Big game
Kentucky Elk Hunting, 2026-27 Seasons and Limits
Kentucky elk: open today, with every KDFWR season row, limit and permit for 2026-27.
Photo: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0)
Quick facts on Kentucky elk
Kentucky lists 5 season lines for elk in 2026-27, running between September 12, 2026 and January 6, 2027. Worth knowing before a elk trip: drawn quota permits in the 16-county elk zone; Out-of-Zone permit elsewhere. Methods KDFWR allows for elk: rifle .270+, muzzleloader .50+, shotgun, handgun, archery, crossbow.
Source: Guide p. 22 and Guide p. 23 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Every 2026-27 season row for elk
Elk rows are sorted by first day; lines without dates are those KDFWR had not set or that follow another season.
| Window | Where | Dates | Limit | Details | Open? | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery, crossbow | Elk zone | Sep 12–25, 2026 Dec 5–11, 2026 | 1 elk of either sex (drawn permit) | Guide p. 22 | ||
| Youth quota | Elk zone | Sep 12–Jan 6, 2027 | 1 elk of either sex (drawn youth permit) | Valid during all elk seasons above. | Guide p. 22 | |
| Bull, firearms | Elk zone | Sep 26–30, 2026 Oct 3–7, 2026 | 1 antlered elk (drawn permit) | Drawn hunters are randomly assigned one of the two 5-day weeks. | Guide p. 22 | |
| Cow, firearms | Elk zone | Nov 28–Dec 2, 2026 Jan 2–6, 2027 | 1 antlerless elk (drawn permit) | Drawn hunters are randomly assigned one of the two 5-day weeks. | Guide p. 22 | |
| Out-of-zone elk | Outside elk zone | Deer season dates | 1 elk of either sex per license year (not counted in deer bag) | Follows deer season dates and methods; needs annual hunting license plus Out-of-Zone Elk Permit; no deer permit required. | No dates | Guide p. 23 |
How Kentucky hands out elk permits
All 500 elk permits for 2026 were drawn; each one is good inside the 16 elk zone counties, roughly 4.1 million acres.
| Permit | 2026 permits | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Bull firearm | 140 | Sep 26–30, 2026 Oct 3–7, 2026 |
| Cow firearm | 164 | Nov 28–Dec 2, 2026 Jan 2–6, 2027 |
| Archery, crossbow | 170 | Sep 12–25, 2026 Dec 5–11, 2026 |
| Youth only | 26 | All elk seasons |
| Total | 500 | – |
Counties in the zone
Bell, Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, McCreary, Perry, Pike, Whitley.
Aug. 1, 2025 – Apr. 30, 2026 for 2026 hunts ($10 per permit type; up to 3 types; drawn for only one). Random computer drawing in May; buy permit by June 15; loyalty redraw; unit drawing (apply by June 30). Nonresidents max 10% of each pool; drawn hunters wait 3 years; youth-only draw once per lifetime; 6 hunting units in the 4.1 million-acre zone; Boone's Ridge closed.
Boone's Ridge viewing area closed to all elk hunting. Landowners with 100+ acres in the elk zone who allow quota hunters access earn an either-sex elk permit after 10 elk are taken on their land. Unit boundaries for the six elk hunting units (Units 2 to 7) are drawn only on the KDFWR map.
Outside the zone: 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).
Source: 301 KAR 2:132, KDFWR elk page and Guide p. 23 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
How many elk Kentucky hunters check
Telecheck counted 187 elk for 2025-26, against 526 in 2016-17; the high point of the run was 2016-17 at 526.
| Rank | County | 2025-26 | KDFWR region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bell | 41 | Southeast |
| 2 | Pike | 41 | Northeast |
| 3 | Leslie | 30 | Southeast |
| 4 | Knott | 24 | Southeast |
| 5 | Harlan | 12 | Southeast |
| 6 | Martin | 12 | Northeast |
| 7 | Perry | 11 | Southeast |
| 8 | Breathitt | 9 | Southeast |
| 9 | Letcher | 6 | Southeast |
| 10 | Johnson | 1 | Northeast |
Source: Harvest app and Harvest app (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Counting your elk
The elk lines below come straight from the guides, so the counting rule is exact.
| Applies to | KDFWR limit |
|---|---|
| Elk | 1 elk per hunter per license year regardless of permit type |
Source: Guide p. 23 and Guide p. 22 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Lawful gear for elk
What KDFWR allows and bans when hunting elk, by season group.
| Group | Legal methods | Banned |
|---|---|---|
| Elk | Modern rifle .270 or larger (10-round max), muzzleloading rifle .50+, shotgun 20 ga or larger single projectile, centerfire handgun .270+ with case 1.285 in.+; archery/crossbow (7/8 in. broadheads). | Fully automatic firearms; FMJ or tracer ammunition. |
| Point | Rule text |
|---|---|
| Carcass import | No whole cervid carcasses or high-risk parts from other states or provinces. |
| Electronic calls | Not for deer, turkey or elk; legal for furbearers in season and crows. |
| Drones and aircraft | No manned or unmanned aircraft (drones) to hunt or harass wildlife. |
Methods for elk, in short: rifle .270+, muzzleloader .50+, shotgun, handgun, archery, crossbow.
Source: Guide p. 22, Guide p. 15, Guide p. 11 and Guide p. 10 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Elk paperwork and prices
Fees were adjusted in January 2026; the list shows the current elk items.
| License or permit | Resident | Nonresident | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| $28.54 | $169.12 | Shooting range permit included (must register). | |
| $10 | $10 | Deadline April 30. | |
| $10 | $10 | 15 and under | |
| $105.70 | $581.35 | if drawn | |
| $63.42 | $422.80 | if drawn | |
| $105.70 | $581.35 | Bull or cow. | |
| $31.71 | $211.40 | Youths drawn for other elk permits pay full cost. | |
| $31.71 | $422.80 | – |
Kentucky mails no paper license; a elk hunter buys online or from an agent and carries a copy or screenshot.
Source: Guide p. 7 and Guide p. 4 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Elk: orange, checking and bait
These are the Kentucky rules most likely to matter on a elk hunt, close to KDFWR wording.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Hunter orange | A elk hunter afield during the modern gun, muzzleloader or youth gun deer days, or a firearm elk or bear season, must show solid orange on head, back and chest. |
| Ground blinds | During gun deer seasons on WMAs, in state parks and on gun quota hunts, attach a solid orange hat or vest to a ground blind visible from all sides; occupants still wear orange. |
| Telecheck | Telecheck: record the harvest on a harvest log (species, sex, date, county) before moving the carcass, then report by phone 1-800-245-4263 or online (My Profile); write the confirmation number on the log. |
| Deadline | By midnight on the day recovered and before processing; bear by 8 p.m. Eastern the day taken plus a call to 1-800-858-1549 within 24 hours for physical check and tag; bobcat and otter before leaving Kentucky. |
| Proof of sex | Keep head or genitalia attached if head or hide is removed before telecheck (deer, elk). |
| Carcass rules | No whole carcasses or high-risk parts (head, skull/skull cap with brain, spine) may leave the zone or enter Kentucky from other states/provinces; deboned meat, antlers, clean skull caps/skulls/teeth, hides and finished taxidermy allowed. |
| Post-season survey | All quota elk hunters must file a post-season survey by the last day of February. |
| Bait | Illegal inside the 16-county elk zone (bait present or within 30 days of removal) and on public land; legal outside the elk zone. |
| Public land bait | No baiting on WMAs, Big South Fork NRRA, Daniel Boone NF, Jefferson NF, Land Between The Lakes or state parks open to hunting. |
| Hunter education | Born on or after January 1, 1975? Then a elk hunt needs a hunter education card, or the free exemption permit and a licensed adult alongside. |
Source: Guide p. 10, Guide p. 8 and Guide p. 9 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Elk on WMAs and federal land
Start with these areas for elk; 14 records match in all, and WMAs can set shorter seasons than the statewide rows.
| Name | Kind | Where | Acres | Listed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National forest | 710,298 | Chart: open | ||
| Ranger district | 209,423 | Listed species | ||
| Ranger district | 183,503 | Listed species | ||
| Ranger district | 170,938 | Listed species | ||
| Ranger district | 146,434 | Listed species | ||
| WMA | 24,033 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 21,351 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 15,088 | Chart: open | ||
| Access area | 15,036 | Chart: open | ||
| Access area | 13,145 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 11,220 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 9,172 | Chart: open |
Source: KDFWR land records and Guide p. 30 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Kentucky elk pack list
Kentucky elk gear here follows the game on this page; nothing loads until you tap a button.
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Binoculars
Glassing open strip-mine grassland at first light saves a lot of climbing.
Pack frame
A short elk week on reclaimed ground goes better with a pack frame in the pack.
Daily elk hours on key dates
Legal light for elk on the key dates, computed with the NOAA solar formula.
30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset for most species (deer, elk, bear, turkey, small game, groundhog).
| Date | Hopkinsville (Christian) | Lexington (Fayette) | Harlan (Harlan) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | 5:59 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. CDT | 6:46 a.m. to 8:23 p.m. EDT | 6:42 a.m. to 8:17 p.m. EDT |
| Sep 26, 2026 | 6:10 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. CDT | 6:58 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EDT | 6:53 a.m. to 7:56 p.m. EDT |
| Nov 28, 2026 | 6:11 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. CST | 7:02 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. EST | 6:54 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. EST |
| Dec 21, 2026 | 6:29 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. CST | 7:20 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. EST | 7:12 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. EST |
Hours rule from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide; sunrise and sunset from the NOAA solar formula for each county seat on its own clock (KDFWR prints no sunrise table, so sunrise and sunset are worked out with the NOAA solar formula for the exact point, on Central Time in the 41 western counties and Eastern Time elsewhere, with daylight time ending November 1, 2026 and starting March 14, 2027.); checked November 10, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Bull elk at a winter woods edge in the Elk and Bison PrairiePhoto: Andrew Wheatley (posted by Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area) (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Bull elk in velvet standing in tall grass in the Elk and Bison Prairie at Land Between the LakesPhoto: Scott Raymond (USDA Forest Service) (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Bull elk in golden fall grass in the Elk and Bison PrairiePhoto: Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Elk, answered
How many elk permits are drawn?
Aug. 1, 2025 – Apr. 30, 2026 for 2026 hunts ($10 per permit type; up to 3 types; drawn for only one). Random computer drawing in May; buy permit by June 15; loyalty redraw; unit drawing (apply by June 30). Nonresidents max 10% of each pool; drawn hunters wait 3 years; youth-only draw once per lifetime; 6 hunting units in the 4.1 million-acre zone; Boone's Ridge closed. Permits for 2026: 140 bull firearm, 164 cow firearm, 170 archery/crossbow and 26 youth-only, 500 in all.
Can I hunt elk over bait in Kentucky?
Illegal inside the 16-county elk zone (bait present or within 30 days of removal) and on public land; legal outside the elk zone.
Where can I hunt elk on public land?
14 records in the Kentucky land data open or list elk; check each area page before you go.
Are elk legal in the other 104 counties?
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).
Is there a daily limit on elk?
In KDFWR wording for elk: 1 elk per hunter per license year regardless of permit type.
When are elk in season in Kentucky?
Archery, crossbow (Elk zone): Sep 12 to Sep 25, 2026; Dec 5 to Dec 11, 2026; Bull, firearms (Elk zone): Sep 26 to Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3 to Oct 7, 2026; Cow, firearms (Elk zone): Nov 28 to Dec 2, 2026; Jan 2 to Jan 6, 2027; Youth quota (Elk zone): Sep 12, 2026 to Jan 6, 2027.
How may elk be taken?
Rifle .270+, muzzleloader .50+, shotgun, handgun, archery, crossbow. Modern rifle .270 or larger (10-round max), muzzleloading rifle .50+, shotgun 20 ga or larger single projectile, centerfire handgun .270+ with case 1.285 in.+; archery/crossbow (7/8 in. broadheads).
What does a elk hunter have to buy?
Annual Hunting $28.54 resident, $169.12 nonresident; Elk Hunt Drawing Application $10 resident, $10 nonresident; Youth Elk Drawing Application $10 resident, $10 nonresident; Elk Quota Bull Permit $105.70 resident, $581.35 nonresident. All elk items and fees are in the table above.
Does the orange rule cover elk?
A elk hunter afield during the modern gun, muzzleloader or youth gun deer days, or a firearm elk or bear season, must show solid orange on head, back and chest.
When can I start hunting elk each day?
30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset for most species (deer, elk, bear, turkey, small game, groundhog). Clock times for elk hunting depend on the county: Central Time in the west, Eastern Time across the rest.
How do I report a elk harvest?
By midnight on the day recovered and before processing; bear by 8 p.m. Eastern the day taken plus a call to 1-800-858-1549 within 24 hours for physical check and tag; bobcat and otter before leaving Kentucky. Telecheck: record the harvest on a harvest log (species, sex, date, county) before moving the carcass, then report by phone 1-800-245-4263 or online (My Profile); write the confirmation number on the log.