangered Species
No season
Every Kentucky species page in one table
| Species | Group | Rows | First to last day | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Big game | 15 | Sep 5–Jan 18, 2027 | Open today |
| Elk | Big game | 5 | Sep 12–Jan 6, 2027 | Open today |
| Black Bear | Big game | 10 | Jun 1–Dec 16, 2026 | Opens Dec 12, 2026 |
| Wild Turkey | Big game | 5 | Sep 5–Jan 18, 2027 | Open today |
| Squirrel | Small game | 3 | Aug 15–Feb 28, 2027 | Open today |
| Rabbit | Small game | 4 | Nov 1–Feb 10, 2027 | Open today |
| Quail | Upland birds | 2 | Nov 1–Feb 10, 2027 | Open today |
| Ruffed Grouse | Upland birds | 1 | Nov 1–Feb 28, 2027 | Open today |
| Pheasant | Upland birds | 1 | – | Dates pending |
| Raccoon and Opossum | Furbearers | 1 | Oct 1–Feb 28, 2027 | Open today |
| Coyote | Furbearers | 2 | Mar 1–Mar 31, 2027 | Open today |
| Bobcat | Furbearers | 1 | Nov 21–Feb 28, 2027 | Opens Nov 21, 2026 |
| River Otter | Furbearers | 2 | Nov 16–Mar 31, 2027 | Opens Nov 16, 2026 |
| Mink, Muskrat, Beaver and Fox | Furbearers | 2 | Nov 16–Mar 31, 2027 | Opens Nov 16, 2026 |
| Mourning Dove | Migratory birds | 1 | Sep 1–Jan 10, 2027 | Opens Nov 26, 2026 |
| Rail | Migratory birds | 1 | Sep 1–Nov 9, 2026 | Closed for 2026-27 |
| Gallinule | Migratory birds | 1 | Sep 1–Nov 9, 2026 | Closed for 2026-27 |
| Woodcock | Migratory birds | 1 | Oct 24–Dec 9, 2026 | Open today |
| Snipe | Migratory birds | 1 | Sep 16–Jan 31, 2027 | Opens Nov 26, 2026 |
| Sandhill Crane | Migratory birds | 1 | Dec 7–Jan 31, 2027 | Opens Dec 7, 2026 |
| Crow | Migratory birds | 1 | Sep 1–Feb 28, 2027 | Opens Jan 4, 2027 |
| Duck | Waterfowl | 5 | Sep 19–Feb 21, 2027 | Opens Nov 21, 2026 |
| Goose | Waterfowl | 6 | Sep 1–Mar 31, 2027 | Opens Nov 26, 2026 |
| Bullfrog | Other legal species | 1 | May 16–Oct 31, 2026 | Closed for 2026-27 |
| Groundhog | Other legal species | 1 | Mar 1–Feb 28, 2027 | Open today |
| Snapping and Softshell Turtle | Other legal species | 1 | Mar 1–Feb 28, 2027 | Open today |
| Exotic Hoofed Wildlife | Other legal species | 1 | Mar 1–Feb 28, 2027 | Open today |
| Falconry and Youth Small Game | Special small game seasons | 2 | Sep 1–Mar 30, 2027 | Open today |
| Wild Pig | No season | 1 | – | No season |
| Eastern Spotted Skunk | No season | 0 | – | No season |
| Alligator Snapping Turtle | No season | 0 | – | No season |
| King Rail | No season | 0 | – | No season |
| Birds of Prey and Songbirds | No season | 0 | – | No season |
| Threatened and Endangered Species | No season | 0 | – | No season |
Row counts from the KDFWR 2026-27 guides, checked November 10, 2026.
More zone and season pages
Season calendar
Every KDFWR season row on one page.
CWD Surveillance Zone
The 23 counties, check stations and carcass rules.
Small game zones
Western, Eastern and Grouse Zone counties.
Waterfowl zones
Statewide ducks and geese, September goose zones.
Quota hunts
All 38 deer quota hunts and other drawn hunts.
Deer zones
Four deer zones by county.
Bear zones
Three bear zones, 47 counties.
Elk zone
Sixteen counties, 500 permits.
White-tailed doe watching from a thicket at Clarks River National Wildlife RefugePhoto: Scott Simmons (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) (CC BY 2.0)
White-tailed deer grazing by a road near Carr Creek LakePhoto: Edie Wright (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District) (CC BY 2.0)
White-tailed buck emerging from the tree line at the edge of a fieldPhoto: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain)
Kentucky species questions
How many of the 34 Kentucky species pages list 2026-27 seasons?
28 of the 34 species pages carry KDFWR season rows; 6 cover wild pigs and protected species with no season.
Which four animals does KDFWR class as big game?
white-tailed deer, elk, black bear and wild turkey. Elk inside the 16-county zone by drawn quota permit only; bear only in the 47-county bear zone.
Which permits are sold over the counter?
All licenses and permits except elk quota, pheasant quota, sandhill crane and quota-hunt permits are over the counter, including bear permits, statewide and additional deer permits, turkey permits and the Out-of-Zone Elk Permit.
How many deer were checked last season?
145,525 deer for 2025-26 in the KDFWR Harvest Results app. The 2025-26 Kentucky White-tailed Deer Report prints 145,433 deer; the KDFWR Harvest Results app (live Telecheck) counts 145,525.
When is solid orange required across Kentucky?
Solid, unbroken hunter orange visible from all sides on the head, back and chest for all hunters and persons accompanying them, hunting any species in daylight during modern gun, muzzleloader and youth firearm deer seasons, and firearm elk (in the elk zone) or bear seasons. Includes archery/crossbow and turkey hunters and trappers.
Has CWD reached Kentucky deer?
CWD detected in Kentucky and all border states; CWD Surveillance Zone in 23 counties for 2026-27 (9 added after a 2025-26 detection in Pulaski County).
Has KDFWR set spring 2027 gobbler dates yet?
Not yet: KDFWR had not published spring 2027 turkey or spring squirrel dates when these pages were checked.
Is there a bear quota?
No bear quota; bear permits are over the counter.
Can wild pigs be hunted?
Hunting prohibited since June 6, 2024 (eradication by trapping); landowners may shoot pigs damaging their property in daylight and must report within 24 hours.